Showing my Skewbald Cob - what to do!

[abbeybaner]

Hi!

I am taking my 15'1 8 year old Skewbald cob mare to our first show next weekend. It is only a local level show and i am in two classes, riden coloured and ridden cob. I Just wanted some advice on tack (hers and mine, colour of browband and gloves etc), what to do with her in our 'show' and any showing advice in general!

Thanks

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Is she's a proper show cob type, then probably best to present her that way. Here's a pic one of our local show cob specialists, Lynne Russell, on her top horse:



You see horse is not even a little bit hairy - clean legs, mane hogged and tail pulled. People usually hog for show cob classes, but some do plait if they prefer a natural mane for everyday. Workmanlike show gear (tweed jacket), a plain saddle and a bridle with a broad cavesson noseband if that suits her face.

is she's a hairy cob, you would be aiming for this:



Very similar tack and gear for the rider, and cob in all her hairy glory washed to within an inch of her life.

In b both classes the horse is supposed to behave like a well mannered, sensible riding horse, the sort who could be ridden by anyone. At a local show I wouldn't expect the judge to ride, but you ought to prepare a little "show" - just a demonstration of your horse's paces and obedience, showing her at walk, trot and canter. At top level they gallop, but most local shows don't ask for that.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Oh just to add - please please show us a picture of your finished cob!

 

[Vses21]

Jane&Ziggy above has given great examples but like she said it does depend slightly on what type of coloured your mare is which slightly differs the turnout of your mare. I have a 15hh native coloured gelding and this how we are presented on show day.

Native (trimmed and pulled like a Welsh), traditional (completely natural but a lot at county level tidy manes), hogged (completely clipped out), Plaiteds (pulled, trimmed and plaited up).

Brown tack is preferred for showing but I’ve never seen someone be knocked down for black tack. Browband should be plain or I use a brown plaited browband. Numnah shouldn’t be seen or like mine can be if the fur sits close to the edge of the saddle.

I have a green tweed jacket with a very light pink and purple check. So I wear a very light pink shirt and either a pink tie and scrunchie or normally my purple tie and scrunchie. Hair needs to be in a bun and a net not really flowing in a ponytail for example. Should be long boots and canary or beige jodhpurs. Beige seems to be the favourite for senior (18+) riders. Oh and gloves normally brown. Some wear lighter colours but I prefer brown because I think it looks smarter.
Hope that all helps and good luck

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I didn't give much detail on apparel, did I? The one and only time I went to a showing show with my Connemara pony I wore short boots and chaps, because my long boots are not show boots and because we had a lot of hacking and walking to do to get there.

Here we are on show day, ready for native pony classes. You can't see the join on the boots! My jacket was plain brown birdseye tweed so I wore a white shirt and the traditional canary yellow tie, which I splashed out on - it was knitted silk, ever so nice.

We came 3rd and I was gobsmacked. That's my gobsmacked face!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I have a 15hh native coloured gelding

And a very gorgeous one too!

 

[Skib]

You look lovely, I grew up when people actually hacked in tweed jackets, and I hoped to do the same. I did see someone riding in a red jacket yesterday when I was out in my breathable Berghaus. But cream breeches and tweed jacket are not really practical are they? If I lose weight I might try it.