5 Ways to improve your horsemanship

Rodeo Queens first and foremost are always horsewomen, its the reason that while we have similarities to other pageants our ‘Talent’ portion is on horseback. Rodeo queen pageants typically have three categories that are scored: Horsemanship, Appearance and Personality. Horsemanship almost always is at least 1/3 of the total score, and should there be a need for a tie breaker the horsemanship score will always be what they go to first. Which means you want to make sure you can get every point possible. Here are 5 ways you can help improve your horsemanship score.

1. Practice

   Practice. Practice. Practice. Simply put, the more hours you can put on horseback the better you will be, especially if your pageant uses draw horses. Practice different maneuvers, elements of your pattern, even mounting and dismounting. Make sure your horse is willing to stand for you to get on at home, as you often will dismount and talk to the judges at the end of the pattern, answer some questions, and then get back on right in front of them. Practice doing your queen run and carrying flags as they will likely be included in the pageant. Top advice I can give is know how to ride a circle, not an oval, not a square but a circle. A well thought out circle makes a much prettier overall look of the pattern, and presents you as a well developed rider.

2. Know your pattern

   If you go off pattern you will loose a lot of points, even if your ride isn’t pretty and your horse is causing problems, making sure you can complete the correct pattern will help you in the long run. Pageants will give you the horsemanship pattern prior to the date of the pageant, they may even provide you with multiple patterns that the judges can choose from. Knowing each pattern well enough that you can easily complete any that they ask you, directly off the top of your head, the better prepared you will be during the contest.

3. Know your horse

   This primarily applies to competing on your own horse, because at the end of your pattern you will often dismount and the judges will ask you some horsemanship questions. Classic horsemanship include basic information about your horse: What size shoe they wear, what bit you use and why(they may ask you to drop the bit, so be prepared for that), when did your horse last get vaccinations or dewormed, what are your horses normal vital signs, etcetera, pretty much anything that relates directly to your horse is fair game on top of typical hippology questions.

4. Look the Part

   While outfits can help enhance your overall look, such as a monochromatic look, what I am really talking about is making sure everything is neat and tidy. Well kept hair pulled back into a ponytail and a hat that is securely fastened and doesn’t fall off during your queen lap. Making sure that all of your tack is clean and polished, plus that your horse is bathed and groomed, as if ready for a show. In a rail class, judges create a ‘placing’ in their head the second a horse walks into the ring, changing placings as the class goes thru their maneuvers. So making sure you and your horse look your best can make a good first impression on the judges.

5. Relax

   It might sound straightforward that a relaxed rider is a better rider, but a relaxed rider makes a better horse. Horses are easily the most sensitive to our emotions, and they will be a window to how your feeling throughout the horsemanship. And while a contest may be difficult to relax during, the best way you can do this is to prepare to the utmost of your abilities. Putting in the time and effort before the pageant, will lower the stress you may feel during it. Plus a major advantage to gaining extra points in horsemanship is to look like your having fun and enjoying your time in the arena. A smile on your face whether things go your way or not is an excellent example to the judges of what kind of rodeo queen you would be.