Frequently Asked Questions

It's just "the Show Horse Association"! The "-e" in our name stands for electronic since we're fully online!

No. As long as you have permission from the horse’s owner to ride and submit an entry, anyone can participate. Year end awards, however, follow specific horse and rider combinations. 

Not a problem! We’re here to have fun and learn, so we don’t require any specific registration papers - all breeds are welcome! 

We’re here to be inclusive and to learn, and in that spirit, we’ve left it to our exhibitors to put their best foot forward - but that doesn’t necessarily mean thousand dollar outfits or silver tack. 

At this time, we don’t have any specific rules regarding rider apparel - we just ask that you participate safely, sensibly, and respectfully - wearing appropriate footwear, safety equipment, and tack that’s clean, well-fitted, and allows the judge to give the best feedback possible. (*Minors under the age of 18 are required to wear an ASTM approved helmet with a harness.)

Our judges generally hold cards in the major associations affiliated with the divisions they are representing. USEF R and r judges are utilized for our over fences divisions, NSBA/AQHA/APHA judges are used for our western classes, and USEF/FEI judges are used for our dressage classes. Our network is expansive and our goal is to bring in experts in each field who are qualified to give actionable feedback to our exhibitors. 

We ask that all entries be uploaded to YouTube with a public link that you include in your entry submission. Instructions are included on our showbill if you need any help with the process. 

We award points to the top placing entries per division each month. Year end prizes are awarded based on cumulative points earned during the year for each horse/rider combination. Points are calculated based on how many entries are in a division.

Effective January 1, 2025: Exhibitors must be a member of the Show Hors-e Association prior to entry for points to count towards year end awards. Exhibitors must compete in a minimum of four shows within a single division to be eligible for year end awards in that division. 

Divisions are effective January 1st. Specifically for our youth divisions, if you are 13 or under as of January 1st of the current year - you are eligible to compete in that division the entire year. 

The only exclusion to this rule would be an amateur who chooses to turn professional (by accepting remuneration) during the year. At the time an exhibitor chooses to give up their amateur card, they are no longer eligible to compete in the amateur divisions. 

We kindly ask that a single rider/horse combination not be cross-entered in multiple divisions within the same show (with exceptions for IEA/YEDA teams).

For example:

• If Rachael and her green horse, Dusty, are competing in the Walk/Trot division, we ask that they remain in Walk/Trot for that show. However, they are welcome to move up to Walk/Trot/Canter in future show(s).
• If Rachael wants to show Dusty in Walk/Trot and her more experienced horse, Sassy, in Walk/Trot/Canter during the same show, this is completely fine.

For IEA/YEDA teams or riding schools where horses are shared among students:

• If Dusty is being shared, both Rachael and Shannon may show Dusty in the Walk/Trot division within the same show.

This policy is designed to maintain fairness and consistency in our competitions. Thank you for your understanding!