First show - Lead rein pony classes

mossyjo

mossyjo

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Hi all,

I'm just after a bit of advice about lead rein classes. It's my daughter & pony's first show on Sunday, they are both 5, so not sure how it's going to go! I want to take them in the best lead rein pony, but am not sure what to expect. I haven't been to a show for well over 20 yrs & back then I was more jumping than showing. Half the people I've asked tell me that the pony needs plaiting & I need to wear matching clothes to my daughter & the other half have said it doesn't really matter what you or pony look like, as long as your tidy, it's more about the pony suitability.
I think my daughters ok, shirt, tie & tweed jacket, but what about pony & mother?
Also what are they expected to do? Is it just a case of following the rest round at walk & trot?

I think that's everything!

TIA
 
depending on which lead rein Class you go into depends on plaiting, you should be entering in the Mountain and Moorland Lead Rein which doesn't need plating, Equitation show pony classes need plaits but depending on the show (ie mine is the local small one) they don't mind if you enter unplaited. as for dress I have a tweed jacket, mu old show jacket and show hat, cream Jodphurs and boots with gaiters, other people wear the shirt jacket hat "fancy Costume" but they are serious show people that do all of them right up to county level. in a show you tend to follow for a bit then line up for your individual show I tend to just do a figure of 8 in trot the judges are looking for the control to be more from the rider not you hauling the pony round by the lead rein.
All I can say is at home practise, practise, practise until you have an individual show that you all know and enjoy it. Also try doing an inhand class like young handler then your daughter can lead him round ( they do let you walk by your daughters side to help if he gets too strong) or as I call them in hand grazing class as my naughty pony just puts his head down and munches
Hope that answers everything
 
Thanks for your reply. When I say Dartmoor, he's actually part bred, according to his passport, I've been told that when they come directly from the Moor, they can't be classed as purebred because of unknown breeding. It's supposed to be a 'Fun' show, which is why I thought it would be a good introduction for them both, the pony is brill (well at home he is, a show maybe a different matter) & he just tends to carry on with it all whilst his jockey is trying to do the rising trot, but some of the mums seem to be taking it very seriously, I was told he couldn't be ridden with a full cheek snaffle, is that right? Also I've just got my jods, long boots & shirt, is that ok?
 
I have judged a fair few lead rein classes at local shows, I really don't mind whether pony is plaited or not, M & M types are usually left unplaited. Rider should be tidy in jods, jacket etc. Leader must be tidy, but not necessarily match rider. I would rather not see leader wearing riding clothes but something more along the lines of an 'inhand' outfit. Remember pony's lead rein should be attached to noseband not bit.
 
Great, I'm going to leave him unplaited, although I think he'd look a beaut plaited, but I don't fancy trying it with his mane. I'll have to try & have a sort through to see if I've got anything more suitable to wear. And I have been told about the lead rein, but had totally forgot. Jockey hasn't quite got the trot under control yet but it's all experience for them both, it just seems a bit of a minefield, some people seem to take it as a bit of fun, others take it very seriously!
 
Dress is fine, the main thing is to look clean and smart. I'd ask about the full cheek snaffle my Section B has one and we show in it ( its not HOYS). its supposed to be fun and as long as your child is happy and having fun just enjoy it. all judges know you have to start somewhere and if you ask them at the end of the class for pointers they will gladly help you. As for breeding he has M&M in him so show natural I wouldn't want to try and plait a Dartmoor's thick mane. One last thing post pictures from your class
 
Try to turn the little rider out nicely. Ideally-navy hat, brown gloves, shirt tie jacket (tweed no buttonhole for m and m), beige or yellow jodhs and jodhpur clips. Bunches or pigtails for daughter. You need a cane and attach your lead rein to the noseband. Your show should be a figure of 8 in trot. Practice your salute. Your rider can hold on to the front of the saddle if it makes her more stables and you can put little knots in her reains so they don't slip out of her fingers. Judges love a happy rider so get her to practice a big beaming smile. The full cheek snaffle shouldn't matter. You need to wear something smart but it doesn't need to be over the top. Just not actual riding clothes. Good luck and have a good day x
 
Thank you, I was starting to think that maybe it was HOYS I was entering and not a local show! I've just got to get there now, with my driving and sense of direction, we'll probably end up missing the class anyway! And then there is always the possibility than our wonderfully sane pony goes fruitloop when he see's all the other ponies, that or the child goes in to meltdown. I've got to get on with sewing flowers onto his rug now, he's entering the fancy dress as John Lennon (Husbands idea)
 
The jockey has a huge smile, but that's normally when she's careering out of control over the field, believing she's AP McCoy.
 
Aww you sound very similar to us then! 4yo son on 5yo Dartmoor ;) We've done a few lead-rein classes this summer now, what happens generally depends on how serious a show it is. The proper shows expect proper turnout (I wear beige trousers, shirt/tie (matching to son) and hacking jacket along with black jod boots and riding hat. I know its not "correct" though as other mums seem to get crazily dressed up, I cant be bothered with that and find it ridiculous wearing little slip-on flat shoes and collots etc.! Fun shows you can get away with whatever although IMO you should always be neatily turned out too.

Showing-wise, proper shows normally you all walk round, all stop then front one trots to back of the line. Then brought in and do individual show, I just do a little trot figure-eight with a bit of walk on each rein. They may ask you to walk away and trot back towards judge then continue on with your show. For a fun show (like we did today), we just walked round then got pulled in and did our individual shows and then judge came and had an encouraging chat with each rider ;) I try to get my son to do things properly which usually judges think is cute (always helpful) like doing proper up downs (!) and doing a salute and smile at the end.

Ha ha, good luck with the John Lennon - that's the one class my son has fallen off in, after dressing pony as a dragon she spooked at another persons costume and I had to catch child in mid-air ;) I'm sure you'll be fine, just hold on to her is my suggestion!
 
Good luck OP..

The proper lead rein hanldlers outfits are crazy prices, so I def wouldn't bother if you aren't really going for it seriously.

Last time we did it (LR WH class) I wore brown cords, blue shirt and matching tie (to child)..

My friend has a M&M lead rein pony, and she has his mane beautifully pulled so she can do either plaited or unplaited depending on class. Its fine and neat but not quite as straight as you would pull it for a horse iykwim...

Enjoy....

Fiona
 
mossyjo said:
Thanks for your reply. When I say Dartmoor, he's actually part bred, according to his passport, I've been told that when they come directly from the Moor, they can't be classed as purebred because of unknown breeding.
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is he a dartmoor hill pony?
http://www.dartmoorhillponyassociation.co.uk

if you are in Devon by any chance there are actually classes for these ponies. I am sure somewhere there will be lead rein classes. The shows are shown on that link.
 
Well our first show was a bit of an experience!

I left ponios bridle at home so had to cobble one together from the TBs exercise bridles that were in the horse box, he didn't look to bad though!

The lead rein class was a nightmare, the show ring was right next to the jumping, so ours wasn't to happy with galloping horses next to him, but we looked super smart, which may have been the problem, as the winner was riding in shorts & cowboy boots, the first 3 ponies had to be woken up to do there show, where as our pony was alert & watching everything, which is understandable as it was his first show, but he did the show perfectly, I got told off for the lead rein being on his noseband & was told to put it on the bit! So all in all we came 6th out of 7! The mountain & moorland wasn't much better same boy on sleepy shetland won that & 2nd & 3rd were the same as the lead rein class, we were 4th, but on the way out we were taken to one side & told that ours maybe a bit showy for a fun show! So the next show, I'm not sure what to do, make jockey & pony look as casual as possible or keep the same looking smart & tidy with a happy alert pony!

Thanks for the link Paddy555, yes I believe that's what he's classed as, I'll take a look. I'm a bit stuck with his breeding as apparently we are too showy for local fun shows but I can't do anything more with him as he's part bred!!

But all in all the girls & pony seemed to enjoy the experience so it wasn't all bad!

Thank you for all your help ;)
 
mossyjo said:
Well our first show was a bit of an experience!

I left ponios bridle at home so had to cobble one together from the TBs exercise bridles that were in the horse box, he didn't look to bad though!

The lead rein class was a nightmare, the show ring was right next to the jumping, so ours wasn't to happy with galloping horses next to him, but we looked super smart, which may have been the problem, as the winner was riding in shorts & cowboy boots, the first 3 ponies had to be woken up to do there show, where as our pony was alert & watching everything, which is understandable as it was his first show, but he did the show perfectly, I got told off for the lead rein being on his noseband & was told to put it on the bit! So all in all we came 6th out of 7! The mountain & moorland wasn't much better same boy on sleepy shetland won that & 2nd & 3rd were the same as the lead rein class, we were 4th, but on the way out we were taken to one side & told that ours maybe a bit showy for a fun show! So the next show, I'm not sure what to do, make jockey & pony look as casual as possible or keep the same looking smart & tidy with a happy alert pony!

Thanks for the link Paddy555, yes I believe that's what he's classed as, I'll take a look. I'm a bit stuck with his breeding as apparently we are too showy for local fun shows but I can't do anything more with him as he's part bred!!

But all in all the girls & pony seemed to enjoy the experience so it wasn't all bad!

Thank you for all your help ;)
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Well at least your pony behaved!!

You can do more with an unreg M&M - but you'd have to bite the bullet and pull & plait :) However, you will probably find the next local show you go to isn't quite so 'relaxed' with clueless judges so you'll do just fine :)
 
With a hill pony you can't do registered M&M classes but you will get away with it at local level.

Always, always, always have the lead rein attached to the noseband! And loose! The idea of lead rein is that the child rides the pony,the pony behaves impeccably and the leader is just there as a safety net incase things go wrong. You shouldnt be leading the pony. The judge was obviously totally clueless and one to avoid in the future!
 
I didn't know about attaching the lead rein to the noseband until I was told here, but I realized after I read up on it that it was the correct way, which makes sense as it shows the rider has the control as opposed to me! I was thinking about may be doing a couple of in hand classes, just to get him more used to the show atmosphere, not that he did any thing wrong, but maybe just to build his confidence. We've had him for about 18 months now & I absolutely adore him it's like having another child to bring up, but he's learning as much as my daughters are, I love my horse to bit's but ponio just has something special about him, woe bitide anyone including clueless judges who have a bad word about him, his monster mum will be let loose (ie: me!)

Also with in hand, can I just use his normal plain hunter type bridle without reins? or do I need a special inhand one?
 
mossyjo said:
I didn't know about attaching the lead rein to the noseband until I was told here, but I realized after I read up on it that it was the correct way, which makes sense as it shows the rider has the control as opposed to me! I was thinking about may be doing a couple of in hand classes, just to get him more used to the show atmosphere, not that he did any thing wrong, but maybe just to build his confidence. We've had him for about 18 months now & I absolutely adore him it's like having another child to bring up, but he's learning as much as my daughters are, I love my horse to bit's but ponio just has something special about him, woe bitide anyone including clueless judges who have a bad word about him, his monster mum will be let loose (ie: me!)

Also with in hand, can I just use his normal plain hunter type bridle without reins? or do I need a special inhand one?
Click to expand...

If you use a ridden bridle, you keeps reins on and just put them over their head :)

Remember to check if you can take unreg ponies in an M&M class before you go though, i can't name a local show around here that allows them but there are many other fun classes you could do :)
 
Thanks Crackerz, I am just going to keep to the local shows, I know if I take him to anything other than the locals I'd have issues!

A lady did come & chat to me at the show, she kept walking around the horsebox & chatting to pony, it turns out she has bred show Dartmoors for years, she did say that his passport (?) should show which auction he was bought from which in turn would let her know what part of the moor he came from, then she could identify the stallion, but not mare. He could then get an upgraded passport. I think the link that Paddy555 shows the different sort of passports. Anyhow she seemed to take a real interest because he looked so much like the offsprings of one of her stallions, she did say if I was interested she could do a bit of background to help me.
 
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