10/05/2026
For many families entering the horse world, competition can seem to come with an enormous prerequisite: first, find a horse. Whether buying or leasing, it can turn showing into a major financial and logistical commitment before a young rider or their family even knows whether competition is something they want to pursue.
Roxane Durant, co-founder and executive director of the IEA - Interscholastic Equestrian Association sees another way in. IEA’s draw-based format means riders do not bring their own horses to the competition. They arrive, draw the horse they will ride, and compete on the horse provided.
“You don’t have to own or lease a horse,” Durant said.
That detail is fundamental to what IEA is trying to accomplish: create an entry point into our industry that allows riders to participate before horse ownership becomes part of the equation.
Durant is practical about the idea of requiring ownership as the first step into competition.
“If you tell a parent that the only way to get in the sport is you gotta start by going and buying a horse, well, most of us would already know that’s a bad plan,” she said.
A family new to horses may not yet understand what ownership involves. The rider may love lessons but have no idea whether they enjoy competing. Parents may not know what level of commitment their child ultimately wants.
IEA gives them a chance to find out. Durant describes it as an opportunity for riders and families to “get their feet wet.”
They can learn what it feels like to compete, move through levels, accumulate points, and potentially qualify for postseason events without beginning with the expense and responsibility of buying or leasing a competition horse. If they discover they love it, they can go further.
📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2026/10/02/what-if-you-didnt-need-to-own-a-horse-to-start-showing/
📸 © Winslow Photography
