Advice on inhand showing classes (inc piccies)

Halfpass

Halfpass

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This is Alee but I'm guessing most of you have seen her before, she is a 3 year old Selle Francais and is currently just over 16hh.

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These ones may give you a better idea of her confirmation but taken a little while ago

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The first one was taken yesterday just before heathfield show. We entered the inhand potential sports horse class and I had put my all into hers and my turnout and have spent a fortune entering little local shows getting her ready for Heathfield and we came 3rd out of 3!!!

So my question is am I entering the right sort of classes with her?
Judges always seem to have good things to say about her but she never gets placed!!

Don't get me wrong I'm not competing her to win as any rosette is a bonus I am just wondering if there is something I am missing. She trots nicely inhand and has lovely floaty paces. She behaves well and stands like a pro in the line up.
Went to plumpton last week and didn't get placed but judge said that in 6 months she would have won this class!!!
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. If she really is that good then why wasn't she placed.
I do not enjoy showing but am doing it as part of her education, I would really appreciate any advice on classes she maybe eligable for ie inhand ridden type / hunter type / sports horse type.
Can anyone see any reason why a judge would not like her like confirmation faults etc. tried to ask the judge at the end of the show yesterday but she had no time for me!!
 
I think they may mean that her neck needs to fill out a bit? It's the only thing I don't like about her conformation, and the only thing I can think of... She is lovely! Maybe you could try some 'corrective' plaiting, not sure how you do it at all, but you use different sized/shaped plaits to compliment her shape and make her look fuller
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Hmm prehaps you are right. Trouble is she is actually not quite 3 so the other horses may well have had 4-6 months growing and filling out over her if born at the beginning of the year!!!
 
What age group was the class, I did local showing with Herbie as a youngster and he managed to come 3rd out of 3 on one occaision, but the class was open to any age even though it was In-hand competition horse, the winner was a 6 year old affiliated dressage mare and the other an 8 year old Working hunter, my 3 year old just looked gangly and immature by comparision?
 
It was for horses born in 2004 but like I said maybe the other were born early and have a few more months filling out than she has. She was also weaned quite early so I wonder if that has any effect at all.
 
When the judge says "would have won in 6 months" they mean that the horse is lovely, etc... but needs a bit more time to mature. I would think of it as a positive comment, and yes, maybe stick to youngstock classes
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I was at Heathfield yesterday as my friend's mare was in the same class as yours!!
She came 2nd but is actually not 3 until the end of July/early August so like yours is still young.
I would say that the Apaloosa that won was a VERY well developed 3 year old. She didn't move 100% correct in front as dished very slightly but was a nice mare and of the 3, being the most mature, etc. was bound to win. Lucy (my friend's mare) is not a show horse, she's bred to dressage/SJ and so like your is only really going out for the experience.
I think your mare is lovely, the only criticism (if you can call it that) would be that on seeing the pics and seeing her yesterday, that because her summer coat is not yet at its fully shiny lustre which should come more as the summer goes on, that she doesn't jump out at you and catch the eye at the moment and if she is in the ring with a horse that is more eyecatching then the judge will be automatically more drawn to the other.
We have had the same 'problem' with Lucy as it is only now that he shine is really starting to come through (she's now on Bailey's Outshine and it seems to be working) and we were saying that if she were a black or bright bay as with the lovely 2 yr old that won the championship yesterday then we would have had a better chance of winning.
The judge yesterday was Jennie Loriston Clarke and so I do tend to respect her opinion if, that said, I have been reminded by several showing friend's that whilst the title of the class may be listed as 'Sports Horse Youngstock' the winners will invariably be heavier boned and more of a Hunter type than our 2 as whilst your mare and ours are actualy real sport horses, they are not the stereotypical sports horse that is seen in showing. Don't despair, keep at it for the experience if nothing else, try giving her some more oiil/Outshine in her diet and see if that makes her coat 'sparkle' a bit more maybe....
By the way...how is your hand....it looked like she hit you quite hard during the class when that big lorry spooked all of them....
 
PS I just read what you said about Plumpton and your mare not getting placed. I know our mare came 3rd but she was the only 3 yr old placed as it was split into 3/4 yr olds and in my experience, it is very rare for a 3 yr old to get placed when competing against older and much more developed horses and the 4 yr olds will invariably beat the 3 yr olds....it's not fair but that's how it goes.
I do believe though that the firesan at Plumpton should have won that class and was robbed...he was stunning and should have been the winner hands down...the chestnut was nice but plain whereas that Friesan was an amazing looking animal!
 
to me she looks very babyish, so needs a bit of time to mature and fill out. she also needs more topline, try strapping that helps.

when the judge says she would have won in 6months the they mean that she needs the time to mature but when she has matured she will be a stunner
 
First of all I'd just like to say "I wish my 4 year old looked as good your your mare"

I can only agree with the others, her conformation looks great and all she needs is more time to mature and develop more top line and muscle.

Take the time now as experince and in a few months "Knock em dead girl" lol
 
Hon, I wish I had been there, next time you go to a show I will come with you
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Again, I can't understand why some people judge youngstock classes and then place a horse down for looking immature!
Axel did well showing in-hand but he was born in february and always looked like a mature horse
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Did you have to show on a triangle?

I wouldn't take it too much to heart, she might have come 3rd anyway out of a bigger class, that's the problem with small classes like that.

Samx
 
last year i started showing my 2yr old and i was very green about showing and young stock classes, however i didnt let comments knock me back i really have made the effort to learn what makes the difference in the judges eyes, that we can all do...
Personally i think your horse could do with topping up, and i find plenty of chaff, topline conditioning cubes, topspec really work, and i mouth my 3yr old up plenty so it also encourages muscle build up
i have alos found with showing turnout is sooo important, and i think it makes the judge take more notice if the horse and you look like you should be there!! so looking at your horse i personally would clip along its wither making the neck slightly shorter and losing the smaller plaits, pull its tail and use a good whitener on its sock.
i hope this helps but remember showing is just one persons view!! good luck!!
 
Thanks for your reply and I do agree with most of your comments. I knew that the appaloosa would win before we even went into the ring!!! Alee's coat is normally gleeming but we are struggling with a spot of sweetitch at the moment and the regular bathing has seemed to make it quite dull.
I agree about the fresian she was definatly robbed he was stunning, but again I know the chesnut would win as it won the previous class with the same judge!!!
The other thing that annoys me a bit is handler turnout. I made sure that I was dressed correctly and always do regardless of the level of show and I have spent a fortune on the 'correct' kit!!! It does not seem to matter though people can go in in any kind of kit and its not a problem. I honestly thought that turnout was all part of showing. Hey ho never mind. It does all put me off though.
 
Cheers hon that would be grand. Next show is southern counties at plumpton race course on June 17th. Again we are doing the potential sports horse / dressage horse class. You coming then?
Dave has asked if he can take her into one of the unaff classes too!!! It would be interesting to see what she's like with a different handler. We did show on a triangle we walked up one side trotted across the top then trotted back towards the judge her trot was much better on the last side and I thought she trotted out nicely!!
 
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