Finding your niche?

Question

I've been thinking about what discipline I should ride for quite some time. I've ridden H/J (mostly hunters, though) at my barn because that's their specialty. I've been somewhat bored an almost feel like I've been backtracking lately. I decided that I should try dressage in college. I always thought I'd excell in dressage/hunters because I'm a perfectionist & I like the controlled aspect.

But today at my riding camp we did a mini 3-day event (XC, dressage, stadium) & I was floored about how much I loved showjumping! There's show much adrenaline involved! And the horse I'm leasing this summer is terrible with his left lead, & doesn't ever do flying changes. But today, we were doing a sharp turn in a jumpoff & he did a flying change from his right to left leads. Plus, he's pretty laid back about life, but got really into the speed aspect of the course. (no room)

Answer 1

all i can tell you is that

say you had and 1 hour lesson or riding time

a. find the lead that he is worst at and practice at it for 45min out of the 1hr time period

b.find the lead that he is best at and work on that for the left over 15min

Answer 2

I don't think that you can excel as a rider if you always stay in one discipline. For example, when I was younger, I loved jumping. But after awhile, it got boring, always the same old, same old. So after that, I got into dressage. Dressage is really fun, but you have to be able to take critisism. After that, I did some barrels and team penning, and now I just do everything all round.

So, no, I haven't found my niche yet. :)

Answer 3

Yeah, I think I found my niche... It took about four months of Western and a few months of English to decide that I really enjoy English. I am a slight perfectionist also and I like all of the attention to detail of hunters and the faster pace.

Answer 4

You know its always been hard for me, finding a riding skill i like doing. I started out dressage but found it long and boring with just flat work. When I moved I started hunters which I have bought a tb gelding and was very happy with what I was doing and how i was progressing. Then he went lame from a very severe quarter crack. I suddenly wanted to do more. So I started riding western pleasure and somehow it is not boring like dressage. I bought a western horse and was very happy. Then my TB could be ridden again. I started riding and jumping getting ready for showing him again but it wasnt the same. Im s******g up on things like distances which is like nothing. I feel myself get rigid and ride like a board but western I just flow with the horse. I guess sometimes we all need a break from what we are doing. And if you want to try something new go for it.

Answer 5

I definitely don't believe in having just one discipline.  There are SO many things to do with horses.  Plus I get bored easily, and horses get bored just like people too, so I try to do lots of different things with my horses to make them more well rounded.  My oldest mare plays polo, jumps, does reining, is in a drill team, has done gymkhanas, and I've worked cattle with her.  I really like being able to ride anywhere, any discipline, any saddle, any horse, and be comfortable doing it.

So I say try anything and everything.  If you like show jumping, do that for awhile.  And if you get bored eventually, there are still a million other things to try with horses.  I think that's why I love riding so much...there are so many different opportunities that it keeps it from being redundant and boring.

Answer 6

I'm not an enlgish-type rider, so I can tell you which one of those you've described is better in my opinion, but I can tell you that I think only you can decide waht's best and the best way to find out is to try them all.

Can you not find a good all around horse that does many of these things?

The ability of the horse also could make or break the fun.  

For me, the thought is to find the discipline that I have confidence in and that there are opportunities to participate in around me.

Good luck - set some goals and build your thoughts around them.

Answer 7

3 day eventing!!! I realized i wanted to event when i was about 13 years old. Sadly i started in a hunter/jumper barn, the circuit was too much B.S.(polictics and favorites) for me. About 3 years ago i went back to eventing. I realized i wanted to do it when i loved training in 3 diferent phases, they are 3 different mind sets. I like having a horse that is pretty much all around, a horse who has the conformation and movements for dressage, the strength stamina and speed for x-country, and the power and stride for showjumping. It makes you an all around rider who can handle 3 disciplines. You aren't specifically trained in one discipline, and you have the chance to work with almost any breed (as long as it is capable). plus you can do foxhunting just as easily as x-country.  theres nothing better than jumping 3 feet over a log and dropping 5 feet into water at a gallop!!! i know it seems a little daunting but you have the same risk to get hurt just as bad in other disciplines (thats why we have event vests to protect our important parts) There are the freak accidents with horses dying but USEA is constantly changing rules to make eventing safer. Plus, you can train at big fences and compete at big fences, the fences may be a certain said height but they look bigger when you get out there!! good luck with your choice, just look for the one you love doing and one that gives you that adrenaline rush you cant wait for!!

Answer 8

I do more looking back than looking forward at this stage of my life.  But i've learned that your niche' changes over time, and it's best to try everything all along the way.  If you find you have an amazing talent in a certain discipline and want to seek the highest level in that discipline, you won't be asking anyone else's opinion...you'll know.

Answer 9

I have pretty much always known my niche.

Cutting, reining, rodeo competitions.

It took enough time for the adrenaline to flood my body for the first time for me to know this. That first bull or bronc you ever crawl on while its in the chute, knowing that as soon as you dip your hat all h***s going to break loose. Whhheeeeew! That's a feeling let me tell ya.

Or that first cut of a calf in a cutting when your horse almost leaves you sitting in the air like a cartoon character. Or when your in a reining and you go down for you slide and your horse putts a set of railroad tracks in the arena 32' long and then when you ask it to spin, it screws its self into the ground.

Yeah. Gets my blood flowing just thinking about it.

Answer 10

I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL lol heres my "story" okay well i started out doing the hunters and had a bad fall and then went to dressage and i think of dressage like a crossword puzzle because it takes time and patients and to me it was just straight out boring lol so i went back to a jumping saddel but just perfecting my flat work and then during that time i went through thinking wether i wanted to do dressage,jumper,hunter,eventing etc. and i ended up with hunters again..because i liked the fact that i could work on perfecting a horse and being able to work with BIG warmbloods(i am like obsessed with warmbloods haha) and i dont like to sacrifice my style(jumpers) and i know nothing about dressage and dont really want to take the time to learn lol and there is no place for me to event in the city and its too dangerous 4 me 2 so it all came down to hunters

consider this...

Hunters=Work with WB(if u like them) and perfect the small things as well as the big things...get the chance to jump 3'6" in shows and school 3'9" - 4' at home and keep your style and work on the horse as well as you

Jumpers=Work with all kinds of horses.Deal with hot horses and putting lots of $ on the line and jumping GP height, sacrifice style. Work mainly on the horse but of course you a little too.

Eventers=Deal with the possibility of dying(u or the horse)jumping high fences being able to do all kinds of eng riding. Working with all kinds of horses...taking the time to give a horse endurance

Dressage=Working with WB working on mostly the horse and you a little too spending more time schooling than competing taking your time when schooling to make things perfect. The chance to do a piaffe etc(hehe) having to LEARN A LOT!

now you choose which 1 sounds best to you(i made a list like this and it helped me decide)

good luck! :)