Any working hunter people? Questions!

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Also in C&T, not sure where to post showing stuff!

I went to a local show with Badger on Sunday and did the working hunter, he did really well! Won his class and won the Championship too!

We did the open and fences were only 90cm and although there were some really nice horses who were probably nicer in a showing kind of way, he was the only proper hunter type.

Even so, he's a very good jumper (jumped Newcomers/PN) and in the sporadic occasions I've done workers he's never been out of the first two, so I'd like to do more!

Only thing is, I’m feeling that local shows are a bit easy but in proper county/affiliated shows we might look a bit out of place!

Is there anything in between? I’ve found a couple of agricultural shows that do unaffiliated classes but again they are quite small (2’9’’).

What is involved in affiliating to do novice workers?


(BTW other pics are awful on link!! He jumped really well but the arena was tiny and he had to hop over a couple and that's where he took the pics! As for him looking like a donky in the line up, no excuse!)

Also, turnout, see link below. I assume this tack is acceptable? Is it better to wear a tie instead of a stock? I much prefer to wear a crash hat but need a new cover (!) or is it much better to have a more showy hat?

Thanks!

http://www.thehungryaperture.com/p14...913d#h6d97913d
 
I know I've just noticed that. It won't work for me either or pay for pics with a debit card.

Quite annoyed - they've lost 20 quid!
 
I do more pony workers so anything i may say needs to be checked! Normally ties are worn, i cant see the pictures either but found some and guess your the one with the grey? The fences dont look full up 90cm to me and although it sounds like you are perfectly capable be warned they will be full up if you affiliate and the novice classes are normally around 90-100cm and the opens up to 1.25cm so perhaps watch a few classes before you try and also see how every one else is kitted out. Your tack is fine but maybe a slightly neater numnah (most go for a brown sheepskin) and a girth with no visable elastic. Your hat is fine but instead of using the string to tie your number use a piece of elastic with a loop at each end around your middle button its just much neater. hope this helps :)
 
I do more pony workers so anything i may say needs to be checked! Normally ties are worn, i cant see the pictures either but found some and guess your the one with the grey? The fences dont look full up 90cm to me and although it sounds like you are perfectly capable be warned they will be full up if you affiliate and the novice classes are normally around 90-100cm and the opens up to 1.25cm so perhaps watch a few classes before you try and also see how every one else is kitted out. Your tack is fine but maybe a slightly neater numnah (most go for a brown sheepskin) and a girth with no visable elastic. Your hat is fine but instead of using the string to tie your number use a piece of elastic with a loop at each end around your middle button its just much neater. hope this helps :)

Yeah fences were poxy but that's not really an issue. Well 1.25 might be but we won't be doing those! :P
 
That link works.

He is a lovely wh type. He doesn't look to have much competition in that class really, I would have expected him to win.

For affiliated, I would think you would need to work on how he goes. He looks a bit hollow and unbalanced both on the flat and over the fences. In an affiliated class there will be more horses of the right looks and type, so you aren't going to have such an easy ride. Don't mean that rudely. If you spent a couple of months polishing things up you could do really well..
 
That link works.

He is a lovely wh type. He doesn't look to have much competition in that class really, I would have expected him to win.

For affiliated, I would think you would need to work on how he goes. He looks a bit hollow and unbalanced both on the flat and over the fences. In an affiliated class there will be more horses of the right looks and type, so you aren't going to have such an easy ride. Don't mean that rudely. If you spent a couple of months polishing things up you could do really well..

Honestly those pictures are nothing at all relative to how he normally jumps, or how he even jumped most of the course! It was a really tiny space for a big horse and I literally had to hand break turn and pop those fences from a trot.

Bit blury from stills but this is the last BS 1m track, which was full up but still looks tiny! and how he normally jumps..


 
One of the differences with the agri shows is that the ring will not be a surface, but will be a field. This will at least sort out those who can jump on anything other than a surface. You will also find that at the bigger shows that the style will be taken into consideration, the height of the jumps will be less important and fewer competitors will 'show jump' them. You may find it more satisfying to be judged in that manner.
 
So the hunters will come through! ;-)

TBH Badger is much more likely to have a fence on grass, and I'm paranoid about jumping him on hard ground. But he will jump well on anything.

Is it supposed to be 50% jumping, 20% show, 20% manners and 10% confirmation.?
So where does being in "show condition" come in?
 
It is 40% actual jumping, 10% jumping style, 20% manners, 20% show (including a good gallop) and 10% conformation. Show condition is simply part of the overall picture, possibly counted in the conformation part. Some of our local agri shows have list judges for the unaff classes too, as the BSPS classes are often judged by the same people.
 
I might just go for it with these novice workers. 3'3'' he'll jump lovely, I've seem the same classes where lovely looking horses jump like crap.

The thing is he IS fit, because he's actually a hunter, not a show horse!
 
Well done why don't you give the SFAS workers a go??

What I look for in a worker is something that is not a sj type or style and will go in a natural outline and not like its been forced but has presance, Flat work must be spot on, something you could stay out hunting all day on and be a gent.. Jump up to county would be a massive step and track's are less forgiving. have a play at agricultural show's ( even if jumps are small) as you will get some county worker go as we do around here so you can see what type of horses are about.. I did a novice worker and it was 1.20 :rolleyes:

Good luck what ever you do x
 
That's what I thought too.

OP your horse is lovely, need to try and build his top line mare and try to lose the martingale though I know they are allowed. I used to remove mine for the flat section.
The only tack change you are allowed is to remove boots.
OP I would get a velvet hunt-style hat rather than your skull cap to improve the picture. He is a lovely stamp of a horse.
 
Turnout wise he's okay but I would definitely neaten up his plaits. Maybe gel them down or something if he has a crazy mane? And his tail could be neater. Can't tell from the pics but his feathers should also be fully trimmed off. Also would go for a velvet hat as you don't want to look too 'show jumpery' in a skull cap.
 
Sorry to hear you didn't have a great experience on our website.
It was a very tight course for us too.

Of course we do take Debit cards, as well as credit cards and paypal.

To link to pictures on any website, I would always advise looking for a specific 'share' button, like our site has on every photo page, rather than copying the link from the URL.
You will generally find many options to share the actual picture, and will avoid any copy and paste issues with shortened links.

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^^^ She would get a telling off for posting pictures that are watermarked!

Well done on you're wins!!

OP :) I LOVE your jacket! Brown gloves, navy velvet hat cover, yellow or blue shirt and tie. Can't tell if his bridle is brown but if it's not, that's what you want to go for :) I'd also go for a better fitting numnah, so it shows him off a bit more.

Apart from that, just what the others have said, just work on his topline and get him moving well. Tidy his tail and really cover your plaits in gel to hold them tight. Practice your gallop (and stopping) and your halt. Don't halt too close to the judge, they HATE it :)
 
I might just go for it with these novice workers. 3'3'' he'll jump lovely, I've seem the same classes where lovely looking horses jump like crap.

The thing is he IS fit, because he's actually a hunter, not a show horse!

SHBGB worker classes are

Novice classes 1m (3ft3)
Restricted/Amateur classes 1m 07cm (3ft6)
Open class 1m14cm (3ft9)

Novices are normally never above 3ft3. Search for a star is 3ft6. There only 1.25 when you get to HOYS
 
Super big thanks all! Some great tips.

I'm probably going to be stubern on a couple of rules:
1. Crash hat. Can get a better cover but if someone wants to mark me down for being safe, I don't care!
2. Plaits on wrong side, that's a silly rule!

I must admit I got the saddle on eBay but it fits well with conventional checks.
 
Super big thanks all! Some great tips.

I'm probably going to be stubern on a couple of rules:
1. Crash hat. Can get a better cover but if someone wants to mark me down for being safe, I don't care!
2. Plaits on wrong side, that's a silly rule!

I must admit I got the saddle on eBay but it fits well with conventional checks.

If you go into the show ring - you wear and do what the show ring requires.

If you go eventing you do what the eventing rules require.

You can buy a perfectly strong velvet hat that will protect your head in just the same way as a skull cap.

Plaiting on the off side is correct presentation for the show ring - takes no longer to plait on the off side than it does to plait on the near side.

Why jepordise your chances byt being stubborn? :D
 
S you have a gorgeous horse :D

If you want to make the most of his chances at this game, then play by the rules m'duck :cool:

I bashed my head, had a bleed on the brain (came off a big hoss at some speed). Was wearing a Charles Owen velvet hat. Saved my life/saved me from becoming a vegetable :D

Plait on the side the rules require. I can't be faffed with plaiting and therefore didn't look to do anything that required it, other than dressage when I got D2 to put Dizz's long mane into a running plait.
 
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