KC Performance Horses

01/23/2024

Looks like we are heading back to one of our favorite shows this year! Sending in stalls shortly. Please let me know if you want to stall with us asap

01/13/2024

We are pleased to present our yearly FAQ guide for AQHA rules. We encourage you to snap this as a photo on your phone or tablet for quick reference. At no point should this replace the full rulebook. But we often pull this up for a quick guide. Even our office, looks up rules at each show to be able to accurately guide our exhibitors.

01/10/2024

(𝑩𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅)

- When my instructor repeats to me: ′′Straighten your shoulders and open your chest!” He’s not just teaching me how to stand up. He's teaching me that in life we should always walk straight and face problems head on.

- When my instructor asks me to lower my legs and keep them close to the horse, he teaches me that in life we do not allow distractions and that little is enough to deviate from his path.

- When my instructor tells me "Too much hand, don't hang on to the reins! "He teaches me to give and not to take, with the greatest respect of others.

- When he yells and repeats endlessly: "Look forward in the direction you want to go!” He teaches me the importance of setting goals and never losing sight of them to achieve them.

- When I ask to move up or do more and my instructor says I'm not ready, he teaches me that in life you must always respect your rhythm and never skip the steps.

- When I fall and get back up, I learn that there are always setbacks, times when we back up, but the important thing is to get up more determined than before.

- If I hold my breath during a ride and he jokingly tells me "breathe! You are purple!” I understand that you have to let your emotions flow in order to get rid of them.

- When at the end of the course I am happy with the work done and my instructor says to me′ ′Well done, thank your teacher′′ I know he is not referring to himself but to my horse.

- Now you, you who are watching a rider pass in the saddle, keep saying that riding is not a sport because it is the horse that does everything. I agree. Horse riding is not a sport. It is a life lesson.

12/14/2023

Possible openings in January 2024. Let me help make your dreams a reality.

11/23/2023

- If your torso is collapsing to the right, your hips slipped to the left
- If your right leg keeps creeping up, or you lose just the right stirrup, your hips have slipped left
- If you find it easier to ride to the left, than to the right, your hips likely slip to the left.
- if you find yourself clinging to the right rein, while practically forgetting that you have a left one, good chances are that your hips slept left
- If your left hand is higher than your right hand, it’s possible that your hip slipped to the left
- If cantering counter clockwise, feels okay, but cantering clockwise feels awful, I’m gonna say your hips slipped left.
- if you can leg yield your horse to the right (off your left leg) pretty well,  but cannot lead guild to the left to save your life, your hips are probably chronically slipping to the left.

So many times, when a rider or is collapsing to the right, their coach tells them to fix it by stepping into the left stirrup. 🤦‍♀️ Like, I’ve heard of very famous coaches, giving this instruction.
And the thing is, it does look a little better, because at least when they step into the left stirrup, it gets them to straighten up their entire body -the problem is they are still off-center.
 I think the coach then typically gives students other exercises that bring them back over to the right (like twisting the shoulders to point a little to the left would help), but what I can tell you is these students then talk to me about their ride and they have absolutely no idea how to reproduce whatever straightness they may have accomplished during that clinic. 

The number one, needs solved now, issue in the rider in this sketch is that the hips fell left. I don’t care that the rib cage is collapsing to the right, or that the right leg is creeping way up. All of that will be fixed once the Rider brings their pelvis back to center.

This person is also riding with the left hip forward and the right hip back, but that will also likely resolve once you get this person to scooch over to the right.

 I would tell this student to put their left butt cheek in the middle of the saddle, high centering it, and drop the right butt cheek down into the hole that creates.

Another great exercise (on a trotting horse) is to drop the left stirrup, go clockwise, and posting trot utilizing just the right stirrup. This will feel horrible at first- to the point that I often have to let students try the exercise the opposite direction with the opposite stirrup so they realize how easy it is on their “strong” side. 

If you really struggle to keep from slipping left, it can also help to turn your chest to point a little bit to the left (while traveling right). This can be very effective at putting your weight into your right leg. You can stand up, assume a position similar to riding, and then twist your torso, one way, and then the other. Not all, but definitely most people find that when they twist to the left, it shifts weight into the right foot and vice versa.

Btw- I do virtual video review lessons! Very little tech knowledge needed. $65/lesson.


10/14/2023

Strength and balance go hand in hand 🤝 You cannot have one without the other https://hubs.li/Q023TNwK0

09/20/2023

Sportsmanship is not an act, it is an action. As a duty to yourself, the industry, and others around you, practicing good sportsmanship (even when it’s difficult) creates a positive environment where people want to return. Appreciating your competition and winning and/or losing graciously are just...

09/08/2023

Strength and balance work together to help riders relax and communicate with their horse for the best ride possible, whether it’s a pattern class, rail class, or even a speed event such as barrels. Alyse Roberts, professional horsewoman of Alyse Roberts Performance Horses, and Jenna Tolson of Ride...

09/04/2023

Do you have what it takes to get to the winner’s circle? Feeling like you are always the bridesmaid and never the bride? Wondering what it takes to be first on the judge’s card? Nothing worth having ever comes easy. And, as easy as winners make it look, they put in their time and share […]

08/30/2023

“Eyes up! Shoulders back! Chest Out!” We’ve all heard this…the question is, just how many times in one lesson? Old habits die hard and we live in a digital age, which has caused people to spend a substantial amount of time sitting hunched over a phone or computer. This position is the opposi...

08/22/2023

Have an excellent quiet and willing ex reiner available for lease. She has points in showmanship halter horsemanship ranch and reining. So whether you are looking for something to just ride or want to start showing, this mare would be great for you. In-house lease only. This would be a full care lease. Pm me if you are interested!

08/11/2023

To those who are wanting to stall with us at the qh congress, please be getting with me ASAP. I will be starting them shortly

08/09/2023

GoHorseShow would like to thank AQHA Judge Lori Gordon of East Washington, Pennsylvania for taking the time to break down an NSBA World Show Showmanship pattern for us. Multi-carded as an AQHA, APHA and NSBA Judge, Gordon has had the honor of judging World Shows and major events domestically and abr...

07/29/2023

Huge Congratulations to KCPH member Brenda Alliman for all of her successes at the Buckskin World Show this week.
So very proud!

https://www.facebook.com/100000538812776/posts/7026224740738750/?mibextid=r5uJeJ

07/26/2023

GoHorseShow would like to thank AQHA Judge Daren Wright of Chillicothe, Ohio for taking the time to break down the Level 3 – 13&U Showmanship pattern for us. There will not be a preliminary pattern for this class, and it will only be run once. You may view the pattern displayed below or download i...

07/23/2023

Want some color in your life? I have the perfect mare for you. 13 yr old AQHA palomino mare, 15.1. Daughter of Mito Cierra and out of a W***y Be Invited mare. 80+ points in showmanship horsemanship halter trail and ranch riding with limited QH showing. Numerous top 5’s and 10’s at the AAYHS. Ridden by all ages. Located in Ohio. 1️⃣5️⃣☀️☀️☀️Pm me for videos

07/21/2023

Who doesn’t love a good yellow horse? 😍😍 you are gonna wanna check this mare out. Low 5 figures. More pics info and video coming soon. Stay tuned…

07/20/2023

Attitude and body language can positively impact your performance in showmanship patterns. AQHA judge Holly Hover shares insights. ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q01Yf5KL0

📸 Bee Silva

06/19/2023

http://www.equinechronicle.com/up-your-show-hair-game/?fbclid=IwAR3KT3OsPU7CQx7blL6Arqj9NzmrsDQjeTmPHTVS03Qml4jPrhvkK26Yy_o_aem_th_ARq7f3XK_xPwd_AmFW6ZKm_GOLZdqRuMl324ungTVXy16iJ5TjMdqF0zjN0Yt8DRZfA&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

As usual, our readers were great resources! Read on to see what method might work for you, or what tips you can add to your regimen (all links to readers’ favorite products are non-sponsored):

06/12/2023

04/24/2023

Self-carriage balances a horse's hindquarters and creates a light forehand and soft poll. Train your horse for proper self-carriage with these exercises. ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q01MrCz10

04/06/2023

Could not agree more. I realize there is a fine line in teaching and giving them what they want. We’ve got to keep putting the horse first and teaching the future of the horse world real life lessons

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/trainers-we-have-to-do-better-for-our-horses-and-riders/?fbclid=IwAR2f8xzkF9LbJjs_9NWNFFyo_9VtudIlF8lkkrU8NH9E_ouJfiC4VzbkOCs&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

After a fantastic winter circuit, I have to comment on something that I’m not completely sure how to fix, but it needs to be discussed. I don’t have clients, so I can write about this without some client feeling like I am talking about them.

03/19/2023

Don Shula, the NFL’s winningest head coach once said, “Strive for perfection, but settle for excellence.”

Making one’s patterns excellent is no easy task, however, even though that is everyone’s goal. So what strategies should you be utilizing at home to improve your patterns in the show ring so they are the best they can possibly be? Our experts assign homework strategies, share memorizing tips, and give advice on how to get the most out of any pattern practice.

Read the complete article by Laura Boynton Jobson here: http://www.equinechronicle.com/getting-the-most-from-pattern-practice/

03/04/2023

The trick and skill of showing in the western pleasure is to make it actually look like a pleasure – and it’s a lot harder than it seems! According to AQHA, “Judges must consider overall gracefulness, relaxed expression, topline, softness of movement, consistency, and length of stride of the d...

02/23/2023

https://gohorseshow.com/2023/02/within-reach-tips-for-lengthening-stride-in-hunter-under-saddle-with-keith-miller/?fbclid=IwAR1mxLxurHJ9A47sBc6_0Yn-hZFLj0cD0eioGVvOTooAx8XZsFf6WMx0zBs&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

It is a common misconception that when judges and trainers ask for a longer stride in the Hunter Under Saddle classes, that this request automatically means they want more speed. Indeed, it is entirely possible to lengthen a horse’s stride without increasing their speed. We spoke with multiple Wor...

02/22/2023

Let's start at the walk.

"I want it to look like the horse is 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆," says AQHA judge Bozo Rogers of the 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲.

More on the walk, the trot, and – of course – the lope ➡️ aqha.com/-/master-ranch-riding

02/21/2023

Success in 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 comes down to three things:

1. Presentation of the exhibitor
2. Presentation of the horse
3. Performance

🔟 𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙏𝙞𝙥𝙨 ➡️ aqha.com/-/10-smart-showmanship-tips