What showing class for him? Conformation critique as well please *pics*

[k8_doran]

Hello, I posted this in general with only one response from the lovely Glider who gave me some good knowledge but wondered peoples thoughts, so thought I would post in the correct forum. I have no idea about what class for showing for this boy or what to wear (have never been 'properly' into showing. (I have done a little research and saw not to wear black, so when is the need to wear black jackets as I know there are some out there you can buy, just wondered!)

Not that we would be going to any shows in the very near future (but maybe this year!)I wondered, what classes would this boy do? He is a hackney x welsh. 15hh. 6 years old, but green as was mis treated and didnt start being broken in etc till 3 / 4 yrs

So what classes would he be, for in hand and for ridden?
What tack for in hand and what tack for the ridden class?
What do I wear?

While its here, how does he look his conformation (etc?) Many thanks in advance (he has a slight belly in the middle pic due to lack of work, unlike the other two pics!) xx

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o113/goof_photos/100_2076-1.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o113/goof_photos/1516369736_l.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o113/goof_photos/100_2068-1.jpg

[Palomino Mare]

Hi, i'm just about to post a similar thread actually!!

i'm no showing expert either but i do know that your horse looks gorgeous!!

obviously couloured classes:p

what about working hunter too?

i see alot of people showing with black jackets but this is just at local shows so i wear tweed.

not much of a help but i tried (lol!)

amz xx

[k8_doran]

i'm no showing expert either but i do know that your horse looks gorgeous!!

obviously couloured classes:p



lol, thats what I thought too :D I see lots of people wearing black jackets too and online on a shop they only had black and blue no tweed, so I don't get it! thank you for helping! no-one else will help us :(

[marsden]

i could be shot down for this, but i always thought that the 'tweed' hacking jackets were for like working horse classes... and the blue/black for the others.

He's a gorgeous boy. Best bet is to get schedules and see what classes are available. But obviously coloured classes and Riding Club classes. And if its in hand there's always the turn out classes.

With showing most of it is done in a snaffle or a pelham. Sometimes there are a few restrictions on what bits to use, but if its just local it doesn't normally cause a problem. Its when you get to the bigger shows the restrictions come into their own. At my old boy's second show i was advised to enter him into a cob class by an experienced judge. Murphy was 17.1hh Clydesdale x TB so he was not a cob by any stretch of the imagination but it did give him more experience in the ring.

[katie2]

He is beautiful!
Depending on your age (I think you have to be under 21 at most shows) you can do Show Hunter Pony, WHP (If he jumps), Obviously ridden coloureds, Riding club horse, equitation, for in hand you could do in-hand coloureds, in-hand hunter, best condition, basically loads!!!!

Tack wise, use a plain havana bridle with a flat noseband and browband. Ideally you would use a pelham or double bit except in equitation but as you say he is green, you may not want to use this type of but yet, if this is the case, use your usual snaffle, there may be a special class for novices but if not just enter him with everyone else and explain to the judge that he is a novice, a good judge will look at his way of going before his bit anyway.
Use a havana saddle with a matching girth, a GP will do for now, use either a discreet numnah or none at all. No boots, martingales etc. (except if you are doing working hunters)

Use the same bridle for in-hand.

For you, were a green tweed, navy hat, long boots, canary breeches (you might have to try on different shades to see which matches your tweed best), a discreet coloured tie and a shirt which could be canary/lemon or even a subtle stripe, but NOT white (again, you may have to try on a few to match your tweed)

You can wear the same for in-hand, or you can swap your breeches and boots for cream/beige trousers and short brown boots.

Hope this helps!

[joey_olop]

I know nothing about showing Im afraid but just wanted to say that your horse is gorgeous :D

[k8_doran]

oh I am nearly 23 :( what can i do with him with that, as you mentioned normal shows you have to be under 21

[katie2]

Don't worry just yet, check your show, if it is local you may be ok, my local show doesnt have age limits....

I might even be wrong about 21, it may be 25, got brain drain!!

And the age limit would only apply to SHP and WHP anyway.

[k8_doran]

I've just found out that Chancer's dad was 'Hurstwood Romeo' a Hackney National Champion!

[eml]

Wow I like! 15hh and under coloured any age rider, judge does not ride so show is important, Intermediate SHP/WHP although he will be small you can ride or find a 21 and under rider for 15hh classes.

I have a similar coloured so probably see you around!!

And thanks for being sensible about fuzzing face!!!:D

[k8_doran]

Thats ok...they were taking the micky out of my (in a nice way) about my face in the general bit! I read that you moderators may remove posts if face is visible so thought I'd be safe! so I need a green tweed jacket then? Oh and what classes do the judges normally ride your horse, or does it depend on the show?

So am I ok being 23 showing him? I dont want to have to get someone else to ride him :( would it be a problem at the local shows, or the higher up ones?

[Lucyad]

Now I am confused. He is over 14.2hh and therefore into horse classes. I wouldnt have thought that there was an upper age limit on these? And in any case even in pony showing classes, thee seems to be an acceptance of adults riding ponies, even little welshies! I thought that it was only jumping classes where there was an upper limit on ponies in a lot of cases? I know that working hunter is often divided differently with 15hh being the upper limit, but there doesnt seem to be an age limit in any classes I have been in (good thing too, as I am 36!).

Can anyone enlighten me?

[katie2]

in the Show Hunter pony and Working Hunter pony classes the upper height is 15hands, therefore a 15 hander is classes as a pony, however if the same pony went in, say best condition at the same show, this is normally split between ponies and horses at 14.2 so it would be classed as a horse in this!

Sorry to confuse you, but it is only the hunters were this applies and bear in mind some small un-afiliated shows may have completely different rules!

And I wont even go into the intermediates..........

[Daffy Dilly]

The only age limits on native ponies are minimum ages for riding stallions. Think it's 14 for a small breed and 16/18 for a large. There are also junior M&M classes (specifically by P(UK) I think) where the rider cannot be over 17 on the 1st Jan.

Local shows can set whatever age limits they want.

At county level, LR goes up to 8 i think, FR up to 10, the next age split is at 21 for under 14.2hh's I think, then intermediates can only be ridden by under 25, and the age limits stop there. As far as I'm aware, coloured classes (rather than type classes) have no age limits.

[k8_doran]

So if you're over 25 and at county level, is there no classes you can ride in at all?

[katie2]

Yes, you can do ridden coloured but not SHP or WHP I'm afraid.

[k8_doran]

Is that because of his height? Like Working hunter pony, is he in that category because he is 15hh? He doesnt have any shoes on as it is, I thought 15hh would be horse and I am sure there are working hunter with older people in?

[Daffy Dilly]

You could take him in Small Hunter. He's a little small perhaps (height limit is 15.2), but schooled up to perfection I imagine he could hold his own.

Glider is qualified to judge these classes I think, and has been through them herself, so whatever she said will be spot on.

[Daffy Dilly]

It's the combination of his height and your age. Over 15.2 and it wouldn't matter.

Whilst you could put shoes on, it's generally better to be at the top end of a height range than the bottom.

I'm not sure on the exact rules for WHP, but 15hh is pony so you may only be eligible to affiliate him for two more years. You would be best to contact the individual societies and get a copy of their rules.

[katie2]

Yes, working hunter pony is up to 15 hands, over 15 hands is the working hunter horse........

Even though technically he could go in small hunter, I think he will look very small.

If you want to show at county, stick to coloureds, if you want to do either SHP or WHP look for an un-affiliated show with no age limits.

[k8_doran]

Oh I get it, so hunter 15hh and under you need a rider to match so be 21 or under say for example. I get it, thank you. Yes would be good idea to contact shows. He is not brilliant at jumping yet so would perhaps stick to coloured classes at the moment.

Glider said "He's lovely, and should do well at local level if he's reasonably well schooled. He's of hunter type, so you can do hunter classes (hunter pony classes if the show splits them at 15hh which they often do), there are ridden and inhand versions of these classes. He could obviously do coloured classes, again ridden or inhand...You might want to do family pony classes too, which are for horses suitable to be ridden by all the family.

Tack wise, he should be in a plain "hunter style" bridle, so no fancy browband, and if you can find a flat noseband rather than the one with the flash loop you have, that would look smarter. Also if you've got reins without martingale stops on they'd be better too. Use your ridden bridle for inhand classes, inhand bridles are for under 4s. Your saddle and girth look fine, just get a discrete brown numnah to go with it. He'll need to be plaited up and trimmed (legs, chin and ears), and about 6 inches taken off his tail so it's 2 inches below his hocks when he carries it. He'll have to go without boots for showing, except working hunters, where he can wear them for the jumping phase..He's really well put together and well balenced over his body. He does have a few minor faults (upright shoulder, and straight through the hind leg) but don't let it worry you and just go out and have fun."

So really informative actually

[k8_doran]

Just been talking to someone, they said he may not do well in ridden hunter as he has hackney in him(dad a hackney supreme champion, did i mention that, lol!) he leg movement may be high so may not do well in the ridden hunter?

[Daffy Dilly]

It may be something you can school out of him.

I would give it a go at local level anyway, and see what the judges say. :)

[Laura+Phantom]

At local level, there will be plenty of working hunter classes you can do - around here it is split up to 15hh, and 15hh and over, rider any age for both usually.

I would do coloured, WH, riding club horse/pony, best combination, small hunter at local level, why not? My RC has a 'hunter type horse/pony' class which would be ideal!

He's gorgeous by the way :)

[k8_doran]

laura+phantom, where abouts are you in Cornwall? I am hoping to bring the boy back with me at the end of they year, hoping to keep around Mt. Hawke area as its where I live. What RC are you with?

[Laura+Phantom]

Hi, I live near Camborne, not that far from Mount Hawke really. I'm with Gwennap riding club, they organise loads and are really friendly and low key,
they've finally got a website with their year diary on it! (very memorable address - not) www.augu67.dsl.pipex.com/gwennaprc

I've also joined Threewaters riding club, bit posher, they British Riding Clubs affiliated. They hold indoor dressage and things which I thought would be good. www.twrc.co.uk

[k8_doran]

No its not that far, thanks will look at the websites, what school did you go to, camborne? I was at richard lander woohooo! think you are a year older than me

[Glider]

At local level classes can be split at 14.2hh or 15hh, or not split at all. Sometimes there are age restrictions on the pony classes, but the age will vary according to the show, and often there will be no restriction at all - you just have to check the schedule.

At affiliated level, age restrictions depend on the society, and that's where it can all get confusing, because different societies have different age limits for different heights. If you want to do working hunter pony or show hunter pony classes at affiliated/county level, 14hh-15hh "ponies" have to be ridden by people under 20 (on the 1st January in that year), but there are also intermediate show hunter and working hunter classes for 14.2hh-15.2hh with riders aged up to 25. There is an age limit because most classes are run by the British Show Pony Society, which is regarded as a children's society and they think it's a bit unfair for older people to be competing against younger children.

You are also eligable for horse classes, I believe the lower heing limit for "horse" working hunters has just been lowered from 15hh to 14.2hh and you are also eligable for small hunters and riding horse classes (both 14.2hh-15.2hh with no upper age limit). Coloured classes and part bred classes have no age limits.

The reason everyone is putting you into the 15hh and under category is that unfortunately the higher you go showing wise, the more the horses/ponies are at the top of the height limit. I've shown my full up 15hh show hunter pony in small hunter classes, but he really is on the small side compared to the others.

Tweed jackets are used for everything apart from show ponies, hacks and evening performances, who use navy - so you should use a tweed if you can.

[Laura+Phantom]

No its not that far, thanks will look at the websites, what school did you go to, camborne? I was at richard lander woohooo! think you are a year older than me

Yes Camborne unfortunately, hated it! I'm doing my teaching work experience at Richard Lander hopefully!