First Show!*pics*

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saddlesore

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This is my first show in over 7 yrs and first time trying anything with current horse since losing my confidence. My aims for the day were for me not to have a meltdown, and for horse to behave and not instigate aforementioned meltdown!

Just entered two classes: Riding horse and nursery novice jumping as I'm wimpy and he's still novicey. Anyway, turns out he was brilliant. Behaved really well, even in group canter! Got6th in riding horse and 4th in jumping but only have pics of showing class as apparently photographer 'has a life' that I was keeping them back from :rolleyes: :p

Anyway here are the photos. CC if you must but I was VERY nervous and I know I was riding badly :(

Impatient!
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Braving the field...
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Starting to relax!
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Very proud of my plaiting esp since its been 7yrs!
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In the class:
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Lap of honour lol
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Very proud!
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And back to doing what he does best! :D
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Hope you like them! Sorry for overload :o:o
 
Thanks guys :D does anyone have any tips for better turnout? Obviously I shouldn't have had martingale etc on but thought it was best for both of us to keep things the same as usual!

Should he have a heavier bridle? Velvet browband? Don't really know! :o
 
Congratulations he looks lovely and you look like you enjoyed it.

If you could lose the martingale i'd say definitely do it and a coloured velvet browband would look lovely on his gorgeous dark face, i'd personally also lose the flash noseband (if you can) and have a nice hunter noseband.

But despite that you both look great and should be proud.
 
Hiya I know i'm not on a riding horse in this pic but i used to wear the same outfit on the large riding horse i used to show.
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I wore a hacking jacket, canary coloured shirt, Tie with matching hair scrunchie,
Brown leather gloves, canary jods, long boots, Blue velvit hat, hairnet and i carried a brown show cane.
The horse as you know should not wear a martingail and tack should be plain and have plain or plated reins with billet hooks to fasten it to the bit. It is more correct to use double reins. I don't use coloured browbands in riding horse classes but then my horse was actualy a hunter so coloured browbands where a big nono. Hope this is of some help.
The most important thing is to smile it's supposed to be fun :p ;).
Relax and enjoy. :D :D
 
I'd suggest going in hunter, not riding horse probably as has quite a lot of bone, too much for a riding horse really :)

For hunter turnout, should be flat cavesson nosband , flat browband, brown tack ideally [though at local level it really doesn't matter so don't worry about it] and no martingale as you said. Simple looking snaffle would look best if you don't want a double, though again, at local it really is not important so don't worry about it! Ideally no flashes or 'extras' really...just nice and simples! And quarter broad simple marks [sharks teeth, bum half circle and quater stripes or V.] And lovely plaits, but other side next time and maybe if you can set them a little higher up from his crest - poll to make his neck match up a little more to rest of his body :)
For you, cream jods, long boots [or gaiters/short boots], coloured shirt and tie, pin and a tweed hacking jacket. :)

If you do riding horse again however...then ribbon browband and can do slightly more intricate quarter marks if you want [you can get abit more geometrical etc] :)




Well done though :D :D :D :D
 
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Oh wow -thanks guys for all your help! I know mane is on wrong side - very naughty of me but it sits to wrong side and pulled to that side so it was easier :o:o How do I get it to sit higher? I also cannot do quarter marks -is there an idiots guide?! :confused:

Although he is dark bay in the summer, he is jet black in the winter and as that is when I bought him and I didn't know any better I bought him black tack lol. typical!

I thought ties were for children in showing? Not true?

Shows how clueless I am! He is still 5 so I think a double bridle would be too much for him atm. Hadn't even thought about the fact that I was wearing rubber reins etc though! oops! I could probably lose the flash now but he used to bolt (hence lost confidence) and so I keep that and martingale on because they make me feel safe but I'm 90% sure he's a reformed character ha ha.

I'm so pleased with his behaviour but I do have a question - how important is cantering on the correct lead in your class? I only ask because only me and the winner consistently got the correct lead yet I was placed quite far down? Don't mind as was only aiming for no meltdown lol, but just wondering if it really mattered anyway? :confused: x
 
It does matter if you wrong leg it in your show but there is also lots of other things to consider like, Conformation, Manners, way of going, soundness, if the horse is true to type and Turnout.
Someone mentioned above about doing hunter classes with your horse. May be worth a go. He does look like a hunter type. Actualy when I first saw him i thought he looked a little like Troy the horse i used to show and i did hunter and riding horse classes with him.
 
No problem. Thought he looked smaller than Troy (he was 17.2hh) but he looks a similar build. I'd say give it a go and see how you do. It's a shame he's over hight for the small hunter class. But a lovely looking horse non the less. At local leavel you'd be surprised what people enter in the hunter class so you'd probably do quite well.
 
Guess its always worth a go - I'm only doing it for fun anyway! Just so glad I finally plucked up the courage to have a go! Having a bash at stressage next month now - eek!
 
Forgot to say. The Gallop is done one at a time down one side of the arena. It was Troys Fav part of the class. I made shore he had plenty of room and we wern't bunched up with other horses. Then i let rip. I taught him to go when i said "Fly troy fly" and he had to steady when i said " Back now Troy". It was such fun especialy if we had a big ring everyone used to just stop and stare at this massive black horse flying along the edge of the ring. :D
 
saddlesore said:
Guess its always worth a go - I'm only doing it for fun anyway! Just so glad I finally plucked up the courage to have a go! Having a bash at stressage next month now - eek!
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Thats what it's all about, having fun. But Stressage on the other hand Why? :confused:
Only kidding hope you have a fab time there to and he continus to be a good boy and fills you with confidance. :)
 
Lol - the stressage is part of an express eventing competition at my yard. My instructor has talked me into doing the dressage section then she will do the sj and xc as they are both bigger than I am doing atm! Hopefully get there though!
 
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