One important aspect of riding horses is showing confidence and an outstanding demeanor.

In competitions, distractions are a rider’s worst enemy. Skills that were so easy to perform when you were at home, are suddenly lost from your mind. People are making noise, umbrellas are being opened near the ring, and children and dogs are running close to the fence. It’s hard to know what might happen while you are riding around a jumping course, or passing by other horses in a flat class. There are so many distractions for horse and rider in a show ring, especially during the summer months when shows are outdoors. What surrounds the ring can end up being more attention grabbing than what is going on in the ring. Every rider wants to maintain total focus on the jumps, or the flat work of their horse, but at times this seems almost impossible. Above all else, nerves are the worst problem that a rider can have, because undoubtedly, a nervous rider will be ten times more distracted then a rider who is calm.
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