Showing - Help! Need guidence!

[Miska]

Went to an arab show today and decided I want to have a go at showing my arab as a vetran.

Heres a pic of her

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/Irethfelagund/miska.jpg

This was taken about three years ago, so she has lost a little bit of condition. She is pure-bred arab and 21 years old.

There are some classes at a riding club show (semi serious, not a childs showing class) at the show. There is arab class (no age restrictions), vetran ridden and vetran in-hand. Unfortuantly my arab is not flexibile, so she may look better in hand (need opinion) and proberly won't be ridden by judge in arab and vetran class.

Anyway, to the questions -

What do i wear?
What does my horse wear?
What is the breakdown of what you do? (e.g. When you take your saddle off etc)
Is there anything important I need to know?

Sorry am complete novice at this have never shown her...

[Daffy Dilly]

If you want to do it properly (and are willing to invest the cash) then this is what you'll need;

Navy hat with leather harness
Hair in a bun, no scrunchie
Brown (would look best I think) tweed, with a cream shirt and a discreetly patterned gold based tie or something similar that goes
Brown leather gloves and a brown show cane
Canary (not banana) breeches
Leather long boots, with garter straps if they are not dressage topped
Don't think you should wear spurs, but might be wrong.

For inhand you want dark trousers and discreet but smart footwear you can run in. I would swop the riding hat for a beagler/trilby, the rest stays the same.

Tack wise, you can use a show browband, I would probably go for greens/navy or gold, and try and match it to your tie. I would use a flat noseband, and if you don't want a show browband (it's optional) then a flat browband too. Ideally you want a straight cut saddle and a leather girth, no numnah.

As for the classes..
Inhand you lead from the offside, and enter on the right rein (so you are on the fence side). You walk around in a group, then halt, and trot to the back one at a time. The steward will pull you in, and then when its your turn you go out of the line and stand your horse up for the judge, try to keep her ears pricked and get her standing well. Then you usually walk towards the judge, then turn and trot back (right at the judge) and then around back to the line. Then you all walk around again and get pulled in for the placings.

For ridden it's unlikely you'll be asked to strip (take the saddle off) at local level. Again you enter on the right rein, walk trot and canter as a group (the steward will tell you what to do) on both reins. Then you get pulled in, and do an individual show. I generally walk away from the judge, trot around the short side then across the diagonal, into canter and back down the diagonal, change the rein back into canter, do a short gallop and then come back to canter, then trot and then walk. If you can do a rein back it finishes the show off nicely. Some judges will give you a set show, or ask for something specific to be included. You need to practise it and be able to adapt it. You then walk around as a group and get pulled in.

The important things, basically just manners. It's always good to say "good morning" (not hello!) to the judge, and to thank them at the end, to smile even if you aren't happy with the placings, and to thank the show organisers at the end of the day. There's also the collecting ring manners - passing left on left etc, which a lot of people don't seem to know.

Most important thing is to enjoy it. :)

[domane]

Wow! What fab, full info Daffy Dilly.... I got butterflies reading it.... don't think I will EVER do showing.... far too scary!!

I'll stick to reading about everyone else's exploits.... "Computer Showing", it's called.... :D

[mad mare1]

Miska, invest in Blue Chip pro, wonderful for keeping condition on arabs, only know that cos my friends arab is a major fussy eater, and loves blue chip pro! I have no problems with Crystal, she is just starting to get fitter now, and she is working really well.

[Daffy Dilly]

Wow! What fab, full info Daffy Dilly.... I got butterflies reading it.... don't think I will EVER do showing.... far too scary!!

I'll stick to reading about everyone else's exploits.... "Computer Showing", it's called.... :D

That's not even half of it! ;)

It's not essential to go into a lot of detail with it - you can just turn up looking smart and still do well, but I for one love the detail attached, it makes life easier as I know exactly what I should and shouldn't do! :)

And it's only scary on the morning of a show when you're waiting to get on with it. ;)

[Miska]

Thanks Daffy Dilly!

That is alot of useful informtion. I don't really want to ride without a numbner so is it possible to use a descreet coloured one instead?

My horses colours are black and gold (ie. on the browband) is this suitable?

Mad mare - I will have a look into it. presently she is on linseed oil which makes her coat glossy.

She does have some minor defects which would mark her down in something like vetrans, like a dent out of her shoulder (where she ran into a gate!) and A soft lump on her leg (which are called something like winkles...but can't remember name). i know we proberly wont do well, as she is not the best horse to stand still....but i just want to have a go at everything and say..."been there, done that!"
Thanks again.

[Daffy Dilly]

Yes, brown to match your saddle and you don't want it showing more than one centimetre around the edges really.

You could go for black and gold, but I think black is a little harsh. A dark navy would be better, and it would be easier to get a tie to match. Maybe Navy/skyblue/gold? Places like Pretty Ponies will make browbands to your requirements, or they already have a large selection of their own.

In veterans lumps and bumps aren't quite as important. A good judge will be looking at the overall condition of the horse for it's age - you can't expect a 21 year old horse to have lived that long without a few scuffs. :)

[Miska]

Thats good. i think I have a tiny brown numbner that with fit.
- I have a small patch on my saddle will that matter? (sorry am clueless about showing!)

Thanks

[Daffy Dilly]

Only if you do tack and turnout. You'll probably get marked down as it's a repair, but otherwise it's not important as long as everything looks smart.

[Miska]

Thanks very much! Will go away and practice leading her and riding short routine :)

[atillathefun]

Domane - computer showing - that made me laugh :D