I have been to a few horse shows and find them kinda funny. It seems that the riders are mostly showing off with the fancy clothes, the fancy saddles and gear, the forced smiles, the disgusted look when the rider thinks the horse isn't performing perfect, the sly glances at the judge and then frowning when the judge isn't looking. Round and round you go, up down up down, and in the end, all you get is a crappy ribbon. You also end up with a sweaty horse, some disgusted riders who are pissed because they didn't win, they go back to their montrous trailers, change their duds and do it all over again for the chance for another ribbon.

But when you go trail riding, you have a chance to wear your grubby clothes, who cares what the saddle looks like, you have a chance to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and you calmly walk through the woods, across the river or better yet, in the river, you don;t give a rip who's watching your riding style, you just want to have fun and let your horse experience the joys of being a horse.

I see it another way- when i trail ride I put up with flies that buzz the horse ears or the riders face, horse tossing their heads, stoping the bugs, jumping from a weird rock or a bunny hopping away. I put up with rude riders who hog the trail,run past your horse, jumping a creek. Then there are the bikers and hikers that could careless if your horse doesn't like bikes, ride down the middle of the trail while your trying to get to the side to give them room. You're on the trail, starts to rain, no where to go but back to camp or continue on.

it takes hours of arena work and conditioning to show a horse to its best advanatge. Horses must be able to focus on you, your subtle leg and seat cues,ignoring the distractions around them. Showing takes alot of solid training and horsemanship. We get to wear pretty clothes,ride on clean and shiny tack. I visit with friends, go out to dinner after the show and sleep in if it rains.

The point is- you like what you do. I like what I do. One isn't better than the other. So live and let live..........

I trail ride only but  I am a fair weather rider. If it's too hot or cold you can forget me..............Show is nice, not for me though.  I enjoy watching.  Those people are very dedicated.   The trail is where my heart is.  I agree with Farmbabe, I too hate all the stuff she mentioned in her post about being on the trails............

Hey to each his own...............

When I trailride I don;t have any problems with bikers, hikers, I always prepare for bugs, sprays, netting whatever it takes. I have an area that I ride that I know I won't be bothered and I have a very relaxed horse that loves to explore.

The shows I have seen are just too much work, all I see is dust, the horses going round and round no matter what the temps are. I've seen riders who expect their horse to trot and trot despite it being over 90. And you know, even if it rains, the show does go on.  I guess I  just don;t understand the need to show off at those shows, I actually feel bad for the horse.

I do both :)

I enjoy riding and getting my horses well broke.  I compete at ropings mostly now, but I do enjoy going back to showing once in awhile too.  For me it's not about the clothes, it's about riding my horse the best I can when it counts.

But... I enjoy trail riding too, I love being outdoors and there's nothing more relaxing than riding your horse on a beautiful sunny day. :)

I show but use my show horses, I've even halter broke show calves with my "english" show horses, sometimes they need a mental break and a real job.  To think a show horse only goes around in a well lit manicured arena is very far from true.  The only jumps that aren't made from fallen tree branches are the ones at the shows.  The only ground that is level is the show arena.  While trainig for world I rode in a thicket of trees for the shade, no arena, no plowed dirt, no fencing for my horse to be guided along.  If he didn't listen to my subtle cues he was heading into a tree, no room for errors.

When the cattle need to be brought up, I'd bet on my "english" show horse more than some crazy, ill mannered pasture pony.

The two worlds couldn't be different, they also couldn't be more similar.  You see poorly trained animals in both settings.  Horses that run through bridles can be found on trails or shows.  Horses that are nasty and ill mannered at both.

Dirty or clean, good riders and ones that look like they could fall off, crazys and cautionaries exist in both worlds.

I take pride in my horses and how well they are trained no matter where I take them because I believe that is a main component of having great horsemanship.  Any time your animal is being seen by others it should be clean, groomed and well mannered for they are a reflection of their keepers.

I have no interest in showing. But I'm glad somebody else does, so all those folks don't end up on my trails.

My horses have whiskers on their face, feathers on their hocks, and even a few bite marks on their sides. Their manes and tails are what ever they grew and their pasture mates didn't chew off or that they didn't rub off. I brush out the dead hair when they are shedding before I put a saddle on, and I hose the sweat off after a ride.

My horses have never had black paint on their hooves, cornstartch on their white pasturns, razor burn on their muzzles or baby oil rubbed on their faces.

But my horses have seen the tops of more mountains, breathed more fresh air, drank the coldest water and eaten  the greenest grass around.

Cornstarch?  Not with all the other products on the market like French White or any spray white product.  I don't want to get messy...now spray black is a-whole-nother beast!

I thought my Solar Nails would die with all the spray black...my manicurist hated me!

I LOVE riding so Trailride.Trailhorses live longer lives less stress on them.They are out there experiencing fresh air,exercise sunshine,birds singing and all the world.Arena riding is like being locked in a large box stall.JMHO why do all that work why waste so much time?I have shown some but dont see why to keep doing it.I love camping and cookouts and beautiful country views.A trail horse wouldnt freak out in arena but cant take a show horse out in woods for a nice ride,They dont know how to get down a trail.Again JMHO seen too many show horse on trail with no clue or clueless arena riders that they both are lost without the judge to tell them what to do.Sorry JMHO.But honest too.

Trail horses live longer?  Oh, I guess that's because they aren't clones...

Please tell me you never took Biology and I'll forgive your comment.

SORRY JMHO or If you couldnt figure it out

Just my humble opinon.....

To me showing is like riding in No challege safe controlled- play pen SORRY.And You really dont ride that much any way.Its mostly prep time etc.Love sports competion YES but some classes so boring.

Trail riders are out in trail RIDING an living a real life experience.No ribbon compares to Sunsets and waterfalls and moutains and sound of birds ever.Again ease up JMHO.

.Again JMHO seen too many show horse on trail with no clue

I've got one of those.  I can finally take her out and ride trails alone or with one of my others with out her thinking that the 20lb jack rabbit that ran across the trail is gonna eat her, but any strange horse and her mind disapears.  

I worked her for months trying to get ready for an organized trail ride and she was doing well until she realized the whole group was going.  Then she wanted to kick the snot out of them.  In the show ring she had no problem with other horses. 

 Some people enjoy "showing" and much as you enjoy "trail riding", why can't you just accept that there are different strokes for different folks?

Just my 2 centavos; 

 I just love to go and explore the trails, smell my mares warm breath, and slightly sweet sweat. We don't always look so clean, and a lot of the time we are in jeans, old boots, a raggdy blanket and doing her Looooong Trot.  Of course I ride an Arabian, so long distance is so nice, And our friends on T Walkers and MFTrotters love us to set the pace. They like to move right out as well, and we have 11,000 acrers of desert and sandstone buttes to explore.  I tried to watch some of the shows at the L.A.E.C. and it was like watching painted ponies!  All glitz and no substance. My wife trains in the traditional Dressage style, and still makes the best horses for the trail. They know how to collect, bend, use their head and neck to balance, and are really well conditioned. None the less she trail rides to allo0w them to excersize their brain and not get bored with training.  I do like to watch the cutters and reiners though.

Steve, on that Grey Arab