I love the horse world and all the shows, but it seems that everything is so expensive and with a minimum wage job, I can't do much. I would love to be like the ladies you see in the major shows, but I just can't get there. I have a horse that I know could get me there, I just need a grant, scholarship, etc. to go all the way. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your question- it's a good one! How do you compete with deep pockets when your own pockets are rather shallow? You have to use what you do have... not wish for what you don't have. I suggest that you consider working for a professional in your area as an assistant or part time assistant to learn the ins and outs of show biz or at the very least, do a home-study course to learn what you need to know to be competitive.

The truth of the matter is, when you are competing in something that is as completely subjective as horse shows, you really need to understand that you have to conform to the standard, more or less. You can buy high quality second hand tack and apparel and still look rather good- but again, you have to look like a winner, and first off, you have to figure out what a winner looks like! Read breed journals and watch as many shows as you can to get an idea of the style both you and your horse need to conform to.

Thanks for writing. We'll get you a catalog and have fun shopping and learning!

Hobby Horse