Damned if you, damned if you dont ?

[Gloi]

I saw a mini Shetland stallion there one year rear up screaming defiance at a 18.2 shire in full harness - the shire practically went cross eyed trying to look down through his blinkers at this yelling demon pony who even on his back legs was hardly up to the shire’s belly.
.

i went with my friend to a dealers many years ago and they had dozens of horses in a big field. She chose a 2yo Shetland colt who was attached to a shire's hind leg by his teeth.
He was always a feisty little git who once bit the tip off my pony's ear.

 

[Fjord]

I took my fjord to a fjord show at Keysoe, we'd normally park at the back out of the way but had to use the main car park this time. It was quite fun watching the handsome posh horse being 'encouraged' to go past us, who knew stripey manes were so scary. ?

 

[hollyandivy123]

Sadly, this happened to me too back in the affiliated dressage @ Hickstead days ... 15.3hh heavy coloured mare with full mane and feathers and I was asked, nay TOLD, to leave the warm up ring. I was new to affiliated and quite upset, so I left the ring and plodded around the car park instead. And then I won the class.

i personally prefer to break the mold .......

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Why not ask the local pig appreciation society to see if they want to run a fat sow class next to the donkeys? I think you should then be 100% sure that no TB will come within a mile, or several, of the show.

I'll put pigs at the entrance to welcome everyone ?

 

[Gloi]

I'll put pigs at the entrance to welcome everyone ?

Can we have an emu class too?

 

[nagblagger]

I was thinking goats, especially the best billy goat class.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Can we have an emu class too?

You can have an inflatable one for the fancy dress if you want!

 

[humblepie]

Few years back pig got loose and into yard where my horse was. My horse - not current one but previous ex racehorse - ended up with pig in next door stable and was quite happy. Friend’s ex racehorse was traumatised. Wouldn’t come into the barn the next day.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Can we have a bouncy castle to keep the kids entertained, and a hot air ballooning demonstration?

 

[Cloball]

i went with my friend to a dealers many years ago and they had dozens of horses in a big field. She chose a 2yo Shetland colt who was attached to a shire's hind leg by his teeth.
He was always a feisty little git who once bit the tip off my pony's ear.

I knew a miniature Shetland once who used to shelter under the massive hunter and bite him on the belly when he stepped out of line. He ruled the roost.

 

[Rokele55]

Don't forget to invite the umbrella wielding nuns to stand beside the ring

 

[[153312]]

I was thinking goats, especially the best billy goat class.

goat scurry racing?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Hot Air Baloons, Bouncy Castles and Umbrellas are more like to affect the Shetlands than the tbs but they will affect the mind if the tb owner more than the horse ??

 

[Gloi]

Back in the 70s I was at a show where they were running helicopter rides next to the gymkhana ring. That went well ?

 

[Cloball]

Pretty sure Drymen show had helicopter rides in 2018?

 

[GoldenWillow]

Don't forget the marching brass band! Speaking from previous experiences they will go down well ?? with everyone.

 

[Cloball]

Don't forget the marching brass band! Speaking from previous experiences they will go down well ?? with everyone.

I see your brass band and raise you multiple bagpipers?

 

[Archangel]

Sea lions go down very well with horses. There were some next to the dressage at Longleat HT years ago and they encouraged forward movement rather well.

 

[Carrottom]

A few years ago I took my ex race mare to her first show. It was quite a large show but with lots of space so I thought I would be able to find a quiet corner to work in. I had just tacked up when a massive lorry parked next to us and began to unload miniature horses. I think they had 8 on board ? I disappeared off to my corner pretty sharpish, then spent an educational couple of hours on advance and retreat until she accepted that they weren't going to eat her.

 

[Snowfilly]

Royal Cornwall Show had camel racing in the main ring one year, there were show jumpers all over the place trying to get to the ring past their corral.

Or a hound parade could be fun. Make sure there’s a horn blowing demonstration as well.

 

[asmp]

Or you could have tent pegging next to the main ring as they did at Larkhill one year! Totally blew our youngster’s mind. He just froze in the middle of the ring and wouldn’t do anything.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Royal Cornwall Show had camel racing in the main ring one year, there were show jumpers all over the place trying to get to the ring past their corral.

Or a hound parade could be fun. Make sure there’s a horn blowing demonstration as well.

Any horse in racing where there is a couple of Irish lads or lasses will have heard the horn being blown on numerous occasions. It's an Irish thing to suddenly pull one out of a pocket and start making a racket! 90% of ours are totally immune to it now ?

 

[Esmae]

Llamas, do not forget llamas!! Next to collecting ring they will cause endless amusement.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I see your brass band and raise you multiple bagpipers?

Ah now see any horse that has ran at Perth is used to the jockeys being piped into the paddock for each race so that could be entertaining if the pipes were set off just as people were about to get on ??

 

[Glitter's fun]

Shetlands and bagpipes come under the same heading for me -- valued national treasure that is best experienced at a distance.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Seriously though, thank you! Organising a show is hard work & much appreciated.

 

[hollyandivy123]

many years ago, unfortunately before mobile phones at a country show someone had decided to put one of the show rings next to the funfair including rotating pendulating purple octopus ride ...........with music etc

first ridden was interesting, the hack class was spectacular

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I remember back in the distant past, being at Kenilworth Show with my youngster and they had parachutists coming down in the main ring not far from where we were parked. Mine took it very well. Also a show at Salisbury where there was a fair on the same ground. We had to walk the horses past swingboats and carousels etc, again with very little reaction.
Worst for me was an agility competition at the Town and Country Festival one year. There was a loud plane, can't remember what sort that kept going over the ring. Did not go down well with a noise sensitive dog.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

many years ago, unfortunately before mobile phones at a country show someone had decided to put one of the show rings next to the funfair including rotating pendulating purple octopus ride ...........with music etc

first ridden was interesting, the hack class was spectacular

We had that at the Royal County of Berks show at Newbury, funfair was on a corner of the whp ring, made for some entertainment on occasions.

Royal Egham and Thorpe show (no longer has horses or livestock) used to have the cattle parade mid afternoon both days, often a similar time to ridden classes, plenty of equines dodging around as the cattle went past.... Donkeys had an adjacent ring to the inhand rings so plenty of kite flying going on.
One year I went, they'd moved the pig section, the other side of the wide alleyway to the main ring..... but the other side of that track was equestrian, it was carnage on day 1, by day 2 all rings had been shuffled about and pig area moved!

 

[Velcrobum]

Purston BE could get interesting as the dressage arenas were close/next to the alpaca fields. Dressage at Cornbury is all within the deer parkthe flock is pretty large and skittish so have witnessed a few "moments" !!