Showing tips: How to get started

[DianneC]

I thought I'd start this for pointers from experienced people on showing. We're listening!

[angelsdream]

Yay! I hope some of you can share your knowledge to us newbies. Any idea's on western pleasure?

[nrly]

halter, and how are we to dress, and present ourselves and our horses.

[zephyrcreek]

My biggest suggestion is to find shows in your area, and go watch. This is the best way to get an idea of what type of equipment and attire is being used. Of coarse you want to make sure your not watching a fun show, but a legitimate event type show. Try to hang out and see if there are participants that are willing, and have the time to talk to you. Don't be obnoxious, they may be tight on time, or revved up for the event. Also, buy some magazines! They usually show the current styles in the show ring. Also, there are plenty of books and good videos out there about halter, western pleasure, equitation, etc. The best case scenario would be to find a trainer in your area that you could follow to a show and watch what they do, and how they prepare. Each discipline is slightly different in what they expect. I ride English and it would be normal for me to braid both the mane and tail for most shows, but Western horses do not braid.

Practice, practice, practice! Practice patterns, riding, and grooming. It takes an amazing amount of time to give a proper bath, clip, and shine most horses up. Using hoof black also takes a certain knack, and is best practiced at home, not the morning of the show with you good clothes on. Practice at home, practice at a friends, practice at a local barn that will lease arena time. I take Rocky to a local training farm once a week to ride and hang out. They have events every weekend, and there are tons of people, horses, and dogs everywhere. This gives him a introduction to all the commotion that takes place at a show, while still being at a farm that he is familiar with.

Next step, find a small local show or fun show and sign up for a few classes. If you are not real confident in your abilities yet sign up for halter, trail, or fun classes where you are more likely to relax. If your feeling really confident go ahead a participate in the pleasure and equitation classes. Just take one step at a time and don't overload your horse.

Good Luck,

Ellen

[nrly]

thank you for all this information, will look into it. here is another question, do I have to clip my horse's body and their whiskers. this is something i am not comfortable with. I was told if you body clip them it makes it harder for them to shed out the next year?

[zephyrcreek]

Most people do not body clip unless they are showing year round (in my area MI). Most shows are in the late spring to early fall and the horses have lost most of their coats. Living in the north (it was 5* today), if I wanted to attend an event in March or April next year, I would blanket my horse all winter.

Clipping, depending on the breed and type of riding, there are different rules of thumb on clipping. I have not shown in many years, but the very minimal that I would do would be:


Eyes - Trim any long eyelashes ( Leave ~ 1" long)
Nose - Trim whiskers and inside of nostrils (very short)
Ears - Some "naturalists" say only trim the long outside hairs, must horses that are campaigned trim the entire ear. If you trim the inside hairs make sure that they are protected from bugs.
Fetlocks - trim long hairs to normal coat length.
Tail Dock - trim any short hairs that stick out if you are not able to contain or train them to lay flat.
Bridle path - depends on breed standard. I follow the Paso Fino standard and only trim ~2" bridle path.

There are many books and articles about grooming, and I am sure they have much better information than I have shared.... ;D

Ellen

[stormyranch]

halter, and how are we to dress, and present ourselves and our horses.
Nrly,
As for halter, it is much like what you see at a dog show. You walk your horse in, and the judge usually asks you to trot away from them. They are looking for comformation faults in the horses gates. As for dress, You can were what ever you want, I would not wear tennis shoes though :-)
As for trimming, it is best to trim the horses long whiskers around the muzzle. I don't do ears as I feel sorry for the horse in the summertime with those little biting flys. Trimming has nothing to do with shedding. Body shaving would though.
Your horse should be very clean too, with no bite marks :-)

[stormyranch]

Any idea's on western pleasure?
Angelsdream,
The biggest thing about western pleasure is your horse should look like he/she is pleasureful to ride. The sad thing is ALL(IMO) or almost all judges look for the super slow gates. This is very hard to achieve. But I have seen people with ranch horses place in a class just because their horse was so relaxed and the rider looked like it was a pleasant ride. I think you should go to a local show and watch some classes. I think starting with halter classes is the easiest way to get started. Don't get discouraged, it takes lots of PRACTICE and EXPERIENCE.

[stormyranch]

A judge told me last year what he looks for in a pleasure horse:
1. The horse should have consistent speed around the arena.
2. He should move smooth in both directions. (at the walk, trot and canter)
3. Your grandmother should be able to ride him( not the grandmother that spends all the time in the saddle)
4. The horse should look and act happy as he is working

Kevin

[lindad]

In our area, one would absolutely dress for a halter class, and boots to suit the discipline are mandatory. Appropriate attaire for discipline, including hat, belt, usually a dress jacket or shirt and dress pants, boots, hair pulled back and secured. Everything about horse and rider is absolutely meticulous. Unless things have changed, there are very specific ways to stand, hold the lead and to move so the you will not obstuct the judge's view as the judge moves around the horse. You should always have the horse between you and the judge. Horse should be standing squared up so that is something to practice, as well as queing the horse to walk or trot as soon as you take the first step as well as moving in straight lines. It takes alot of practice.
Linda D

[spanishsagegrullas]

You are absolutely right, Linda D. There is far more to it than just bringing your horse into the arena and making him stand there. Showmanship classes are the ones where you are judged on how you show your horse, but you still do the same set of movements when showing the horse at halter..

There are two reasons for where you stand when presenting your horse at halter. First, you mentioned: not obstructing the view of the judge. Second is to protect the judge if the horse gets rowdy. You always want to be able to direct whatever end of your horse the judge is at AWAY from the judge. It is somewhat formalized, and sort of like a little dance.

When first presenting the horse, you stand in front of the horse, facing the head, when the judge is just standing at the side taking an overall view of the horse. As the judge approaches the head, you want to cross the center line to the other side, and face the horse’s shoulder. Thus, if the horse wants to bite, you can pull the head towards you. When the judge goes behind you to look at the other front side, you neatly move to the opposite side of the head, and face the shoulder, once again. As the judge goes back towards the rear of the horse, you cross the center line once again so you are on the same side of the horse as the judge. Therefore, if the horse tries to kick, you can turn the hindquarters away from the judge. If the judge stops in the center to get a good lateral look at the horse, you don’t go to the opposite side of the head, but stand facing the head as you did in the beginning, until the judge moves towards the hindquarters, then move to the same side of the horse as the judge. Once the judge moves past the hindquarters onto the other side of the horse (the same side the judge began on), once again, you move to the other side so you are on the same side of the horse as the judge.. If the judge wants to take another lateral look from that side, you once again move to the front of the horse and face the horse’s head.

That’s the gist of it. I might have missed a few details like whether you face the horse or the judge. Watch a few showmanship classes and you will see what is happening.

Diane P.
Spanish Sage Ranch

[nrly]

wow I have allot of work to do on myself and my horse's, thank you all for the information. so If i do understand correctly I need to wear (Black for me) slacks (so i do not look super heavy), nice shirt,can i wear a really nice western vest, (I mean a dressy one),and my boots (Western), belt, and hat, can my hat have a strap on it so it won't fly off when trotting or what ever, of course pull the hair back. i am getting excited about learning all of this, and getting ready to do some shows here.

[lindad]

Me too Nola, I'm in the wear black set! The middle aged woman's camoflage! Hahaha!
Linda D

[nrly]

lol so true Linda

[stormyranch]

Diane P,
I think you are getting Showmanship mixed up with Halter. It is necessary to have your horse stand square with all four feet. This will show off the horses comformation.
I was trying to make it sound simple so more people would give it a try. Here is a video of the AQHA world show, halter class. The handlers are not moving around as you said. They are staying out of the judges view of their horse though.

youtube.com/watch?v=_D0U-A33lQk

If your horse bites or kicks he has no business being in the show ring.
Lisa