Another showing question. Sorry

[mulledwhine]

We have been told by many people that our new pony would be a prime candidate to show.

So while at the show we went to watch the lead rein classes. 5 year old daughter has shown a great interest so west have a go.

I have got our turnout in my head now.

Me hat, jacket, stock gloves and boots.

Daisy Mustsrd joss, hod boots, hat , jacket and ribbons in hair seemed to be the fashion.

The pony isy main question. He is a section A and all the ponies had manes plaited I did not think that natives had to be plaited up, tails pulled but he really dislikes it so are there other ways to get the same looks? And finally saddles were leather, is the necessary or will synthetic cut the mustard?

Cakes and wine for getting this far

 

[Piglet]

Never been into lead rein showing but from what I have seen, most of the handlers seem to have smart maxi skirt in dark colour and matching jacket with a hat on and flat shoes or boots. For the pony a neat leather bridle with a SUBTLE coloured brow band, the trend seems to be bright brow bands with horrendous huge rosettes at the side which detracts from the pretty ponies face. Ribbons in the hair should be subtle IMHO, personally I think that the whole outfit should be subtle and workmanlike, I hate seeing kids with bigger and more ribbons than a maypole. Main point is have fun.

 

[frozzy]

How long is a piece of string?
Many questions, many and varied answers!!
First is your Sec A registered? If so then your simplest class is a mountain and moorland lead rein class for registered ponies. No plaiting, no tail pulling just a general tidy and trim. (This is in its simplest form, we could go into mane pulling to around four inches long, whiskers trimmed, jaw trimmed etc)
If not registered then yes to plaits (having first pulled mane to plaitable thinned length, so plaits dont look like golf balls/sausages) tail pulled (alternative is a plaited tail but to be honest its not really done these days)
Bridle, snaffle and with lead rein attatched to noseband (cavesson, no drops, grackles etc)
Saddle, straight cut to show off shoulder but if its your first attempt and a local as opposed to County, anything goes.No numnah unless its a Courtlea type which just shows around the saddle.Girth, no loud colours, leather best or brown.
Jockey, neat fitting jods (corn coloured is the norm) Jod boots with either elastic or jod clips. Shirt, tie, jacket (tweed if native class, navy for plaited)
Hat to match jacket. Cutesy ribbons for plaited, neat and not so in your face for native). Gloves, brown leather the norm. Cut the competitor number down to a neat size and acquire a piece of elastic rather than string that you can loop around the buttons on jockey's jacket.
Handler. If local and native class, neat jacket and trousers, shirt and tie (no stocks!) and sensible hat, gloves and boots or sensible "walking" type shoes. If local and plaited same outfit should do you.
If county, remortgage your house and invest in a "Pretty Ponies" get up for yourself and child (matching of course) complete with fancy hat. Same get up for both plaited and native.
In all seriousness do you really want to start? Having done lead rein with five children (now adults) I told my grandchildren that if they wanted to get into lead rein then their mother could lead them.! Fortunately for me they didnt.

 

[mulledwhine]

Thank your replies. In answer to your question I quite happy sticking with pony club, but you know what 5 year old girls are like lol. His passport suggests he is not registered but will double check that, other wise looks like I need to practice plaiting and me having a ton of makeup on my face lol