It’s safe to say that everyone has those moments at lessons or shows where your coach just hits their head against the side of the barn as we walk by. Between bedazzled schooling attire, mid-course mix-ups, and hectic horsemanship moments, we are bound to make our coaches sigh dramatically at one point or another.
Trying to stay on your Trainer’s good side? Take notes from our Jumper Nation reader submissions on what not do to the next time you show up at the barn.
Kaitlynn Wallace:
“When you’re supposed to be gently taking the baby Thoroughbred through crossrails and the judge writes ‘scary’ on her card…”
PC: Kaitlynn Wallace.
Win McLaughlin:
“My trainer said, ‘you can take this Quarter Horse mare and show baby Hunters…it’ll be easy!’ This was shortly after the warmup.”
PC: Win McLaughlin
Ashley Oswald:
“My trainer and former barn owner say I should work at a zoo. I have an obsession with Zebra print. My last two horses had zebra halters. My trainer hates his zebra print turnout blanket and is always saying she is going to hide it from me!”
PC: Ashley Oswald
Samantha Melchiori:
“My trainer has always told me to not drag my reins. I think she figured it was my reins that would get broken. However, I cleverly decided to try and back my horse up off the reins he was standing on. I leaned forward. He hit the rein. I looked down. His nose went up. Photo courtesy of my furious husband.”
PC: Samantha’s furious husband
Connie Toebe:
“Here I am at a recent lesson: blue helmet, pink hair, green shirt, rust breeches, purple saddle pad….and all on top of a leopard Appaloosa!”
PC: Connie Toebe