jrp204
Well-Known Member
Oh yeh, we saw R & M, Gucci did really well, they were rather mellow to say the least! They had their Texels from us. We dint see any horses! It was a fun filled, sheep filled day.
How nasty!! QB pays her money and takes her chance just like anyone else, so bloody what if she is stood down the line, as long as she enjoys her day and the horse goes well what business is it of anyone else? Shows like Royal Cornwall still need the support you know, and it's not like she has to qualify to be there. If you can't say something nice keep your trap shut.
The local shows seem to be dying out anyway and all round our way are qualifiers for god only knows what these days and have terrible judges and the judging is political, I would rather go to Heathfield as at least you get a decent judge who knows what they are looking at...
Typical attitude of a certain element of showing people.
QB go and enjoy your day.
Oh yeh, we saw R & M, Gucci did really well, they were rather mellow to say the least! They had their Texels from us. We dint see any horses! It was a fun filled, sheep filled day.
For goodness sake, can people not say it as it is anymore. QB stated that her horse might be ready for a big county show. I say it is not and never will be. To prepare a horse for such a show takes more than practicing doing a few plaits.
Oh come on justabob, don't be such a kill joy.
So ok, state it as it is my dear... How exactly is Ben not suitable for that level? Ignore the plaits as these were a test run, to see if the main would plait evenly, if the rub would show and how he reacted to being plaited... Talk about the horse, criticise the horse if you will... But, say how he never will be. Back your claim up please... I'm not even disagreeing with you, I'm just interested in your basis for your point of view. Topline and condition wise please bear in mind he is a youngster... I'm sure the judges will.
What are your reasons...
Ok QB out differences are well known but as I do have the experiance of being where you are to never being U placed at cl im going to post.
Plaits higher up will give him the impression of a thicker neck
For neatness plait wet and use a wet look gel. Yes smaller plaits also
Thoose fetlocks need attention if U have clippers use them, hoofs use a moisturizing hoof oil for a few days before
Trotting up fgs teach him a cue.. A click or hiss but something so he lifts off and goes and many wont like it but trot up in side reins and drive him on with your cue noise.
White bits...warm salt water with a good blue shampoo massaging in leave then rince. If he has yellow hocks etc boots do a spray on white hair dye...perfect.
Now before you snub me yet again please remember U started where you are ...and as of yet have never been un placed ridden or in hand with my coloureds.
He is not a show horse, he has no top line, no quality, just a nice sort. But not a show horse. Do you think people that enter their horses at the level that you are aspiring to do, don't spend ages preparing their horses? They are produced. Yours is not. I have spent years of my life preparing horses for County Shows and it is not an easy task. Carry on QB and enjoy your day, but a County winner he is not.
So nothing constructive then...
No, I doubt Ben has any class or breeding... Probably bred by back end know nothing's as well
Thanks for your input.
Interestingly...
I may not show at that level, but many around me do and they win, they are the ones pushing me to do this. Personally I don't care if I win or not... I never said I wanted to win.... But who are you to tell me I have no right to be there with my horse? When people are taking horses to Devon county in the riding club class with full un plaited and unpulled tails... Who are you to criticise me personally when other county show exhibitors seem to be putting a lot less into it than me? His topline is vastly improved... You obviously have not seen the changes and development... One of my past posts... And he has pronounced Whithers... Not a confo fault, but can be deceiving to the untrained eye when assessing topline
Anyway, if I want to go, I will... So there
And don't worry chicken.... We are moving on to jumping soon so you will be safe at your county shows
Enjoy your day. Never ask me to explain again as to how your horse is unsuitable for the show ring as you seem to know more than most.
You are welcome. I got so many things wrong when I started out but half decent horses and being on the scene consistently did help. A horse that trots well and has a bit of life will do well. Don't be affraid to have to give him a tap with your cane, and keep in mind the time when you enter the ring to when you come out if line is a long time you have to keep him jazzed up.
You don't need extension just a decent trot with a horse carrying himself..ie impulsion.
when you stand in front of the judge you can grab a biy grass and hold it down
so he has an arch over the neck.
if you have a search now of the Devon county pics it should give you some pointers...think its a company called James pyne that does piccies
If it makes you feel better about your chances, Reg has the world's most mental legs, is covered in scars and has decidedly shuffly paces. He still excelled, by virtue of good manners, good schooling and a bit of charisma.
Good luck QB and enjoy your day. I have a little coloured horse whom we took to a very decent level show last year and was placed 3rd and 4th out of 12 and 15 in strong classes with lovely animals in due to his obedience and manners. We plaited up high with chunky plaits as he has a bit of a weedy neck, scrubbed him clean, pulled his tail to the max and trimmed it off a touch below his hocks, did his feathery bits on his fetlocks (actually he is very similar to your boy!!) Nothing we could do about the bump on his knee though! and although I never bought him to show, I took him for the experience and he surprised us!
One thing I did do though was to have him wearing a nice hunter bridle with a thicker noseband to break up his white face as he looked a little silly in a fine inhand style bridle.
For what it's worth, I took J in a county coloureds ridden years and years ago with zero preparation of note (other than a lot of bathing) and he was placed (6th maybe? Around there anyway) in a biggish class of 15ish. He beat many of the experienced, non-professional producers, despite being ridden and shown by me (it would be fair to say, I was so nervous being in the big ring I was just trying not to die - total passenger!) and everything being done on the cheap.
He's got sizeable scars on his hind legs, is conformationally duff (better than many traditionals, and I think he's perfect, but realistically cow hocked, close coupled and generally off whack), was a donkey to trot up (I certainly never practiced before rocking up there!) and resembled a camel during his ridden show... Oh and he wasn't fat either We didn't exactly embarass ourselves, so I don't see the harm in you taking Ben out, given your comparatively extensive preparation for this showing lark.
Can't say it's an experience I ever want to repeat, though. Didn't buy a horse to run myself I digress...
Anyway, he looks good, and with neater, tighter, higher plaits, will look splendid. I gather he was not overly impressed though as he seems to be about to savage you with the whip in the final photo?
He's looking great
When are you "on" at RCS? I'm going, so would love to see him in the ring!
Justabob its people like you that put me off showing. I have a very nice county level riding horse. But after one showing season I'd had enough. Stupid snobbery and miserable spoilt owners who were not happy unless bitching about someone next to them, or paying a well known face to sit on their horse so it qualified. Not all people at county level are like this, but enough are unfortunately. Since giving up I've started stewarding at some fun local shows, its such a delight to see children and adults just having fun and fussing over their horses even if they come last.
I'm going to start showing my coloured next year, and I hope the county level coloured shower's are more like QB than you, other wise I'm sticking to local level.
There's more to life, horses are for loving and enjoying, not just for picking up trophies.
I have stranger and less plausible dreams than that with mine Heck I'm the daft idiot who wants to event... On a pure bred highland... A highland whose knees I can kick when I'm riding him...
Just make sure the pro tog is doing their job properly and gets you lovely photos to remember the day by!