How well schooled does a horse need to be for showing?

[Luckystraws]

Just wondering how well schooled my horse needs to be for showing?

It would only be local level but for those of you that show how well schooled is your horse and are you schooling reguarly in preperation for the show??

Hope that makes sense

Thanks

[rtk]

They dont have to be brilliantly schooled at local level. It depends what class you want to do. Some riding clubs have very high standards and are full of county horses and ponies, some aren't.

We show affiliated and ours will walk, trot, canter and gallop on either rein. Canter on the correct leg and be capable of doing a figure of eight in canter. They should also go on the bit and be ridden in a double bridle or pelham. They shouldn't pull on the go round and should have good brakes. If its a horse it will be ridden by a ride judge as well.

What sort of horse do you have and what classes are you interested in, we might be able to help more if we know.

[eventerbabe]

i would expect a horse to be well schooled and well mannered for showing, particularly if you are entering a class where the judge has to ride them. There has been a lot in H&H recently about judges being injured by bad mannered, badly behaved horses.

When i took my youngster to his first show (inhand M&M) one of the entrants got put straight to the bottom of the line coz his mare would not trot inhand. The judge was not impressed!

[bitsnpieces]

Local level shows particularly in essex are of a very high standard, but as long as you can walk, trot and canter (and stop!) both in a ride and away from the ride on an outline with a good rythmic workman like pace then that should be enough to show the horse off - you don't need to worry about lateral work but you want the horse soft, supple and obedient. Also, be prepared to strip the horse for a full inspection and a trot up in which case he has to be able to trot in hand on command in a relaxed, forward straight line - barging into you/pullling/not wanting to go all count as bad manners in the eyes of a judge.

they also need to be well and fit - I would say fairly strong schooling 3-4 times a week with active hacking/slow hacking/a day off mixed into the regime. they are really cracking down on porky ponies in the show ring at the moment so you don't want any extra weight anywhere

[nkulvr]

For local level, i think the best answer is really your own personal standards, and as another person said, what barn you ride at. If you ar at a local relaxed barn, i would just ride my horse mabe an extra time the day before as a "tune up" ride, but other then that its really what ever will meet your own standards!!! good luck!

[Wally]

If you want to win, very well schooled!