Chestnut show pony

[Mari]

Is it correct that chestnut ponies don't do well in the show ring as judges don't like the the them? Pony has good conformation, is well bred, lovely temperament, very attractive & moves well so would her colour go against her?

 

[be positive]

The champion pony Holly of Spring was chestnut, it may have been a long while ago but she is still considered by many to be the best show pony ever, a true riding pony, her colour was obviously not held against her and I don't think a good pony will be put down or overlooked just because of it's colour, a few judges may have preferences but over the years most colours have held their own at top level, a roan was pony of the year in the 80's.

 

[kassieg]

My chestnut pony always did cracking in the show ring!!

My current mare is chesnut with flaxen mane & tail & on her limited experience in the show ring has always been placed !

 

[Deltaflyer]

My old chestnut pony was consistently placed in the top three and many times won in both ridden and in-hand classes despite having less than perfect conformation.

IMHO a good judge shouldn't be swayed by colour.

I was at a show once where the judge placed greys who behaved awfully over a very nice, perfectly behaved and nicely put together dark bay mare in a riding horse class. The dark bay came last and guess what, every other horse in the class was grey!

 

[Lintel]

My old chestnut pony was consistently placed in the top three and many times won in both ridden and in-hand classes despite having less than perfect conformation.

IMHO a good judge shouldn't be swayed by colour.

I was at a show once where the judge placed greys who behaved awfully over a very nice, perfectly behaved and nicely put together dark bay mare in a riding horse class. The dark bay came last and guess what, every other horse in the class was grey!

Have also seen this.. !

 

[minesadouble]

Is it correct that chestnut ponies don't do well in the show ring as judges don't like the the them? Pony has good conformation, is well bred, lovely temperament, very attractive & moves well so would her colour go against her?

Then most dominant RP stallion until a few years ago was Lechlade Quince - a chestnut, now sadly deceased.
At County level and above there has been a steady move towards bay for many years now. My mum breeds top class riding ponies and tries to avoid chestnut stock for breeding purposes. She has 2 that she bred through to HOYS this year - both bay!
If a pony is really top class, with movement, conformation and presence then being chestnut will not go against it.

Coveham Fascination is one of my favourite ponies of all time, she was exquisite, very successful and chestnut!

 

[WelshD]

Some nice chestnuts about including the up and coming Alonby Dauphin.

A coloured pony made it to the SP classes at HOYS for the first time a couple of years ago (owned by the same family as the above pony) and there are some successful greys about too

If I were buying a show pony I would play safe with a bay or dark bay with minimal white markings personally but as someone says above a judge should not penalise

 

[fatpiggy]

I had a chestnut mare, although not a showing type, just general riding and having fun. A group of us went to a local show which was an annual event and held in quite high regard so there were some decent quality animals there. A load of us went in the ridden class (for me it was just having a bit of fun) and a friend took her chestnut gelding in who had been a winner in WH at Wembley, and another took her lovely chestnut gelding in who had good blood lines and although a bit green was worth a second look. We actually overheard the judge say to the ring steward, just put those chestnuts at the end of the line, I don't like chestnuts so I'm not bothering to watch them. Ah well!

 

[Deltaflyer]

I had a chestnut mare, although not a showing type, just general riding and having fun. A group of us went to a local show which was an annual event and held in quite high regard so there were some decent quality animals there. A load of us went in the ridden class (for me it was just having a bit of fun) and a friend took her chestnut gelding in who had been a winner in WH at Wembley, and another took her lovely chestnut gelding in who had good blood lines and although a bit green was worth a second look. We actually overheard the judge say to the ring steward, just put those chestnuts at the end of the line, I don't like chestnuts so I'm not bothering to watch them. Ah well!

That's terrible, if someone can't be impartial then maybe they shouldn't be judging.

 

[fatpiggy]

How true! Judgemental rather than a judge I think

 

[Pinkvboots]

I had a chestnut mare, although not a showing type, just general riding and having fun. A group of us went to a local show which was an annual event and held in quite high regard so there were some decent quality animals there. A load of us went in the ridden class (for me it was just having a bit of fun) and a friend took her chestnut gelding in who had been a winner in WH at Wembley, and another took her lovely chestnut gelding in who had good blood lines and although a bit green was worth a second look. We actually overheard the judge say to the ring steward, just put those chestnuts at the end of the line, I don't like chestnuts so I'm not bothering to watch them. Ah well!

That's Terrible ! Bright chestnut is not my favourite colour but I can appreciate a horse that is going well without being judgemental about the colour.