Could my horse be a small hunter? Help please!

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babyd

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Hi there!

I'm just after a bit of advice please - showing has never really been an area that I have focused on, however it is something that I have considered for this season and i'm really unsure what classes to aim my horse at.

I have a (nearly) 6 year old, 15.2 horse. We have been competing in SJ and eventing and have completed a BE80. I originally planned on doing the Working Hunter at the Great Yorkshire Show this year but hadn't realised it was so big and don't want to overphase him. I still fancy doing something at GYS and saw a Small Hunter class. My question is, would we stand any chance? He is bay roan and only has a reasonable amount of bone - are these things that will go against him? I understand that he probably wouldn't be right for the weight classes but could I get away with the small class?

I've included a couple of pics of said horse and welcome any feedback! I don't want to go to be laughed out of the ring haha but I think it could be good experience for him. Also if anyone has any tips, they would be greatly appreciated!







Thank you!
 
He is certainly a hunter type - but he might come up too tall? Small hunter as defined by the show rules is 148cm - 158cm. You have to register both horse and rider with the BSHA - and include a JMB height certificate.
 
You really need to post proper side on conformation photos. Please don't be offended but the best in the country will be competing so not to look out of place you need to be top quality.
 
How old are you? Could you do intermediate workers? This is also up to 15.2 and 'only' about 1.05ish? (Too big for me too if that's still too big!)
 
There are plenty of local shows like Riding Club and one day shows that have small hunter classes, so the thing to do is to take part in them and see how you get on. After the class you can ask the judge. Contrary to some stories, I have always found the judges knowledgeable and I generally agree with them even if I don't win! Judges have been MFH, BHSI and other local show producers.
 
Shay said:
He is certainly a hunter type - but he might come up too tall? Small hunter as defined by the show rules is 148cm - 158cm. You have to register both horse and rider with the BSHA - and include a JMB height certificate.
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Thank you! So to enter GYS he would need have a height certificate? He is juuuust 15.2 and to be honest, everyone thinks he's a pony!!really pleased that you asked if he was too big as I'm always willing him to grow 😂😂.
 
I only have this one at home - I know it's not a proper conformation shot but at local shows he has always had good comments about his conformation. I can get a prope pic tomorrow. Thank you for your help!
 
rara007 said:
How old are you? Could you do intermediate workers? This is also up to 15.2 and 'only' about 1.05ish? (Too big for me too if that's still too big!)
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I'm 28 but I think that would be pushing it a bit in that atmosphere for him. He's jumped 1mathome but never away from home... yet! That's the aim for next year! Thanks
 
Unfortunately I don't think he would stand up in the company at great Yorkshire.
You will find there it is the absolute best of the best simply because it is the great yorkshire
 
Also should add, if you are showing for the first time GYS is not the place to cut your teeth at. It's of the very highest standard. No place for a novice. Sorry. Again.
 
KautoStar1 said:
Also should add, if you are showing for the first time GYS is not the place to cut your teeth at. It's of the very highest standard. No place for a novice. Sorry. Again.
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We've been local and ridden in hunter classes, he usually gets placed 3rd/4th in big classes and the feedback is always that he's beautifully put together but too small vs all the heavyweights. I thought maybe the small class would suit him. I appreciate your feedback but can you please elaborate on why you think he wouldn't do well? Thanks
 
conniegirl said:
Unfortunately I don't think he would stand up in the company at great Yorkshire.
You will find there it is the absolute best of the best simply because it is the great yorkshire
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I'll be honest, I've been to GYS and also looked at the pictures of this class throughout the years and have to disagree on it being the best of the best. Can you please elaborate on why? You're probably right but it would be great to know why you think he wouldn't do well? Thanks again for the feedback.
 
If you want to ride a GYS just go for it :D I'm not a hunter person hence not commenting on the horse but life is for living! There is only 1 winner in each class anyway so stats are against you even if your horse is a supermodel ;)
 
babyd said:
We've been local and ridden in hunter classes, he usually gets placed 3rd/4th in big classes and the feedback is always that he's beautifully put together but too small vs all the heavyweights. I thought maybe the small class would suit him. I appreciate your feedback but can you please elaborate on why you think he wouldn't do well? Thanks
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Tbh if he's only being placed 3rd and 4th at local shows, he will be totally outclassed at GYS.
 
Is Yorkshire not a HOYS qualifier? In which case you would need nearly £200 worth of membership, a height cert and then the extortionate entry fees on top. You'd be looking at nearly £400 just for one class
 
EKW said:
Is Yorkshire not a HOYS qualifier? In which case you would need nearly £200 worth of membership, a height cert and then the extortionate entry fees on top. You'd be looking at nearly £400 just for one class
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Yes. A lovely show though and well worth a day out watching the hunters.

Op, The level of judging at local level is very different to that at national level, as is the type of horse in the classes. Your lovely horse is a workmanlike type and a very useful and much loved all round horse. Judging from the pictures he is a little short in the neck, a little long behind the saddle, his head is a little plain and his limb a little coarse.

To show at National level the horse, no matter what type, has to be top class in every department, from type to ride and manners.

A top small hunter is a rare beast. A top small hunter is based on the requirements for a top middle weight hunter but scaled down to 15.2. The picture below is a middle weight, so imagine what you are seeing in the picture scaled down to 15.2 but not scaled down in bone or quality and then compare the shape and quality of this horse to your lovely horse. That should give you a good example of the differences. The horse in the picture, despite being top class and prolifically successful was never taken to GYS as I knew he would not have been in the top 3.

Hope that helps you.

083_zpsbpvzwsus.jpg
 
rara007 said:
If you want to ride a GYS just go for it :D I'm not a hunter person hence not commenting on the horse but life is for living! There is only 1 winner in each class anyway so stats are against you even if your horse is a supermodel ;)
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Not quite as simple as that ! sourcing, producing and funding the horse is key and showing at top level is not a case of rocking up, running to the secretaries tent to lodge an entry.
 
Dunno, we did a fair chunk of the South east county shows last year including Royal Windsor. My dad has got to the time in his life he just wants to enjoy it- and he did! He was placed at a few but never in a RI class but still had a thoroughly nice day out at each! Coloured not hunters but still large enough classes these days. Yes it involved (for pony class) LHCs and various memberships but coming from FEI was a step down in 'paperwork'.
 
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Though they do say the hunter gallop at GYS is the best in the country which would tempt me but not enough if I didn't have the right horse for the job.
 
babyd said:
I'll be honest, I've been to GYS and also looked at the pictures of this class throughout the years and have to disagree on it being the best of the best. Can you please elaborate on why? You're probably right but it would be great to know why you think he wouldn't do well? Thanks again for the feedback.
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Great yorkshire show is a HOYS qualifier for the small hunters, ALL the producers will be there with their best, it is also the biggest and best county show in the north of England so every serious showing bod from the local area (i.e anyone north of birmingham) will be there if they can.

My lad is a lovely full up (158cm) coloured small hunter, he is ALWAYS top of the line at local shows and small qualifiers and in CHAPS classes.

694872C1-0250-4FF2-8F7B-344EC9C7AA5F_zpsroiotkzh.jpg

10945725_10101136731942481_1641990094314114884_n.jpg

IMG_0271_zpsaf846095.jpg


But if I ever took him to great yorkshire he would be mid line up at absolute best.

You cannot enter HOYS qualifiers for small hunter without BSHA membership (not even on a day ticket) so in order to do the class you will need:
BSHA hunter associate membership (your membership) - £30
BSHA hunter registration (horse registration) - £30
JMB height certificate - £90 (plus a day off work, fuel to get him to the nearest measuring pad and farrier fees for taking shoes off before/putting them back on after).
Entry fee & HOYS levy - £70.

so total you are looking at minimum £250 for one class.

Added to that, entrys close on the 2nd of may so you would have to get everything in place by mid april, which is unlikely since JMB certificates can take up to 6 weeks to come through and you cant start BSHA hunter registration untill you have that certificate. So you would likely have to pay rush fees for membership. So probably looking at close on £400 for the one class.

Also the judge will ride your horse at great yorkshire show (in any HOYS or BSHA qualifier) which means you will have to get your horse used to everyone and sundry getting on him, potentialy socking him in the mouth or booting him in the ribs (most ride judges are excellent riders but some are shocking) the judge will expect a lovely effortless educated ride

Here is a link to the photos of the small hunter class last year at great yorkshire.
http://www.esphotography.co.uk/even...ar/2016/day/28/category/TUESWhiteSmallHunter/

There is 2 HOYS winners in that lot that I immediately recognize but AA may be able to pick out more, and all but 1 of the rest have qualified HOYS i think (I have only been doing Hunters the last 4 years so stand to be corrected on that one, much better identifying M&M's and coloureds)
 
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Plenty of people will pay that for a day out? And if you are doing it for that it doesn't matter who else is there with what? If you have no expectations beyond a nice day out you aren't going to be disappointed
 
ester said:
Plenty of people will pay that for a day out? And if you are doing it for that it doesn't matter who else is there with what? If you have no expectations beyond a nice day out you aren't going to be disappointed
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Well I wont! but if she wants to then good luck to her in getting all the paperwork through in time. She would need to start JMB process today or tommorow and potentialy pay rush feed at BSHA in order to get everything in place and entries sent off before close of entries.

I personaly would rather just go and watch, you still get the day out and it costs 1/10th of the price. I would rather not pay minimum £250 and not be placed. Thats the equivalent of 10 classes at Nat Champs or more that 25+ classes at local/small qualifier level.
 
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It's nice to have a day out with your horse :), and ride in a special ring, wouldn't be for me as I have to count the pennies but not everyone does so just because it might be an expensive day doesn't mean it isn't doable. Granted the OP did ask if they stood any chance though :)
 
conniegirl said:
Great yorkshire show is a HOYS qualifier for the small hunters, ALL the producers will be there with their best, it is also the biggest and best county show in the north of England so every serious showing bod from the local area (i.e anyone north of birmingham) will be there if they can.

My lad is a lovely full up (158cm) coloured small hunter, he is ALWAYS top of the line at local shows and small qualifiers and in CHAPS classes.

11193415_10101234678122551_299867033704161200_n.jpg

10945725_10101136731942481_1641990094314114884_n.jpg

11892102_10101354884303401_8196625049570619941_n.jpg


But if I ever took him to great yorkshire he would be mid line up at absolute best.

You cannot enter HOYS qualifiers for small hunter without BSHA membership (not even on a day ticket) so in order to do the class you will need:
BSHA hunter associate membership (your membership) - £30
BSHA hunter registration (horse registration) - £30
JMB height certificate - £90 (plus a day off work, fuel to get him to the nearest measuring pad and farrier fees for taking shoes off before/putting them back on after).
Entry fee & HOYS levy - £70.

so total you are looking at minimum £250 for one class.

Added to that, entrys close on the 2nd of may so you would have to get everything in place by mid april, which is unlikely since JMB certificates can take up to 6 weeks to come through and you cant start BSHA hunter registration untill you have that certificate. So you would likely have to pay rush fees for membership. So probably looking at close on £400 for the one class.

Also the judge will ride your horse at great yorkshire show (in any HOYS or BSHA qualifier) which means you will have to get your horse used to everyone and sundry getting on him, potentialy socking him in the mouth or booting him in the ribs (most ride judges are excellent riders but some are shocking) the judge will expect a lovely effortless educated ride

Here is a link to the photos of the small hunter class last year at great yorkshire.
http://www.esphotography.co.uk/even...ar/2016/day/28/category/TUESWhiteSmallHunter/

There is 2 HOYS winners in that lot that I immediately recognize but AA may be able to pick out more, and all but 1 of the rest have qualified HOYS i think (Only been doing Hunters the last 4 years)
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Wow, thank you. A couple of really solid answers there and i really appreciate it! The break down of the money is very useful - i honestly (and naively) thought that it would just be the cost of the entry and levy, i didn't think you needed to register to compete at GYS. I was also unaware that the horses need to be unshod - that would be a bit of an annoyance!! *edit - i have just looked at the link to last years and they seem to be wearing shoes? Have i missed something here?*

I did read up though and thought this class only consisted of a show, gallop and then a trot up? Not ridden by the judge?

The height certificate is another stickler as in most of the things we do i'm wishing for extra height!! This would be the first time i'd ever want him to be small and i wouldn't want to jinx his growth haha! Still wishing for another inch... :)

I feel confident that he is schooled well enough to do a good show and gallop. He has lovely conformation but I wasn't sure if it was right for hunters. I thought it would be good experience for him and at £70-£100 i would have been willing to give it a go but i think you may have managed to put me off!! Slightly disappointed but better to know now rather than waste £400 and get nowhere near the placings!

Thanks again.
 
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