Is good horsemanship and success in competition compatible?

This is a question that has been asked over and over for a long time.

I remember only a few years ago when the Parelli group sought to recruit people from the ranks of elite competition to join the brotherhood of Natural Horsemanship in an effort to prove the point that not only does natural horsemanship not hinder success in the ring, but improves it.

But the premise of the question of whether good horsemanship and success in competition are compatible assumes that the goal is to have success in competition. The question is structured in such a way that it makes us query if we practice good horsemanship, will we damage our performance in competition. It’s the wrong question.

But for people who love horses and want a happy, willing performing horse and a great relationship, the real question should be, “Is competition compatible with good horsemanship?”.

All horse sports claim their primary purpose is for the benefit of the horse. The essence of their mission statements almost always says something like the purpose is to first and foremost look after the physical, mental and emotional welfare of the horse. I know of no sport that claims they will sacrifice the interests of the horse for a place in the winner's circle. This makes perfect sense because most people get into horses and horse sports because they love their horse and want the best for them.

But let’s look at the inner soul of competition and good horsemanship. [I lump all competition here under the one banner because for the purposes of this discussion the principle points seem consistent across all sports].

All sports have conflicting interests. Yes, they do their best to take into account the welfare of the horses, but they also are goal-orientated towards the competition. They exist for people to compete against each other. They reward the people whose horses go the fastest or jump the highest or receive the best judge's score. They don’t reward those who have the happiest horses. They reward performance. If Flossy has a clear round and goes faster than Dobbin, she wins. It doesn’t matter if Dobbin was calmer, happier and better connected with the rider.

On the other hand, good horsemanship has at its core, middle and surface the primary goal of a relaxed, happy, responsive horse with a strong bond between the rider and horse. There is no conflict between performing well and having a good relationship with a horse. In good horsemanship, these two things are inseparable. Knowing that for all of us who love horses and cherish their welfare, practicing the principles of good horsemanship in the show ring or competition event should be the primary goal. Parading in the winner’s circle should be just a side benefit.

So the question for all horse people should be, “Is competition compatible with good horsemanship?”.

And a secondary question to follow should be, “If not, how can we make the competition more compatible with good horsemanship? What needs to change in our sport?”.

I know this essay will get some protests from people that are offended because they compete and believe they prioritise their horses comfort above all else. If that is you, this article is not about you. But I ask anybody who enjoys competing with their horses, are you able to come last in an event and still feel you had a good day? If the answer is an honest “YES”, then I believe you have the best temperament to participate in competition. But if the answer is “NO” or you have to think about it for a moment, then I ask you to consider why that is.

I have an unrealistic belief that horse competitions should be limited to only people who are able to come last in an event and still feel they had a good day because they shared it with their horse.