Spurs
and
Carrots
Horse and Rider Rating System
Where you earn your spurs and your horse earns carrots!
Spurs and carrots represent two ways that most stories of old use to describe getting a horse to move forward. The horse is usually more than willing to take the next step for a carrot, or for the properly applied spur.
The rider must earn the right to wear spurs so as not to punish the horse before learning proper techniques. And the hard working horse always earns at least one carrot at the end of the day.
Although the showing and riding organizations and associations help track our competitive accomplishments, it is difficult to track the overall experiences and training of horses and riders. That’s where Spurs and Carrots comes in, we track all the efforts made to move you and your horse forward.
Horse and Rider Rating System
Spurs and Carrots is a program designed to help track the progress both riders and horses make through out their entire learning experiences. The rider earns spurs while the horse earns carrots based on their experiences and accomplishments.
This program tracks efforts both in your lesson and training efforts, competition results, and recreational time spent with horses. You as a rider have your progress tracked and the horses also have their progress tracked.
The program is available to everyone, whether you own a horse or not. Both the horse and the rider can earn points, so you don’t need to own a horse to earn rider points.
Benefits
You are able to earn your Spurs and Carrots in all the different activities you spend with your horse.
The benefit to riders is a tracking of all your experiences when needing to fill out resumes for clinics or just looking back to what you have accomplished over the years. The horse’s accomplishments inside and outside the show ring are tracked to help increase the value of the horse, and track other’s time spent working with your horse.
Overall its a fun way to track you and your horse's accomplishments and experiences.
Coats, blankets, and pins will be available soon, so you and your horse can proudly wear symbols of your accomplishments.
What it takes
All you have to do is fill out a form that describes you and your horse’s accomplishments and we will track the experiences in detail and post your scores. If at a later date you need a detailed listing of you or your horse’s accomplishments, for a small fee we will run off a certified list.
We will make this as electronic and easy as possible over time. Currently you will have to fill out a form and email it to us.
How it works
You as a rider earn points that are converted into Bronze, Silver, and Gold Spurs while horses earn points for Bronze, Silver, and Gold Carrots.
The scoring is fairly simple:
For different accomplishments you and your horse earn points that are converted into Spurs or Carrots:
10 points = Bronze
10 Bronze = Silver
10 Silver = Gold
You and your horse earn points as follows
· Lesson (w/approved instructor) = 10 points for rider & 10 points for horse
· Training session for horse (w/approved trainer) = 10 points for horse
· Auditing a clinic = 5 points for rider/day
· Clinics = Lessons or predetermined amount
· Competitions: (points for horse and rider each)
1st 10 points
(High Point / Best of Show / Best Condition)
2nd 8 points
3rd 6 points
4th 4 points
Placing 2 points
Completing 2 points
X number of entries
X 1 (schooling show)
2 (qualifier)
4(regional)
8 (national)
10 (international)
X number of events
(example: 2nd place at a regional competition with 20 horses: 8 X 20 X 4 = 640 points for both horse and rider)
· 1 hour riding the horse unrelated to other earned points = 2 points rider & 2 points horse
(preparation time for other events can be counted here)
· 1 hour volunteering at a horse event =2 points rider
· Parade / Exhibition / Presentation = 10 points rider 10 points horse
Scoring subject to change without advance notice
Bottom line is you provide us with the information and we will keep your scores and information current.