Foals First show?

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Evil_Cookie

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Hi, I have a few questions about showing youngsters and preparation etc... The little guy is now up for sale, but nothing yet, it is a bit early I guess. Anyway I want to get him out and about and see a little of the world. There's a show at our local equestrian centre coming up, with an inhand youngster class. It's about 3 weeks or so away. So anyway what sort of preperation do I need to do, and would going be a good idea anyway? He's leadable and very good, but can get strong when he panics, which he's likely to do, I suppose.
I could do a few practice runs in the trailer to the venue as I'm planning on doing some evening sj there anyway. Though a screaming youngster might not help me and the nutter all that much. He's been in a trailer with his mom before so would traveling with another pony be good for him, or cause more trouble at the other end? What can I do to get him listening to me in a unfamiliar place, as he tends to ignore me and panic when he get's upset. And finally how do you turnout a foal anyway? Plait but what about the tail?

Sorry for so many questions, it seems like a good idea, but I'm a pessimist and am imagining all the things that could go wrong
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Thanks for any help, its much apprecuiated
EC
 
Hiya


We have taken our ish to a local show in sept of last year, we left her in a natural state , if its not a big show I would just plait his mane and leave his tail perhaps tidy the tail up abit .


what age is he ? you could perhaps use the little rubber showing bit on him and try him in that although you need to practise at home with a bit in his mouth again it all depends on his age .

To be honest i have no idea about travelling in the trailer , how does the foal get on with your sj horse ? have they been out in the field together ? is your foal weaned ?


Its all about the practise when getting him to listen to you ... do loads of walking inhand with titbits
 
Yes he's spent a lot of time with the nutty mare, she's his mom's field mate. He loves her, and she tolerates him, I don't think she ever got over the embaresment of flirting with him when he was four weeks old
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He's 8 months old and was weaned a month ago and has taken quite well. I can walk him out down the tracks and he's good as gold unless something spooks him (stupid yard dog
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) or sometimes on the way home, he'll pull and he just doesn't feel the halter.
I've been plaiting his mane and leaving them in, (not rolled up) as his mane is still 'deciding on it's choice of sides, and I think it's in favour of left,
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So he's used to being plaited. He looks like he's got dreadlocks
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I might be able to get hold of a small bridle and rubber bit but I take it it's a bit early for that? I hadn't actually thought of what I'd but on his head? A leather halter? white rope thing? hmm...
 
Turnout for a foal, no plaiting. Just well groomed, oiled hoofs, some go to the extent of shaving off whiskers etc and oiling the muzzel and around the eyes. I personally would not do that. I would just take him sleek and clean with a very nice inhand show halter with chain.

You will be asked to stand in line and you can prepare him to show stand. Practice making him stand square with his back legs slightly out, by gentling tapping them with a long schooling stick. To keep his attention when standing, stand in front of him holding a clump of grass.

Get your friends to practice walking around him, whilst he is standing square, lifting his tail and having a general look.

When it is his turn to talk out of line, follow what the others do, generally its walk to the judge, stand square, walk away and trot back. You then generally walk round in a big circle whilst the judge picks out her line. I am saying this, as its a local show and I am sure the judge wont go to a lot of detail, by keeping you all in the ring for a lengthy time.

Try and keep your distance when walking in the circle, so if he does play up, you can turn round. By having the chain, you have more control. Again when in line, keep your distance, and keep his interest by a pick of grass, keeping his head up.

I am going to show my yearling for the first time this year and because I have'nt done this for many years, i thought I would go and watch a class first, to make sure my memory serves me correctly. Things do change and I would hate to give you the wrong advice.

What ever you get out of the experience is a bonus and a step forward, so I would relax, try and enjoy it as much as possible and just be pleased with what ever he does.

I am tempted to ask someone from the showing world to give me a little lesson before hand, so that I am prepared to cope with the worst and know what to do. I am thinking of taking mine for a lesson in a menage with an instructor first and then find a showing person who will give me some valuable tips. I am not bothered about getting a place, just some education for my foal.

Good luck, and if you find anything else out that could help, please pm me. As I too have lots to learn.
 
When you say a chain, what do you mean? under the jaw? I'll have to invest in a leather halter then. I'm not bothered about placing, just that we move forward and learn something. I suppose to widen his comfort zone as he can change from confident and friendly to panicing wreck in a split second and it takes him a while to calm down. So deffinatly some schooling sessions for us then
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Thanks for your help. And good luck with your youngster.
 
what height is he ? If he isnt feeling the halter I would try a showing bit in the mouth for more control as he is a colt and may act up esp when out in another surrounding with loads of horseys about .

Plaiting is a perference in its own so whatever you do either plait or not plait it wont be the wrong thing to do .

The chain is basically a long brass lead rein with your leather lead on it . just attaches to your bit or if you are thinking he is going to lead ok just attach it to your noseband
 
He's about 12-13hh but he's got a huge neck, so can be very strong, especially if he gets his neck infront of you so you can't bend him around. Saying that he is lovely to lead when he's calm. He's still a colt, but I don't believe the hormones have kicked in yet. With other horses he is very submissive, he's with two welsh A's at the moment, both 4-5 years and gelded. And they are awful sometimes, when he's as good as gold. I was thinking I could ask the yard owner if I could take one of these ponies to keep him calm and maybe take it in the m+m inhand, as I used to do a lot of m+m with my previous horses. But saying that I don't know how those two would behave, lol, might be a bad idea.

Filly190 was using the chain as control though? does that mean it's under the jaw then? And tightens the nose piece when they pull? Because that sounds useful for him, rather than just a halter or going as far as a bit. I think there is a bit I could use and a bridle but is he too young?
 
Ahh right ... I thought he was much bigger ... I would just try and lead him in a halter then possibly having the chain through the noseband .


Our filly was 14.2hh when she was 8 mths old , shes now 15.1hh
We are heading to balmoral with her in may and im getting nervous already lol

Good luck in showing your foal
 
He's not a foal any more he is a yearling and so will need to be plaited up and have a proper in hand bridle and bit on.
That will give you a bit more control anyway.
 
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Do I bit? Don't I? Plaiting? arghhh its too confusing... hmph. I think I'll leave him muddy and go anyway, sod the judge it's for experience anyway,
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He'll probably be moving so much, brushing will be impossible, well thats my excuse in case anyone asks.
ColleenISHMissy that scares me? she was 14.2hh at 8 months? oooh dear Orion's going to be titchy, lol. His mothers 16hh and his fathers big too. Is it the weather? He was a late foal? Or because he's cleveland bay, slower growers?
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sally i suppose it depends on the show if its just a local one then the regulations and the rules arent the same as more larger shows .


OP its up to you at the end of the day, plait or not doesnt really matter and control wise , what ever you feel comfortable with . halter/ bridle doesnt really matter as long as he is clean and well polished up and behaves himself on the day then all else does not matter .

Good luck and have fun
 
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