You are trying to sell yourself and your horse to that judge on that day. Think about it this way, if you were purchasing a used car, would you buy from someone that wasn't confident in their product? Me either...and neither will the judge, so here are some tips that will help you look confident (whether you actually are or not)
- Smile (seems like a small thing), but really, it works, it needs to be natural and not glued on, but remember to smile at the judge, make it look like you are having fun! Isn't that why you are showing in the first place? Because it's fun....
- Stand up, no slouching!
- Look up, look where you are going, quit looking at the ground...I once had a trainer tell me that if I stared at the ground long enough I was going to end up there!
- Know where you are going, look around your corners, find your straight lines.
- Look AT the judge when you approach him/her. A little too nervous about looking in their eyes? Look at their forehead or the brim of their hat.
- Walk/run confidentally and naturally. Run as though your jogging after your wayward dog, walk as though your going to your mailbox to get the mail. Neither is slow, or overly hurried.
- Make a mistake? Don't beat yourself up, keep showing. There's another class later or tomorrow or next weekend, it is NOT THE END OF THE WORLD! You also don't know who will make a mistake bigger than yours...and who knows, the judge could have been looking at their clipboard instead of you!
- When setting your horse up, keep YOUR feet together.
- Cross over with confidence.
- Be ready at the first cone (start point) when the judge looks at you to start your pattern, nothing will annoy a judge faster than waiting on YOU! So when it's your turn, be ready to go!
Now you know some of the insider secrets to LOOKING confident...even if you don't FEEL confident. Next article I'll discuss what to do with your show nerves.
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