The role of the dice and the luck of the draw; rodeo has often been referred to a game of chance.
Drawing a good calf, a good bull or a good bronc can make all the difference to a competing cowboy or cowgirl chasing a gold buckle and the same can be said for rodeo queen pageants.
Some rodeo queen pageants require contestant to perform either all or part of the horsemanship portion of the contest on a horse they have never ridden before called a draw horse.
The draw horses are typically a group of horses provided by a stock contractor or local horse trainers that are then paired with a contestant in a random drawing.
As can be expected, no horse will ride or work the exact same. Riding a draw horse is not an exact science and may be intimidating if you are not as comfortable riding horses that you don't know.
That said, with preparation and a good dose of confidence, there is a checklist of steps to help reveal and showcase the strengths of your draw horse.
Ride all the Horses
Making the most of your draw horse begins with preparation.
The only way to be good at anything is to practice. Learn all you can by attending clinics, listening to trainers and riding all the time.
Ride your own horses, but also look for opportunities to ride new horses too. The horse that you draw in a pageant is not likely to have the same level or type of trining as your own horses and so the more you can gain experience riding horses with different background the more it will help you.
Ask Questions
When the day of your pageant comes and you have been paired with your mysterious mount, be prepared to ask questions.
Often times the provider and/or trainer of the horse will be present at the event. Come prepared with a list of questions to ask him/her that will help you get a better understanding of the animal's training and "kinks."
Pre-Ride Checks
Whether you were able to ask questions or not, you should do a pre-ride examination of your draw horse to help you analyze the animals potential ability and softness.
Examine the horse for indicators of temperament. The eyes, ears and head position should give you a good idea of how energetic and or willing you might expect the animal to be.
Check for softness by pressing on the ribcage where your heels would see and gently increase pressure until the horse responds and note the way he/she moves (front feet, hind feet or side movement). This will give you an idea of how to ask the horse for maneuvers as well as reveal some training.
Continue checking for softness by trying to bend the head. gently lift the rein on both sides of the horse until he/she bends appropriately to understand how hard/soft mouthed the animal is.
Presentation Matters
Understanding your horse can help you know how to ride him/her, but understanding is half the battle.
When performing your pattern it is important to recognize the importance of playing to your horses abilities. Making the horse look good makes you look good.
If your horse is a great spinner, show it off. If your horse struggles, take it slow and recognize that slow and correct looks far better than fast and wrong.
Work with your horse instead of against him and always smile. You're on the back of an exceptional animal and your smile should reflect this.
Confidence is Key
No matter how little or much you know, practice or can do with a draw horse, having confidence is the most important ingredient to success.
Confidence in your abilities translates to confidence in your horse and it can be seen by audience and judge alike.
So ride all that you can and build confidence in your abilities as a horseman.
Time to Ride
Being faced with a draw horse can be intimidating.
Horsemanship is a fundamental attribute of rodeo queens and it is not uncommon for a queen to be faced with the opportunity to ride an unknown horse throughout her rein so becoming a better horseman is important for potential title horses.
Practice, learn and ride all you can and grow confidence in your abilities with all types of horses.
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