How to Read a Performance Report Like a Pro

n today's increasingly competitive equestrian market, performance reports are no longer a luxury, they're a necessity. Whether you're buying, training, investing in, or managing sport horses, understanding what the data tells you is critical to making informed, confident decisions when planning competitions or buying showjumpers.

Why? Because gone are the days when anecdotal feedback and visual impressions were enough to evaluate a horse's potential. A modern performance report delivers a detailed, structured overview of not only a horse's competition history but also yields insights into placement trends, performance by jump height, class size context, geographic comparisons, and more. These reports go far beyond the leaderboard to give a fuller picture of consistency, capability, and future potential.

The problem? Many equestrians still glance at a few placings without digging into the meaning behind the metrics. But if you want to make better investments, plan more strategic campaigns, or elevate your stable's reputation or your ringcraft as a trainer, reading a performance report like a pro is essential.

Breaking Down the Key Metrics

Take, for example, this example report for In Touch Semilly, a 2018 Selle Français gelding whose recent results include several 4th-place finishes in competitive classes, such as a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby with 22 entries. While there are no podium finishes yet, the horse's consistent top-five placements indicate reliability in large, high-pressure environments – an asset often overlooked when fixating solely on wins.

Here are the key data points to assess in any performance report:

1. Podium Wins and Average Placement

We don't just look at ribbons, we look at trends. Horses that regularly finish just outside the top three, especially in competitive regions, often signal future success with the right rider or program adjustments.

2. Average Placement by Jump Height

Are they consistent at 1.10m but unproven at 1.30m? Can they maintain results as the fences go up? A breakout at higher levels suggests scope and class, while steady performance at mid-levels shows rideability and reliability but can also be considered an indicator of ability or performance ceiling.

3. Zone and Class Size Context

Competing in strong zones like Texas or California carries more weight than smaller circuits. A 5th out of 30 is far more revealing than a win in a class of five. Performance reports that layer in this context help you assess the true value of each result but also the horse's ability to perform in different environments.

4. Consistency Across Riders or Events

A horse that delivers with different riders or across varying conditions often demonstrates versatility, good brain, and confidence – all key indicators of long-term success. It also offers insight into how to best plan your competition schedule or focus on wellbeing and soundness.

Who Should Be Using These Reports?

Performance reports are not just for data analysts or federations. Every stakeholder in the sport stands to benefit from smarter, data-informed decisions. Here's how different roles in the equestrian world can put these reports to work:

Investors & Syndicate Members

When you're putting capital into a horse, whether for resale, high performance, or breeding, data protects your investment. Showjumping World's reports can help you:

• Vet horses before purchase by identifying consistency and upward trends.
• Track the ROI of horses within your syndicate with tangible metrics.
• Communicate clearly with co-owners or stakeholders using third-party data.

A horse that consistently places top five in large, high-quality fields, even without flashy wins, may represent a better long-term investment than one with erratic results.

Riders (Professionals and Amateurs)

For riders, performance reports offer valuable self-assessment tools. You can:

• Track your own performance trends with specific horses.
• Compare results over time and see where you improve or need help.
• Make smarter decisions about which horses to campaign, lease, or retire.
• Consider the horse's wellbeing when planning your schedule to ensure welfare in sport is at the forefront of your mind.