CLOVELLY SUMMER CLASSIC & R.E.A.L. RIDE

[Becca]

and just another random question: are they advertising any shows / clinics at other barns or are people just using NLEC now??

[happilyeverafter]

Aug 4, 2009 2:56:32 GMT -3 Jasmine said:

Guys most people don't have stalls for shows... ever. I know I don't get them. Bring a friend and take turns holding your horse. Skipping a show because you don't have a stall is kind of foolish

While this is true, I, for the most part, agree with the girls.

In newfoundland, holding onto your horse all day is not a comfortable solution...

In ontario, almost everyone who shows has their own trailer, and if they dont (or if they do) that trailer is equipped to either 1) have room to carry 3-4 horses (meaning there are lots of places in which one can "hitch a ride" so to speak); 2) the trailers have ties on the outside where you could put your horse for "a break" 3)its a box stall trailer so you can put your horse inside for a break when you arent riding.

Yes I have stood around all day (5am-4pm) holding a horse, or three, at shows - big A rated ones where there are (literally) 250 other animals around and no place to put any of them. When we got tired of holding them you just had to hold some more. But we always had the option to tie the horse which we used on several occasions.

This solution cannot be used in Newfoundland because there simply arent enough trailers to go around!

Maybe a hitching post in an accessible area would be a good solution, for someone who might want to tie their horse for a little bit.

...then you run into the liability issues of having horses unattended with people around who may not have any horse sense.





Really, this is an awkward situation from both sides. Holding the horse sucks for the owner (and the horse), but having stalls available is difficult for barn owners and show organizers who then have to try and figure out where all their paying boarders are supposed to go...

because goodness knows, there arent enough stalls as it is, in town these days!

[ridersup]

Interesting discussion. Perhaps the old ways weren't so bad after all. Show entries are certainly down. Surely lack of overnight stalls can't be the only reasons.
I do have my own trailer, but I wouldn't leave my horse alone in it. I have done the "stand & hold" thing many times.Not one bit of fun in the rain. And it usually rains. Few barns can accomodate a really big show.
What we used to do...is find stalls from all around the area, safe fields with shelter and so on. People had different options from which to pick. Multi discipline showing in NL is a reality. There just aren't enough of us to choose any one discipline. I would show dressage & hunter, but if they are offered on different days or weekends, one of them will probably not happen. It's just time & money.......and common sense.
If you offer it the way the RIDERS want...they will come.

[Jasmine]

When is holding horses not uncomfortable? I know it's a pain... I hate holding horses all day but isn't worth a show? Everyone is always talking about how they wish the Newfoundland circuit was like the ones found in the other bigger provinces. How on earth do you expect to advance if you won't go to shows?

I'm going to be brutally honest, your show circuit is not going to get better until you stop complaining about your situation and make the best of it. I don't think any of you are in the position to whine and complain about the format of the shows or the lack of stalls. If you don't like the way it's done run your own show or try to help set-up the next one. Be thankful someone is trying to put off some shows. If you guys aren't careful I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped trying too. Those in glass houses should not throw stones...

[shittyrider]

I agree with ridersup. The old school way I found people had more fun showing and we always had somewhere to put our horse. if you had two horses that you were showing one in english and one in western what do people who are hosting think one is going to pay out $200.00 plus for trailering alone. Jasmine we are not throwing stones as you say however you have to know what the showing was like here years ago, and yes in Newfoundland it may come to the point to where no one will have a show look at last year there was hardly any shows. Would anyone from the west coast come in if the entry form had right on it no day stalls offered. Why not if you are hosting a show see with your boarders if they are not showing if they would mind if you used their stall for a day stall is all i am saying and I am sure there were a good few shows that the school horses at clovelly (years ago) were put out so their stall could be used for over night and day stalls.

[Jasmine]

I did show years ago... I showed in both 2006 and 2007 and I went to pretty much every show there was. It just saddens me that the show circuit in Newfoundland is dying from lack of participation. It's kinda funny the people who complain about lack of shows/the slow development of Newfoundland's horse community are the same people who complain about the inconveniences of the few shows you guys do have. I think a lot more would be accomplished if everyone stopped writing their frustrations on a forum and started TAKING ACTION. Why not try to improve things yourself and stop waiting for others to fix it for you? That's my two cents anyways.

FYI a day stall out here at show costs $100 a day. The majority of riders at shows end up holding their horses all day long. A stall is a luxury not an necessity. Believe it or not you can show without one.

[krys]

Jasmine, I think people aren't thinking it's worth it anymore because of the fact that the numbers have dropped drastically since a few years ago. So why waste your day standing around at a show, holding your horse for example, just to compete against one or two other people.

[happilyeverafter]

Krystina has got it there.

By "years ago" shittyrider and ridersup mean like... '95-'98, and maybe/probably even before. Showing used to be really popular in newfoundland.

I remember the judges having to split every hack/flat class into 2 or 3 groups per class because there were too many horses in them, and all the girls rode in basically every class because everyone was having so much fun.

If we're going to talk about "years ago" let's not kid ourselves and think that 2006/2007 was so great for showing in newfoundland. Sure, it was a hell of a lot better than it might be this year, but you guys who have only been on the scene since post 2000 (or so) dont even know what we used to have there back in the 90s.

I'd kill to go back to those days... really would. The horse community was amazing in Newfoundland, back then ...

[Amyy]

i wouldnt excatly call 2006-2007 years ago

I can remember when Springdale had a show in about or around 1995-1996(when i was into the showing). Every single class had to be split because of so many riders. They made make shift stalls/pens outside for you to keep your horse in during the day. It was great from what i can remember. Back then people came from ALL parts of the province.

There were so many shows to choose from back then! i can remember sitting down with Paula Flood and picking which ones i should enter.
/sigh those were the days

[Vicky]

Ok i have a question...what do you do when your barn is full and you cant offer stalls for that reason? Put your boarders out overnight??

[happilyeverafter]

Thats exactly the problem ... its not fair to put your boarders out, but its not exactly a safe option to put a free for all turnout or hitching post. Someone is bound to get hurt.

There really isnt a good solution to this!

[Becca]

if you have a full barn, but are turning out during the day why couldn't you offer day stalls sense they're not occupied during the day? ask the boarders before hand if it's alright (sign up sheet or something) if they would mind if there horses were outside for a couple plus hours during the day ( me personally, the more my horse is outside the better!) would that be an option for day stalls? just thinking outloud.

[katlyn]

^ couldn't of agreed more becca.
Most the the horses are out side anyways, unless they board there and they're going to the show i don't see why they can't be on the field.!