For all you showing people and everyone else

steph91

steph91

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Just really want a bit of friendly advice...
I went to equifest at the weekend, had qualified my horse for the coloured championships, she was an absolute dream, settled the minute we got there never made a fuss and went excellent in the ring. Unfortunately we didn't get placed, i was expecting her to win but not to end up down the line. So how do you other showers not get disheartened when you're horse has done its absolute best and is no worse than many of the other horses but just doesn't place well. I know showing is very subjective but just need a few tips for positive thinking:)
 
Showing is all about the judges opinion on the day and they are many, varied and can on occassions be downright bizzare. Just remember that not all judges will like your horse and learn to live with it. I don't mean that in a nasty way but sometimes it does help you keep sane.
 
Hiya, if it happens again, its worth asking the judge how to improve there usually more than happy to give dome advice least then youve got something to work for next time. :)
 
At the end of the day, the judge gets it wrong for everyone in the ring but the person with the red rossy... If you want sure things take up show jumping -- go for the day out and hope and hope ...and bitch about the judge all the way home if you don't win (or sing their praises and make a note of their name if you do!)... it's part of the sport!

Blitz
 
I gave up - got fed up of wasting time and money just to stand last and be laughed at all the time - now I just hack or do the odd dressage.
 
Ask them.

It's down personal preference and you learn to pick your judges in time :) Ask after your class on what to improve on, make sure you fight your way to stand out [ESPECIALLY in the group! Don't just get boxed in, or cut up, or merged in with a horse similar looking to yours or of much better quality than yours] Stand on your own two feet and really make sure you give the judge 'something' to look at and keep attracted to and then really follow it up through in your individual too and give a good strong gallop go too, none of these 'whimsy' gallops you see.
Maybe go to a few showing clinics to master and improve your turnout, ring craft tips, how to turn your horse out to it's max, individual show, conformation and just every other 'little' thing that makes for an overall good show.

Other than that don't get too disheartened. Remember ultimately, it's something to enjoy with your horse. As long as you feel he did his best, then you should be really happy with that.

My boy, as 'sparky' as he is when out, I don't ever aim to place nor win etc. I have a personal aim for each outing and just personally keep notes and compare us from say 6 months ago, to now. Last week in our riding horse, yes it wasn't a perfect class, anything but...however, I could pick a few key parts where I thought 'actually yes, he was spot on there' and was thrilled with that.

So pick out your key bits and pick out the positives. Then work out the negatives and strive to work on them each time.
 
thanks everyone for you're words of wisdom:) looking back i probably didn't show my horse off to the best as we kept other horses were riding on the inside of us as it was a huge class, i learn for next time though. And i was very nervous, always do while competiting, need to get them under control
 
steph91 said:
Just really want a bit of friendly advice...
I went to equifest at the weekend, had qualified my horse for the coloured championships, she was an absolute dream, settled the minute we got there never made a fuss and went excellent in the ring. Unfortunately we didn't get placed, i was expecting her to win but not to end up down the line. So how do you other showers not get disheartened when you're horse has done its absolute best and is no worse than many of the other horses but just doesn't place well. I know showing is very subjective but just need a few tips for positive thinking:)
Click to expand...

I know that feeling oh too well! Big hugs! Disheartening is an understatement. :(

I have taken Rox (coloured in my signature) out inhand showing several times this year. The first two shows he went to he hardly got a look in, the judges didn't like him. He's a plaited and trimmed type, they preferred the gypsy vanner cob types. He didn't make the line up. :(

The last four shows he has been to he has won at least one class on each outing! :eek: :D On one show, he won both his classes and won the Championship, and qualified for the Ultimate Showcase of Champions at Yorkshire Showground. I took him there and he got 9th in Youngstock and won the coloured class!! :D

It's the luck of the draw, sometimes you win some, sometimes you don't! I have made a list of judges in my diary and made a note whether they like Rox or not. Any future shows I will be checking the show schedule against my judges list, and it will help me make my mind up where I go so I don't have a wasted journey. Having said that, Rox is only two years old, I do take him out for education and experience, so I am not too highly strung (yet :o ) where I take him! ;)

Have you got any phtos you could post? Perhaps we could take a peak and see if we can help at all? xx :)
 
Well my mare is a bit of an oddball for class specification. I show her in the under 153cm plaited (she's measured at 150) however her breed is a cob, but she's an irish cob and very fine so wouldn't do well with all the traditionals as she has no feather or a lond mane, yet she has more of a cob movement so i think a judge has to really like her to place her well at the higher shows. I'm happy with what she's accomplished this season, i got her a year ago as previous owners could no longer hunt her as they'd basically blown her brains. So for a horse that had only hunted to have only been placed 1st or 2nd a local shows i'm so happy with her and especially her behaviour. So i'm just going to work hard over the winter and try again next season
 
From the sounds of it, it would seem, to me, that possible she'd possibly be better suited in a LW cob class then....if she can make the height.

Any pics?
 
I've tried her in cob classes and cob type classes but results have varied, most of the time we end up down the line and only have been moved up after the individual show due to lazy cobs that didn't want to canter
Would post a pic but no idea how...i am a numpty
 
You KNOW your horse behaved the best it possibly could. On the day, its down to the odd freak moment that you did, or did not, shine at the right time.

I think the thing with showing is that you should go for your horses development. If I take my yearling, she behaves getting ready, she loads and travels well, she behaves when she gets there, she does what i ask of her in the ring (i.e. walks, trots) and she then loads and travels well on the way home, and we do all of that without any injuries, we've had a really successful day and I'm really pleased. Its about the experience for her and the behaviour - and if the judge thinks she looks like the back end of a bus then so be it!

Don't get me wrong, it IS disappointing - both times yesterday I was pulled 2nd to last, and I LOVED the feeling when we were pulled 1st - but I was most proud of the way she walked up the ramp without a care in the world!!!

Chin up. If you want a more fair discipline, try jumping if you can or dressage. xxxx
 
It's hard, but you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and battle on! I had a show 2 weeks ago where the judge really messed up, and I was absolutely gutted as it was the most important show to me of the season. After a little while moping (and a kick up the arse from a few HHO'ers!) I ended up more determined, and will avoid that judge in future.

On the other side, yesterday we had an absolutely STONKING show, and I was beaming by the end of the day and VERY pleased with the pony!

To have qualified in the first place you must be doing something right!!! :D
 
You need to remember that not everyone has the same opinion of your horse as you do :)
And at the end of the day, it is all about what the judge likes and doesent like :)

Also, you might not be placed because you are in a class where you might not be suited; Just because a class is coloured dosent mean thats all they look at, the confo must be near perfect as well as everything else :)
 
oh god, just read my original post and major miss type, i mean't to put that i DIDN'T think i was going to win, i'm really not arrogant about my horse. Aslong as she does her best behaviour and performance i'm so happy with her, winning is just that added bonus. So here are some pictures...

1st show ever
http://s1043.photobucket.com/albums...35808452107_1139834538_31293615_3866722_n.jpg

4th show i think (now riding with longer stirrups, had very uncomfy boots on)
http://s1043.photobucket.com/albums/b436/stephsayer1/?action=view&current=SDC12589.jpg

And equifest at the weekend, i think only her 6th or maybe 7th trip out
http://s1043.photobucket.com/albums/b436/stephsayer1/?action=view&current=equifest.jpg

Hope you all like her and any comments are very welcome
 
Got to dash so only quick post of what I briefly see from them pics.... she's dropped behind the bridle on the last photo, yes her head is in but needs to 'lift' her frame and engage her hocks more. She's ducked back behind the contact,making her back and hind end seem weak. Her quarter marks don't suit her conformation and make her hind end look a bit 'off'.
For county level, then your saddle ideally should much more straight and low profile - lower cantle and just more discreet on her :) If it was me, I'd also set her saddle about 2" further back from where it's sat atm, to really broaden her shoulder and give her more 'front' and make her back seem less long.

For plaits, I'd set them higher up if you can to give her more neck and take her tail shorter about 2-3".


Not being picky or down heartening or anything....just a few quick things I noticed straight off :)
 
Binky01 thank you so much for the comments, its exactly what i need a bit of tough criticism:)
Ok so head higher, engaging of the back end, no more quarter markers. I'm currently looking into a better saddle, just in my gp one at the moment as she's been changing shape all summer so have been waiting for her to reach a steady shape, cobs!
I've been told about putting my saddle back before to make her back look smaller, but whenever i move it back she just puts her back up, so should i keep trying to put it back and let her sort herself out?
And the plaiting i've been working on that through the season, hopefully they can only improve.
But thanks again for the words of wisdom x
 
If you use 2 or 3 strpies on the top of her bum and nice chunky sharks teeth i think they would look nice on her, dont take it to heart, people have good days and bad days as long as you enjoy it, its all worth it :)
 
No problem! Hope I didn't sound too harsh! Was just in a rush for dinner lol.

Keep with the quarter marks, just change them to styles which suit her. I'd also either do a V or 3 stripes, sharks teeth and the 'bowl' round her bottom from her tail :) I'd really recommend going to a showing clinic near you if you can find any, or maybe booking a lesson with a producer round by you who can show you exactly how to turn her out in ways that show her to her best and compliment her :D
 
aww well done for qualifying everyone has a bad day :(
sllthough i did get annoyed when i was showing and ponies got placed wearing martingales, flashes, colouted numnahs etc that is annoying!
try again im not showing at that particular show again im saving it for shows with judges that know what there doing!
 
Wilsha - was that local or county type level?

If at Local, I never penalise on tack [to an extent] as local to me, is for all to have fun annually and mostly for charity causes. If there's a horse going round beautifully, but it happens to be wearing a martingale, snaffle instead of double or similar...then at local level, the tack shouldn't necesarily come into it. Some of the classes I had the other week, if I'd gone on tack alone for judging, then ones which were going round incorrectly in a double, bolting, napping, not picking up correct leads or not working in a nice light outline would have been above the ones in 'normal' everyday tack who did a beautiful show. Obviously if there's a horse in the correct showing tack AND going round perfectly, then great. But it's generally more what's in front of you [ie, conformation, manners and overall ride] than then penalising for tack 'incorrectness' at local. :)

All that said, if it was a proper County level show you saw this at...then I agree completely. Up a standard, so the turnout should be notched up too.
 
i think the difficulty with showing is that you don't always know why you have placed where you have been placed or where you need to improve.

the great thing about dressage is the mark sheet which i can take home and show to my instructor and we can then work on improving the movements which are weak.

i imagine coloured classes are very difficult as there is no set type or breed standard to confirm to and the under 153 plaited will have tiny show ponies and bigger more chunky hunter types as well.
 
Ok will definitely get myself into a showing clinic to learn a few more tips, i think i've just got into bad habbits.
I have no idea how judges are able to judge these huge classes especially coloureds they do all look quite similar. I hung around to watch my other horse in the over 153cm (he's huge 17.1/2 and still growing, my dad had a serious accident on him so he's gone on loan for a year, no fault of his own just my dad didn't want him around) back to the point i was watching the class had so much trouble picking out what horses i thought were good, there were 21 big coloureds all cantering round. But successful day for him he came 3rd so massive props to his rider, she is a miracle worker with him.
 
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