Your Groom"'"a Key Partnership In Horse Showing Success By: Kathy Keeley | - Years ago I ran an advertisement in a show prize list thanking all of the folks who made our horse showing a success. As you might imagine, it takes many people and professionals to make it possible for a rider to win a blue ribbon. It's not a small list, by any means. If you think about all of the checks you write in a month's time, the list grows very quickly.
Life Transition From Junior Class Rider To Adult Rider By: Kathy Keeley | - Life provides many opportunities for change and transition. As a young woman, I became famous for saying, "Plant me in dirt, water me weekly and I promise I will grow -- this experience I do not need right now." Unfortunately, few heeded my request, but it brought some humor to some pretty bumpy life experiences.
Summer Camp Options For Horse Show Participants By: Kathy Keeley | - How does summer always arrive so quickly? School is out, Memorial Day has passed, and now it's time to figure out summer activities. For the serious rider, and even for those who ride only occasionally, summer horse camps and horse showing are usually at the top of the summer activities list
Horse Show Packing Woes: Advice From Savvy Showmoms By: Kathy Keeley | - How many times have you heard, "Mom, I forgot my boots!" Maybe it's,"Mom, where is my other sock?" How about, "Have you seen my choker?" or "Mom, I forgot the girth." My favorite of all time has to be the 6 AM call I actually received from my daughter at our motel, "Mom I forgot my saddle!" No matter how many times you show or how many lists you create or how many little talks you have about packing, something always seems to get lost, go missing, or be forgotten in the preparation madness to ... Tags:packing, horse show, horseshow stress, hunter jumper, show mom, ShowMom.com, Kathy Keeley
How We Moved From Local Shows To Circuit Shows By: Kathy Keeley | - Our family became involved in horse showing when we started out in local farm shows and then moved to local association shows and onto regional and national AAA circuit shows. We gained valuable insight along the way, had to upgrade our horses and our tack, and had to develop a single-minded focus for all involved.
By the time December rolls around each year, we all get slightly crabby during those first two shows of the month. We really need this time to regroup and maybe even celebrate the holidays! So, traditionally we've taken off from mid-December to mid-February. The horse, the trainer, and the rider all need a break from a tough show schedule.
How Showing Horses Has Made Me A Better Parent By: Kathy Keeley | - Horse showing provides many opportunities to parent and raise a healthy teenager. My best listening opportunities occur when my daughter and I travel to and from horse shows. We're both feeling nervous anticipation on the trip out each morning, but I've discovered it's an ideal time to find out what's uppermost in my daughters mind. Surprisingly during this time, what she's thinking about often has little to do with horse showing. In fact, most times it has to do with school or friend situat ... Tags:horse show, horse showing, hunter/jumper, parenting, teachable moments, family values, horse competition, showmom, ShowMom.com, Kathy Keeley
7 Strategies To Help Horse Show Parents And Teens Beat The Losing Slump By: Kathy Keeley | - Horse showing provides an incredible opportunity for learning some important life lessons for both teens and their parents. Sportsmanship, competition, and learning to deal with losing can serve as the basis for significant teachable moments for parents. We have a unique role to play in helping our children keep their perspective, and we can provide important emotional support during tough times, as well. Good parenting skills come into play, especially when the child who is accustomed to win ... Tags:horse show, horse showing, losing losing streak, horse show loss, slump, rider slump, sportsmanship, competition, showmom, show mom, Kathy Keeley, Sho
How To Help Your Child Set Goals At Horse Shows By: Kathy Keeley | - One of my favorite teachable moments for parenting and horse showing is helping kids learn to set goals. Horse showing provides a great opportunity for young children to watch you set and achieve goals, for older children to participate with you in goal setting, and for teens to set their own goals in conjunction with you.
5 Tips For Successful Parenting For Show Moms By: Kathy Keeley | - Parenting a teen takes much more listening and engagement than when they were younger. With teens, you have to be subtle, pick your moments, and listen very carefully. Parents need to "show up", be present, and be engaged with a teen. Horse showing provides many great opportunities to be present and engaged. It is a time to listen and observe your daughter with other kids and adults, watch her handle competition, and observe how she works with a trainer and grooms. Traveling to and from sho ... Tags:horse show parent, horse show parenting, horse shows, parent at horse show, horse showing teen, horse showing child, show mom, Kathy Keeley, ShowMom.c
10 Lessons To Survive The Horse Show Circuit By: Kathy Keeley | - Our daughter showed on the A Circuit for 3 years at shows that were mostly in the southeast. We live 15 minutes from the Olympic Horse Park in Atlanta, so we had many circuit show opportunities at home. We also found our way to the Capital Challenge and National Horse Show in Wellington for two of those years.
How Show Moms Can Survive The Horse Show Experience By: Kathy Keeley | - My years of being a horse show mom has provided me with some interesting insights. Below I've compiled my best tips for surviving the show experience and making the most of the time with your child. I find that these three tips make the most of my parenting time at horse shows, whether they're local shows or A circuit shows..
