Aside from those select few who are competing at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in a few weeks, it’s that time of year when us super-competitive showing enthusiasts finally get a moment to sit down, put the kettle on and reflect on the summer season just gone by.
Where did those eight months just go?! The highs, the lows, the triumphs, the falls; whether you’re going into winter satisfied with your 2024 successes or even more determined to smash next year out of the ball park, it’s been one hell of a ride.
While there is absolutely no doubt you’re looking forward to a season of hibernation, there are some aspects of the summer term that you will really miss, until you have to go and do it all again next year.
Here are eight things we will miss about the summer showing season…
1. Being better looking
While humans can often look more attractive in the summer (hello tanned, clear skin), we’re referring to your four-legged friends here. Glossy coats without rugging or over-priced oil supplements, mud-free over-garments and a certain attitude which comes with the spring air, the warmer months really do make for a more attractive horse. After many months in “off-season” condition, you’ll wonder how he comes to look so magnificent come summer.
2. Socialising without really socialising
You can meet some of your nearest and dearest on the road at horse shows. With a common interest, shared hardships and the same ability to chat horses for six hours non-stop (something which would bore any muggle to tears), it’s no wonder you get withdrawal symptoms when separated from your show buddies for too long. During winter, you may have to actually get dressed up and head out in public if you actually want to talk to someone. What a ludicrous idea.
3. The athlete lifestyle
So ignoring the bags of Haribo consumed during late night lorry trips and the occasional (alright, frequent…) burger van purchases, preparing a horse for the show season requires some pretty intense graft. The sheer amount of training, lifting, shovelling, walking, running and general physical activity required on a daily basis is impressive. Sometimes, your pacer app can tally up over 20,000 steps per day, so those fast food buys don’t even touch the sides. During winter, as the nights draw in and your horse settles into his winter break, you might find yourself at a loose end and those jodhpurs might become a little snug around the waist (especially after the Christmas festivities).
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4. Buying horsey stuff you really don’t need
“You only live once” is the phrase which has single handedly ruined your credit score this year. With the summer shows brings an abundance of shiny new equestrian items you just had to have, and you’d have to be a hard-nosed, savvy shopper not to fall victim to some of the tantalising sale offers those equestrian discount shops are screaming at you. “I’ve already got a fleece rug, I don’t need another”, said no horsey girl, ever.
5. Winning rosettes
Not quite sure who first worked out the cost vs. profit margins involved with competing a horse, but paying hundreds and thousands in pursuit of a small piece of coloured ribbon seems logical, right? Nevertheless, each and every rosette is a reflection of the journey you and your horse have been on, and winning a red one will never get old. And if you manage to win a sash, well…
6. How organised you were
When we’re trudging along in the depths of winter doing the bare minimum it can be hard to imagine that time in the season when you juggled fitting shows in the diary with all the training with show preparation alongside full-time work and the daily trials and tribulations of family life. You wonder how you possibly managed to fit it all in while staying sane, especially as even the smallest tasks feel like a struggle during winter.
7. Going to your favourite shows
While the big finals are the aim for many of the showing community – and the summer welcomes the prestigious Royal International final at Hickstead – some of our most-loved fixtures are those that hold a token for different reasons. Maybe you like heading to your local show that is just five minutes down the road, or you adore riding in the big grass rings at some of the major counties. Which is your favourite summer show to attend?
8. Being on the road with your best friend
Nothing beats it. Travelling around to competitions with your best friend in the back eating his hay, ready to put those hours and hours of training into play. Win some, lose some – it doesn’t really matter as you’re always a winner when you get to take your special one home.
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
