Showmanship examples

As you anxiously wait at the first cone to begin your showmanship pattern, you watch the exhibitor in front of you. The judge, pen in hand, seems to anticipate an error and is ready to scribble a minus at the slightest misstep.

You wonder if the setup was quick enough, the line straight enough and the pivot smooth enough. Were her quarters too fast? Is the judge impressed by a blinged-out outfit, and does a perfectly banded mane make a difference?

A million thoughts can race through your mind before the judge turns to you, but you can confidently enter the arena with the following pointers from American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) judges and Professional Horsemen Gigi Bailey, Valerie Kearns and Jeff Greaves.

Horse showmanship outfits

Horse showmanship patterns

Aqha showmanship rules

Horse showmanship class

Horse showmanship rules

“We want you to do well,” says Bailey, a longtime AQHA judge and successful horse trainer from Maribel, Wis. “I think there’s probably no one who is as big a cheerleader for showmanship exhibitors than the judges.

We want to see a ballet performance that’s synchronized between the horse and handler, is beautiful to watch, and is correct. We’re not your enemi

horse showmanship

showmanship example