They are also responsible for most growth in numbers of pleasure horses in suburban and urban areas in the Midwest and East. Show horses are defined as those kept mainly for competition in shows. They are shown at halter or vehicle or under saddle. To be winners, they usually require professional training and expertise in handling and management. However, many amateur show classes are available where modest competition exists.
Some riders get great satisfaction from exhibiting, whether they win or lose.
Those who feel they must win need to prepare themselves to face stiff competition when they decide to enter the horse showing business. These are highly selected, expertly trained and superbly conditioned animals used for a single purpose. Race horses are not usually the type with which an amateur should begin an involvement in horsemanship. Conversely, most western horse shows offer game classes where amateurs and others enjoy trying their skill and their horse's speed against the stopwatch in timed events. Selecting a horse After deciding the intended use for your horse, consider the following seven topics before making your selection.