Comments for showmom.com Blog

Comment on Horse Showing Day Two by kate

kate — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:57:39 +0000

i rode in the usef pony finals in kentucky that was the hardest show of my life i just got a new pony and rode in the greens i have never been so pressured in my life

Comment on Horse Show Tips by kate

kate — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:45:55 +0000

right before we go to a show i a always the one left packing and getting my little sister out the door it is harder with the two of us showing and we usually don’t go with a trainer. add what you pack times two ! it is so hard. but we always get trough it with lots of ribbons and also when we go out of state that is the hardest.

Comment on Varsity Equestrian Teams by bridget

bridget — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:27:31 +0000

They say necessity is the mother of invention, I could not agree more. The mother of a rising high school Junior, he and I were beginning the daunting task of figuring what to do about college. Having been a rider since conception it seemed very logical to us that a college scholarship just might be attainable for my son. My good friend Denna Johnson runs the College Bound Invitational every year; this seemed like a logical place to start. The weekend was filled with a wealth of information and a chance to showcase my son’s talents in front of college coaches and it also offered the opportunity to meet with the college coaches as well. As much as this was a great experience, we did leave there feeling as if we did not reach a large enough audience. Some colleges in attendance were all women institutions, while others offered only NCAA women’s teams and of the colleges that were left for my son to choose from only SCAD offered the curriculum that my son Michael was interested in.
So now my wheels started turning, being the owner and operator of showtimehorsesales.com, a horse sales web site, I started to think of how our site building talents could ease the task of both college coaches and equestrian high school athletes to make that much needed connection. Equestriancollegerecruiter.com was born while the family was traveling in the truck and trailer to 4H Regional Finals in Lexington, VA. The website is a one stop location for athletes to post an academic and equestrian resume along with pictures and full video of them riding. To make it easier on the busy equestrian athlete we will be offering colleges a bio page as well, here the college can give a brief overview of their institution and there will be a link back to each college for more detailed information about their programs. In addition to the profile pages there are also pages full of important information regarding NCAA rules, the recruiting process, how to choose a college along with links to the IHSA and the NCAA official websites.
Some interesting things we learned building this site is that equestrian athletes need to realize that colleges are looking for all skill levels of riders from walk- trot thru USEF Medal riders, so riders should not assume that their riding skills are inadequate. Also riders should realize that schools offer Hunt Seat Equitation both on the flat and over fences, Dressage, Western Horsemanship and Reining and there is even an International Jumper Competition at the college level.
We hope this site will prove to be an asset to all high school equestrian student athletes, college coaches, parents and even equestrian trainers who are assisting their long time students with the process of finding the perfect college. You are personally invited to peruse the site, your involvement is encouraged and your feedback more than welcome. Anyone with questions can contact Bridget or Mike Imparato at 352-746-5875

Comment on Varsity Equestrian Teams by showmom55

showmom55 — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:24:12 +0000

I am not aware of any company that helps with getting child recruited for equestrian – I would be very leery – there is a company in florida that puts on a weekend event for tryouts but most coaches from the varsity equestrian teams do not go. They get far more applicants than they can take so do not need this. IHSA coaches do go to this event – it is important to understand the difference between the two and determine which one you are trying to enter. They have very different rules, scholarships and even recruitment processes. NCAA Varsity Equestrian still relies on video tapes, school visits for interviews, and some recruitment at horse shows usually year end type shows. Be sure to ride equitation in your tapes on different horses including ones more green and not all made show horses. Good luck.

Comment on Varsity Equestrian Teams by Mary

Mary — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:39:15 +0000

My daughter is currently a sophomore and we are getting videos already – her riding different horses. Recently I rec’d some information from a company that assists with getting your child recruited, sponsors shows for coaches to see, etc. Does anyone know anything about this company? Is it legit? Worth it? Thanks.

Comment on Equestrian Varsity Athlete by Mary

Mary — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:05:44 +0000

Is there a proper time to let colleges know about your child’s interest in varsity equestrian? Or do they contact you? Not sure how it works.

Comment on when do you push a trainer by Mary

Mary — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:49:12 +0000

We just had a “come to Jesus” meeting with my 14-yr-old daughter after a particularly disappointing show. Her trainer is very nice and a friend as well – However – that sometimes gets in the way of getting things done. After a minor meltdown (me) about spending our retirement on her to just “show up”, I talked (rationally) with our trainer about expecting more from my daughter and getting commitments from her to work hard. Our trainer responded very well. She had her write a paper outlining her riding goals, why she liked to ride and show, and what she was going to do about it. Then outlined a training schedule. Since our trainer is relatively new at taking students to large shows, we’re kind of learning as we go along. Needless to say, our next show was much better and I’ve seen more intensity from both of them. I agree that we’re paying the bills and we need to be satisfied with the “service” that’s being provided. Once we had the same goals, it was much easier to agree on everything. (sigh of relief). I’m just trying to not be a control freak about everything and let her do her job.

Comment on Horse Showing Tips by Toni

Toni — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:10:02 +0000

I have not crossed this bridge as of yet. My daughter looks for me in the crowds and listens for my holler if she pins. She is only 11 though. Things may change as the hormones do.

Comment on Horse Show Tips by Ann

Ann — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:10:31 +0000

showing is hard espacially when you have a morning class. I am so thankful and grateful that i have a mom that goes to horse shows all over the country with me..She even quit her job! I currently own 6 horses 2 are my show horses and 4 are sales. They are all warmbloods and amazing horses.

Comment on Gulf Coast Winter Classic – Harrison County Equestrian Center, Gulfport, MS by Anastacia

Anastacia — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:02:54 +0000

i went to 2 weeks of GP it was great. Not only was the horse showing great. But there was lots to do at night. We played kick ball in the covered ring, had dog shows and dinners ever night! It was a fantistic show and my horse did great! weather was intersting but we made it threw.