Nine tips to help you tackle the show pen when you don’t have a trainer.

To be competitive at horse shows, many youth choose to leave their horses at a trainer’s facility, working with their instructor often to perfect their performances. While this situation is ideal for some riders, it’s far from reality for others. What can you do if you’re unable to work with a trainer full-time? AjPHA offered its inaugural riding boot camp for new competitors and those without trainers at the 2011 AjPHA Youth World Championships Show in June, featuring a clinic by three APHA top trainers. Following the event, the clinicians shared their tips for finding trainerless success.