Judging a coloured horses class

Lydia&Pippa

Lydia&Pippa

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Aug 23, 2015
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Hi all

I've been asked to judge a coloured horse and pony class this weekend (which is also open to piebalds and skewbalds) I'm wondering if anyone can give me some tips as to what I should be looking for ? (It is non ridden)
All the information I have is in bold, and that's all I've been given so I don't know:

  • if I should be judging on markings alone or on conformation too ?
  • If should I take into account feathers and beards etc (if they've been trimmed or clipped) ?
  • Whether the horses be plaited or have natural manes and tails ?

Any infomation is appreciated, Thanks !!
 
You should be judging on conformation primarily. In a coloured class there will be many different types some will be hair free and hogged or plaited according to type, others left hairy. In theory markings should not influence you but they tend to come into it as they add to or detract from the overall picture! Good luck!!
 
eml said:
You should be judging on conformation primarily. In a coloured class there will be many different types some will be hair free and hogged or plaited according to type, others left hairy. In theory markings should not influence you but they tend to come into it as they add to or detract from the overall picture! Good luck!!
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Thanks !!! With regards to the hair, should for example heavy cobby types be penalised for having shaved feathers ? Also should horses be penalised for their patches of colour "bleeding" ?
 
My first puzzle is why it says open to skewbald and piebald. To me that's the obvious entrants. I would expect spotted and for it to say also includes spotted.
 
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It does seem obvious but perhaps check to see what is included, dun, palamino, spotted are commonly included at local clubs. Difficult to generalise on feather but if a cob is turned out correctly as a show cob without feather or mane that is fair but not legs off and everything else on!
 
I guess it depends if it's under Chap rules or Bspa rules or neither. I can show mine as registered although she is solid. I would feel a nit though and wouldn't enter :)
 
This might be a useful read - back in the day when I used to show in the coloured horse classes this was pretty much what was expected and what the judging was based on. My horses were all BSPA and CHAPS registered. I can't comment on more up to date standards and expectations as I haven't been involved in this world for 15 years now - thank God - tis a veritable minefield back then and probably still is now!:rolleyes:

http://www.chapsuk.com/images/membership/forms/CHAPSNEWMembersHandbookupdated2011.pdf
http://www.bspaonline.com/types-breeds.html

Good luck - you might need it! A very good friend of mine still heavily involved in judging was over here judging coloureds this summer - she said she almost always wear sunglasses, a hat with a very wide and dipped brim and long and baggy skirts and jackets that will ensure she will never be recognised again wherever she might be in the horse world!:p
 
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eml said:
Newforest with a 'fleck' on her face I don't see how she is qualified CHAPS or BPSA??
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I don't either. Whîte on the head or legs doesn't qualify as a coloured.

When we were breeding and showing coloureds I found it basically came down to what the judge of the day liked. Some like hairy traditional types, some like clipped out show cobs, some like sport horses and so on. We used to find ourselves up against anything from a Shetland to a riding horse to a heavy hairy vanner. Which makes things difficult when judging conformation as all those could have fantastic conformation for their own type but how do you choose the one that's most correct?!

Then there's how much colour the judge fancies. You might prefer a little white or lots of white. Some judges penalise bleeding, others don't. We did local showing and entered according to who the judge was. We bred a variety of types from hairy stallion, through pb Welsh to riding pony. If we got the right judge we knew we were in with a chance,..

Best advice is to judge on conformation first and colour second.

And finally there's the complaining. My RI runs riding school shows and says she always gets at least one complainer - she says best just nod, smile and go with the flow!
 
eml said:
Newforest with a 'fleck' on her face I don't see how she is qualified CHAPS or BPSA??
Click to expand...

It's two small white patches looking at her face. Unless I am missing something, she has white and dun in her mane and tail but you need to search for odd hairs.

I wouldn't show her as she is solid. It's pointless.
 
Cortrasna said:
This might be a useful read - back in the day when I used to show in the coloured horse classes this was pretty much what was expected and what the judging was based on. My horses were all BSPA and CHAPS registered. I can't comment on more up to date standards and expectations as I haven't been involved in this world for 15 years now - thank God - tis a veritable minefield back then and probably still is now!:rolleyes:

http://www.chapsuk.com/images/membership/forms/CHAPSNEWMembersHandbookupdated2011.pdf
http://www.bspaonline.com/types-breeds.html

Good luck - you might need it! A very good friend of mine still heavily involved in judging was over here judging coloureds this summer - she said she almost always wear sunglasses, a hat with a very wide and dipped brim and long and baggy skirts and jackets that will ensure she will never be recognised again wherever she might be in the horse world!:p
Click to expand...


Thank you so much for this link ! I will have a good read now ! Luckily it's a fairly novice show I'm judging and its up in Oxfordshire and I live down in Somerset ! So little chance of being recognised :D
Thanks again :)
 
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