When it comes to choosing a pattern song for Youth Nationals, few riders consider the weight that such a song carries for their success. However, I'm here to tell you that it can alter the image you project, increase your "cool" factor (obviously you want to be the kid with the awesome pattern song), and most importantly, it will calm you and give you confidence as you complete the challenging patterns Youth Nationals tends to throw at you. And now that I've built this task up, I'm going to make this process a little less daunting. Your suit may fit well, your horse may be a pattern whiz, but girl (or boy), your perfect pattern song is just waiting to be found! I will begin by listing the main considerations of your search:
1. Appropriateness. This is a given. Swearing, suggestive language--just keep it clean, kids.
2. Time and length. A pattern usually lasts no more than a minute and a half, so the beginning is all you will really hear. Sometimes the first 10 seconds really sets you up for strong impression. If your song doesn't really open up until much after that, you might want to choose another.
3. Play it at home. Ride with your song at home. Even if it's just in the walking cool-down after your lesson. And then go home and play it. Still like it? Assess from here.
4. Pay attention to how it makes you FEEL. Does the song make you happy? Music is intensely linked to memory and offers one of the quickest ways to access to emotion, so make sure the song is surrounded by positivity.
5. Does it match the pace of your horse? A quick-trotting horse needs a song with a similar tempo. The same goes for a quiet horse--just find a song that matches.
6. Don't be afraid to look into the past. Just a quick question--do you think a judge would prefer a song from their own youth or a bubbly pop song that they have never heard before? This is something to keep in mind considering their opinion is a pretty vital one!
Start with these and branch out to find your perfect match! As you can probably tell, my personal opinion falls somewhere in between a "I'm so cool and retro" choice and a "look how fresh and modern I am" option. Spotify is a great place to find these songs, similar artists, and make a playlist of potential pattern songs! I wish you luck in your quest and, of course, at Youth Nationals!
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