7)Be wary of trainers or parents' egos and expectations.
Show grounds are high tension arenas for everyone. If you have done the best job you could do in a particular class, given the circumstances that occurred in that class (for example you got cut off, your horse spooked, or you were just too nervous to check your diagonal or lead) you should feel proud and your trainer or parent should not belittle you for your mistakes. Trainers are under a lot of pressure for their students to win because that is how they achieve their reputations. Parents are under a lot of pressure because they have invested a lot of money in the child's hobby and genuinely want to see them do well. Often, it is up to the competitor to calmly say, "I did my best," and put some distance between the trainer or parent and themselves. This is not an easy thing to do. Think about it and be prepared for it. If your trainer is constantly making you feel that you are under a lot of pressure to win or perform at a certain level because you are a reflection of him/her (I have seen this often) you should seriously consider getting a different trainer or trying a couple of shows where your trainer is not there.
8)Parents, be prepared for melt-downs.
Nerves are something we can not just leave behind. In an attempt to control them they often reappear disguised as surly attitudes, misplaced anger, or dramatized emotions. Often the physical and mental strain of the day will leave competitors behaving like two year old children in desperate need of a nap (this can happen to adult competitors too). Try not to be a perfectionist on show day. "What?!" I can hear many a parent protest, "But it is a show - everything MUST be PERFECT." In reality, there is no such thing as perfection. One of the first things you learn in 4-H is the motto, "To make the best better." So when is enough enough already. Yes, you want to be at your best that day, but there is a critical question you should ask yourself throughout the day or the show season - Are we having fun yet? If you can't have fun without bringing home blue ribbons, your child is missing out on some of the most important life lessons that can be learned from competing. Try to give your child the support, but also the space he/she needs. Good luck, it is a difficult job.
