Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to The Outside Course!

You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features!

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Finding Catch Riders; "I want some more." :-)
Topic Started: May 13 2010, 06:57 PM (517 Views)
War Admiral
Member Avatar
"Sure doesn't LOOK like an ASB."
[ *  *  *  * ]
Any advice on how to go about finding Jr/Am catch riders for the shows?

I *think* I'm approaching it the right way - I've been EMing or FB messaging trainers asking whether they have any Jrs or Ammies in their barns who might want a catch ride; I then describe a bit about horse (currently ranked #1 in the state at his breed shows in the hunters) - NOT a novel, just an accurate description of what he does & what kind of rider he needs. Lately I've even been offering to haul him to trainer barns for a few days prior to each show and keep him there, at my expense, if they have anyone who might do for him.

As an aside, I do have 2 capable catch riders (1 Jr, 1 Am.) both of whom LOVE to ride the horse and have shown him to the division championships he has already won. But since we amazingly seem to be in the hunt for a year-end award all of a sudden, I'd like to find one or two more riders to fill in the shows that neither of these two eminently competent young ladies can fit into their schedules (they both have their own horses).

Getting a little frustrated now, b/c while he's young and green and an off breed, he's very nice, he's getting a decent show record on him now w/ just a few shows under his belt, and has taken great care of every kid and ammie who has ever stepped on him. And some of the trainers who are nonresponsive are ones I've either (a) referred more than one client to that they're still making plenty of $$ off of 5-10 years later or (b) Sent THEM catch riders that I've come across over the years whom they are still using! :huh:

Does anyone have any suggestions at all as to what I might be doing wrong, or other approaches I might try? It would be most appreciated.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Delia
Member Avatar
You're BANNED!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I think you're going about it the right way. A couple of other things I can think of: (1) Do you have a good video of a trip or two that you can attach to your emails so that trainers can see that he's not your run-of-the-mill ASB? (2) At shows, ask talk to some trainers about catch rides and ask them if they can watch him school or go around the ring. It could be that you're not getting much interest b/c you already do have 2 catch riders for him, so whoever else is inthe mix wouldn't have that many opportunities to show him.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SnackPack
Member Avatar
You're BANNED!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I agree abou tthe video...especially since he's an off breed. Also, are you clear that you're looking for a catch rider (i.e you're paying showing costs) vs. finding a rider that would like to show your horse on their dime?

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
War Admiral
Member Avatar
"Sure doesn't LOOK like an ASB."
[ *  *  *  * ]
EXCELLENT points and EXCELLENT ideas - thank you both so much!!! :) That helps a lot!

Delia - Yes, I usually link to his YouTube channel.

But both of y'all raise great points I hadn't thought of - Delia's about people thinking they might not get many rides (I should probably be clearer about the fact that 1 of my 2 current riders isn't available this summer at ALL, she's in Europe w/ her family), and SnackPack's about being SURE they know it's a genuine catch ride (with payment for a junior and some kind of nice within-the-rules present for an ammie :teehee: ). I'll try both of those approaches next time.

Also, point taken about getting him out to some H/J shows. He's only schooling crossrails at home at the moment - has yet to show over anything resembling a fence, LOL - but there are plenty of local schooling shows he could go to that are high visibility, and you are correct that people take a lot more interest in him when they SEE him go around, and also see that he's the only horse on the grounds NOT spooking at Scary Objects. In fact, he won one of his division championships on manners alone - there were nicer horses there, but it was so windy at Wills Park that day that the tin roof on the covered was groaning and rattling, litter blowing all over the place, and he was the only horse who stayed in gait and kept all 4 feet on the ground! :teehee:

Again, thank you both SO MUCH, you've given me some awesome help!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
vxf111
Member Avatar
You're BANNED!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
It's because he's an "off" breed, and a breed known for being hot. The video will help A LOT. Taking him to "open" shows and letting people see he behaves will also help.

I think it's a bit of a weird thing, because he's not REALLY jumping so he's not appealing to the better juniors who are happy to catch ride but are looking for something doing more exciting stuff. I would be looking for riders from slightly-off-the-beaten path barns. The big hunter barns aren't really into the crossrail hunters. You want the all-around barn people that dabble in the low hunter stuff.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
War Admiral
Member Avatar
"Sure doesn't LOOK like an ASB."
[ *  *  *  * ]
vxf111
May 15 2010, 06:33 PM


I think it's a bit of a weird thing, because he's not REALLY jumping so he's not appealing to the better juniors who are happy to catch ride but are looking for something doing more exciting stuff. I would be looking for riders from slightly-off-the-beaten path barns. The big hunter barns aren't really into the crossrail hunters. You want the all-around barn people that dabble in the low hunter stuff.
Yes, I agree. The problem is that a lot of those types of riders simply don't have the polish to present him well at USEF "A" ASB shows. Luckily I think I've got our big fall "AA" show covered but there's one in June he's going to have to miss out on simply b/c I have no rider. :( I would be totally willing to help some game kid out by putting them on a nice horse at my expense but they DO need to learn to ride a flat class!

Interestingly, the people who have had a lot of interest in riding him are ALL eventers. The trainer who started him under saddle is bigtime into ASBs as sport horses & by the time Q came home, she had 4 more in her barn! :clap: Wonder if I should talk to more eventing barns...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · The Barn Aisle · Next Topic »
Add Reply