Flash nosebands and showing...

[Laura+Phantom]

This might sound like a silly question and I really should know the answer but is it ok to show in a flash noseband? It'll only be local shows and riding club, best combination, tack and turnout, family pony type things..I usually use a grakle but obviously I can only use that for jumping!

Thanks!

[Daffy Dilly]

No, anything other than a cavasson is only suitable for working hunter classes.

Try a crank noseband - the one that has the fastening at the back looped around so it really tightens up. I'll try to find a picture.

If you put it lower as well as having it reasonably tight it'll help. Why do you need the flash in the first place? It may be a problem you can fix with schooling :)

[Laura+Phantom]

Darn...that's what I suspected. To be fair I showed him in a cavesson last year and he was ok, (apart from our only dressage test) but at home and jumping he's being very evasive at times and sticks his head in the air and opens his mouth as wide as possible and as a result goes off in his required direction without listening to me! He's got a very soft mouth and works lovely and on the bit when he feels like it..otherwise he says "This is boring, I don't want to listen any more", or tries to buck me off :o Riding him in a flash or grakle makes *so* much difference, he actually focuses on what i'm asking of him...his teeth and tack are fine as well.

[Daffy Dilly]

See if you can get hold of a flat hunter style crank noseband and try that. I'm fairly sure Fylde saddlery do them. :)

[Kanuma]

you can wear them for working hunter (the one with the jumps) but not for the other showing classes

[Laura+Phantom]

Aha, thanks for that Daffy Dilly, that's ideal. Think i'll go for the raised restraining noseband rather than the hunter one, as it looks a bit too chunky for his head..

Only £24, bargain! :D

[Daffy Dilly]

I think he'd look better in a flat 1.5" (at least) wide one. What classes do you do? Only show ponies and hacks/some riding horses use raised ones, for other types it needs to be workmanlike.

You'd be surprised how good they look actually. Daffy's first noseband was 1", then it was 1 1/8th and now it's 1.5" and the last one definately looks the best to me :)

[Laura+Phantom]

Hmm..I did have him in a Jeffries hunter bridle last year (Doesn't match my new saddle :rolleyes: )

This is it (Curse that lower leg!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/LAUZ45/Phantom/sithneyproof2.bmp

I'm going to be doing best combination, tack and turnout, riding club pony, that sort of thing, and also dressage and jumping. So it is mainly showing classes...he's not good enough to do M & M, he's only registered part bred anyway.

hmm...I don't know!

[Daffy Dilly]

I definately think flat is your best bet! It'll do more to show off his head, and whilst you'll get away with it in other classes it does matter for T&T. How big is he?

Edited to say, and wider to break up the white a little. 1.5" should do it ;)

[Laura+Phantom]

He's a 14.1hh New Forest :)

[Kanuma]

wide flat noseband to breaK up his wite face make it look finer. and if you are doing T&T you will need a tweed jacket!

[Laura+Phantom]

Okay, i'll go for the flat noseband!

Lol shows how little I know about showing..actually I do have a tweed jacket, I wore it showing my shetland in hand last year..i'll make sure I wear it in future..can it be used for all of the classes I mentioned? By the way, I have much nicer showing boots now! :)

[Kanuma]

because you are showing her as a hunter type (plain browband as she is too heavy for a showpony) then yes you should wear a tweed for all your classes.
for the T&T i would say take a couple of inches off her tail (should be level with chestnuts when carried) and pull it.
There are a few other things but if you want me to comment on them PM me as i no longer comment too much without being asked. has gotten me into trouble before!

[Daffy Dilly]

Yes tweed is correct for all those classes.

You're turning him out as a show hunter pony, so that means flat workman like tack, tweed jacket, pale canary jods (rather than banana legs) and because he is over 14hh long boots are correct. I assume that because you are correct in wearing long boots that spurs are correct for the type, but someone may correct me. I would go by the show rules based on age, and if you are allowed put them on for T&T, but take them off for your other classes. You can use dummy spurs, but spurs of some description just finish off the look. :)

[Laura+Phantom]

Ahem - Phantom is a gelding :p

Seriously though thanks for all the advice, i'd never actually given his type too much thought..pulling his tail will be a godsend as I hate the way plaits look, and spurs will prevent that nagging lower leg in the photo, so it's all good news :)

If I was to show him as a part bred native, although it's unlikely, I understand plaits are allowed, so how would they feel about pulled tails or is it a big no-no?

My jods in that photo are beige...will have to investigate some pale canary ones..he no longer needs the red ribbon or limpet pad thank god!

Kanuma - will PM you

[Kanuma]

plaiting and pulling are expected in partbreds!
I'm not too sure about the spurs though!

[Daffy Dilly]

Pulled, trimmed and plaited is correct. Plaited tails are ok, but pulled do look a lot better IMO. :)

If you want I can also tell you what I would like to see with your turnout, but I will do it here as my PM's are almost full. :cool:

You are definately well on the way though, and first thing I noticed (after the noseband) was the lack of white number string. :D

[Daffy Dilly]

I'm not too sure about the spurs though!

I'm not 100% sure, but usually they are expected with long boots (as she'd be in the 14-15hh class), and I think M&Ms are the only exception to that. I do know that they are usually a no-no in riding club pony, best combo etc, but for tack and turnout they should be ok.

[Laura+Phantom]

Well that's okay, i'll wear them for t & t, as it's always the first class, then take them off, and he should be a bit sharper off the leg by then :)

Please Daffy Dilly, go ahead, all advice is much appreciated! White string, another thing I hadn't considered...I do remember reading to make the corners of the number curved so it sits better on your back though...

[Daffy Dilly]

Ok, rider first, top to bottom :)

You have the right colour hat with it being navy, but a leather harness will look a lot neater. There are a lot of different styles of hat out there so it's best to try a few on, but there is a tendancy for people to go for the higher crowned ones for showing as they can look more elegant on the right person. You already look quite tall so I would go for a lower crowned one providing it suits you. Ideally you should sew the tails of the ribbon up, this goes back to hunting tradition but it does look neater anyway.

I can't tell what you've done with your hair and it does look neat in the photo, but that wants to be in a neat bun with a net or several, no fly away bits and no scrunchie.

Obviously you have a tweed, my personal preference is browny-green on chestnuts, but most things go down ok. Blue tweed is common at local level, but it's doesn't make the rider look professional as very very few professionals wear blue tweeds.

You could do with a yellower shirt - in the wash with the cheapest duster you can find and it'll go a nice pale canary colour. You can try the same trick with the jods to save some money, but not sure how many dusters you'd need. Tie needs to be brighter, maybe red/burgundy based with a discreet pattern. A collar pin finishes off the look nicely, and you ought to use a tie pin of some description. If you do have one on, I would recommend taking any lapel pins off, it looks more professional to go without.

Number - as you've said the edges should be neatened. If it's a small and discreet number anyway I'd be tempted to leave it, but if there's masses of white then trim it down. Number string/ribbon/elastic to match your jacket, and tie a loop at either end to hook it over a button. If it's raining it can be a good idea to laminate or put sticky back plastic over your number, but that's a lot of hassle on a show ground!

Gloves and cane ought to be brown leather regardless of tack colour. I think a plain cane is your best bet, it's more workman like for the type you're riding. Some of the others can look a little fussy depending on the overall appearance.

You know about the jods, and you've changed your boots. If they have flat tops then you'll need garter straps, if dressage tops then they're fine. Spurs (if you decide to use them) should have leather straps.

I always put a little lippy on (that matches my lips) so they don't look like I've been biting them for 24hours. I don't use any other makeup, but if you feel you need some then do put a little on just to even things up or whatever. It's not essential, but it does look better.

On to the tack :)

Plain hunter style (flat and wide) bridle - I would go for 5/8" cheeks, ideally brown, but black is becoming more common anyway so match it to your saddle. I would use a pelham with two reins for at least T&T. If you use a rugby then it needs a sliphead, and I prefer to see show pelhams with slipheads too for T&T as they are meant to imitate double bridles. Laced/plaited/plain reins on top (5/8" or 3/4") and a thinner curb rein (1/2"). You will need to use a lip strap for T&T, but you can take it off for other classes, like the sliphead on the show pelham.

I would prefer to see shorter stirrup leathers that don't hang past your saddle flap. You can cut the ends off and oil them to fix that. If you have keepers on your new saddle then use them, and if not then they don't want to stick out. Stirrup treads look best if they are black as they match the soles of your boots.

I don't know if you are, but you need girth guards and a leather girth is best. Elastic should go on the offside for T&T and the girth should be on the same holes at either side. I like mine in the middle, but that's personal preference. A straighter cut saddle (and no pad) would look better, but I dont know what your new saddle is like. For some reason numnahs seem to be frowned upon in T&T, if you can get one that really fits and matches your saddle they're fine for other classes.

And last but not least, pony, head to tail. ;)

Whiskers and those really long eyelashes should all be trimmed, but you can take them off completely if you wish. You ought to take the fluff from inside the ears off totally, as well as doing the jaw line.

The plaits look too chunky to me as he's a stocky lad to start with. I would be tempted to try thinning his mane, and aim for fewer (remember an odd number not inc the forelock) small plaits that are folded under into a hood. For the forelock, I prefer to see a french-type plait that is folded and laid under the browband to keep it flat.

His legs should be fully trimmed, and hoof oil/gloss on all feet. Either all black, or all clear, depending on what suits him. His chestnuts should be oiled darker with baby oil.

His tail should be banged level with his hocks when he's moving, and pulled neatly at the top. Even if he does kick, it can be better to ask other competitors to keep their distance than to use a ribbon.

Hope that helped, I think I need to give my fingers a rest now ;)

[Laura+Phantom]

Thanks a lot :D If we don't get placed with all this great advice i'll give up! j/k :)

For showing Cassie an unregistered M & M, would it be the same tack as for Phantom, and same dress for me, only leave her natural and unplaited? I trim her ears, jawline and trim off her tail though.

[Kanuma]

yep same dress same tack. dont trim her ears out, just neaten the edges, wiskers need to stay. tail depends on what breed she is supposed to be

[Laura+Phantom]

Exmoor, just not the 'usual' colour :)

[Kanuma]

i dont think you cut thier tails at all

[Daffy Dilly]

No I think exmoors need full tails. They also shouldn't have any white in their mane/tail (or any at all?) but whether you need to keep an eye on that depends on what colour she actually is. :)

[Laura+Phantom]

Ah that's ok then, she's a bay roan so has black points. At the moment she's wild and hairy except for her beard which I trimmed the other day!

[Laura+Phantom]

Sorry final thought...ultimately i'd like to do WHP classes with Phantom, as he has a cracking jump, so would I use a show pelham and double reins? If it's novice WHP i'd have to use a snaffle though wouldn't I? And yes or no to spurs?

Luckily at local level there are loads of classes for WHP at his height and my age :) Have to be brave though!

[Horsesarelife]

I'm pretty sure you can't wear spurs on ponies (anything under 15hh), so it would be better to leave them of unless your 100% syre you can wear them as no ones going to kick you out for not wearing them but I have seen people kicked out the ring for wearing them when your not ment to. Also you may get away with a pelham for novice calsses as its working hunter, as i used a gag last year (only in working hunter and shes now in a pelham) and no one said anything :)

[Laura+Phantom]

Ok thanks a lot! :D

God last year at a show, it was terrible, one girl in the 13yrs and over, 15hh and under WHP class had a pelham, flash, market harborough and spurs! Her mother was shouting at her from outside the ring as well, lovely! :mad:

[Glider]

Horsesarelife is correct about the spurs. Show hunter pony is a children/young person's class so spurs shouldn't be worn (and are prohibited at affiliated level).

[Laura+Phantom]

Ok, but it's working hunter not show hunter, they don't have any SHP classes I can do because of my age.

I guess the spurs are just for T & T then :)

[Kanuma]

no spurs then at all.

[Glider]

Ok, but it's working hunter not show hunter, they don't have any SHP classes I can do because of my age.

I guess the spurs are just for T & T then :)

Even if the show you are going to doesn't have a class for your type of pony, for t&t you dress for the type of pony you have (show hunter pony), and therefore no spurs. Just as if you had a full bred Dartmoor (for example), but the show didn't have a mountain and moorland class you'd go in t&t turned out as a dartmoor with mane and tail natural etc rather than plaited up.

[Spritzy]

If he's NF, why are you plaiting/pulling him? he should be shown naturally. I've been placed in whp at a local show on my sec d without plaiting her and a Nf won it who wasn't plaited but shown "naturally".

[Daffy Dilly]

Because he's not a NF, he's a registered PART-bred newforest. It says that a bit earlier up, so I understand how you could miss it. ;)

Just out of curiousity, would you have taken him to be pure bred anyway looking at those photos?

[Laura+Phantom]

Thank you Daffy Dilly, exactly!

Actually Glider i've seen people go in T & T in their natural state and were told off by the judge, saying that regardless, they should be plaited for that class.

As Daffy Dilly said, he's part bred and if he was pure bred, I still wouldn't show him as one as he's not very typical. I think he has really good conformation though.

I don't really care if I have to wear spurs or not, I just want to be correctly turned out.

[Daffy Dilly]

Actually Glider i've seen people go in T & T in their natural state and were told off by the judge, saying that regardless, they should be plaited for that class.

Judge doesn't know their stuff then. ;) Unless there was a class elsewhere for unplaited T&T.

[Glider]

Judge doesn't know their stuff then. ;) Unless there was a class elsewhere for unplaited T&T.

Exactly daffy. Some of the judging at local shows is pretty dodgey.

[mad mare1]

Somelocal judges can't tell the difference between a shire and a shetland sometimes!!! I have been asked if crystal, my arab, is part welsh d, and one idiot asked me if she was part shire... I know she is stocky, but she isn't that stocky!!!!!

[Laura+Phantom]

But that's the problem, I love fun local shows but the judging is so random sometimes. In that t & t class there were 9 entrants, and the top 6 were plaited. The other 3 were an arab and 2 shetlands with kids on the lead rein and the judge had quite an argument with the mothers about the ponies being unplaited. (like you can plait a shetland mane!)

Because of that, I woldn't even risk for example taking Cassie in a t & t class in her natural state. I've also never ever seen a unplaited tack and turnout class in a schedule. That's local shows for you!

[Daffy Dilly]

I usually find myself placed below the plaited ponies, which is why I've spent a lot of time and effort getting my turnout to be top notch. Probably seems extreme to some people, but for some reason winning a T&T class is a big deal to me.