Pictures For fun: What class & what turn out?

Boughtabay

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if this gelding popped up in your yard on a generic passport (so no breed classes, I know which of those he can go in!) where would you put him in a show? How would you turn him out for that class? (Bonus question… how would you dress yourself to lead &/or sit on him?)

I’ve had some seriously mixed messages about where to put him hence why I’m here asking 😂 hoping to get a few “exposure” days out under his belt before the end of summer & I haven’t shown in about 12 years 😳 not that it matters too much where he goes, just don’t want to be serious sore thumbs either 🙈

ETA he’s not quite as narrow in front as this pic suggests, it’s just the most recent one I’ve got! He does have a bit of squaring out to do again after his most recent growth spurt 🤦‍♀️ I’d say about 16hh
 

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Really hard to say, from that one photo but he looks a lovely boy.

Without anything else to go on, I’d say riding horse
This is what I would have said! but someone followed up that riding horse should be trimmed out and plaited with a velvet browband … he’s got too much bone to be a velvet browband kind of horse! But if that’s not true then I would put him in a riding horse class?
 
Oh I do have this pic without the OHs face in it too - a bit more of the front end!
 

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Any "proper" showing class he would have to be trimmed up, mane pulled etc. I too thought Spanish of some sort, and if that's the case I would just do novelty classes. Best tail, prettiest gelding etc where you could do whatever turnout is appropriate for the breed and it wont matter too much. I wouldn't want to change the turnout just to fit in, when he's unlikely to do well and its not something you are particularly keen on doing.
 
Another for riding horse, I wouldn’t trim either I like his little feathers but I know showing people would take them off , if he was mine I’m afraid I would pull his mane to be a bit more manageable, but that’s my personal preference. He does look a bit like a pre, do you know what his breeding is likely to be
 
He is indeed PRExWelsh (25% D) so we can go in the wpbr classes but sadly no foreign breeds classes to be had where I am! I’ll chuck him in a few riding horse classes purely for the experience - I’m not clipping his legs for it but i could tidy up with scissors & I do need to tackle the mane a bit. Although I am intending to practice scallop plaits when we get a nice day, see if we can keep the waves!

The novelty classes are usually for young children getting first show experience in my area from what I’ve seen & they don’t need this lump of excitement entering and ruining the vibes 😂

Plaited mane & tail for riding horse? Black show jacket? Plain bridle ok?
 
If it’s a local show I wouldn’t worry too much, if it’s hot you could wear shirt and tie and trousers , as long as you are clean and smart you will be fine. I would plait mane definitely for riding horse not sure about welsh part bred , I used to plait tail as well but some people don’t . Good luck
 
If it’s a local show I wouldn’t worry too much, if it’s hot you could wear shirt and tie and trousers , as long as you are clean and smart you will be fine. I would plait mane definitely for riding horse not sure about welsh part bred , I used to plait tail as well but some people don’t . Good luck
Thanks! Yes that’s what I thought - I’m not going to go all out because he’s obviously not a show horse & it’s small stuff we’re thinking of going to but I don’t want to be so off beam it’s insulting either 🙈 you can do unplaited wpbr technically but I don’t think it’s the done thing. It’ll be a little while until we’re out but we’ve got one or two in a reasonable distance before the end of summer and he’s coming on well behaviour-in-public wise at lessons etc. so 🤞
 
He looks like a PRE to me so other than breed specific classes that would be a tricky one. If not breed specific then ‘Foreign Breeds’ I guess.
This is what I thought as well I would just leave as he is and do foreign breed, I have Arab's and it's the only things they can do at local level or veteran now they are older.

I used to do tack and turnout but just for experience but always came last as they are not plaited
 
The novelty classes are usually for young children getting first show experience in my area from what I’ve seen & they don’t need this lump of excitement entering and ruining the vibes 😂

We went to a show a couple of weeks ago and did Best Condition as a warm up before his M & M class.

There were all sorts in there, lots of adults as well as children, and it worked really well as he was a bit tense in the first class but much more relaxed going in to the second as he knew what it was about then.

Gave me the confidence to let the handbrake off and let him really trot out for the judge!
 
This is what I thought as well I would just leave as he is and do foreign breed, I have Arab's and it's the only things they can do at local level or veteran now they are older.

I used to do tack and turnout but just for experience but always came last as they are not plaited
No foreign breed classes only wpbr and riding horse/hack/hunters. Turnout class is a good shout I think I’ve spotted that in a catalogue recently. I think I’d have to plait for wpbr really
 
We went to a show a couple of weeks ago and did Best Condition as a warm up before his M & M class.

There were all sorts in there, lots of adults as well as children, and it worked really well as he was a bit tense in the first class but much more relaxed going in to the second as he knew what it was about then.

Gave me the confidence to let the handbrake off and let him really trot out for the judge!
Not seen a best condition class (I like that idea if they mean fit 🙈!) but there is a turnout class which could be a good shout … if I have the stamina to tackle the mane and tail 🙈
 
I’m not a showing person but I’d do working equitation with him - he looks like he’d be such a fun horse to ride because I bet you could get him to collect beautifully.
 
I’m not a showing person but I’d do working equitation with him - he looks like he’d be such a fun horse to ride because I bet you could get him to collect beautifully.
Not sure there’s much of that round us sadly either but yes I do think he’ll be a handy type once he learns to use his bottom a bit more and gets stronger!
 
No foreign breed classes only wpbr and riding horse/hack/hunters. Turnout class is a good shout I think I’ve spotted that in a catalogue recently. I think I’d have to plait for wpbr really

You need to plait whatever class you do. I wouldn't want to enter riding horse/hack/hunter classes as he's just not any of those, and you really would stick out as not being correctly turned out if the feathers are left on. WPB you might get away with, but they should be turned out to type, ie not looking like a welsh, but turned out as a riding horse or hunter etc. Theres probably more leeway in the WPB class though.

 
im no expert by any means, but i’d plait/trim, go with plain tack and a tweed jacket (more versatile for showing), and stick him in very open classes - senior equitation, best turned out, novice non-m&m, etc
 
What about riding club horse - similar to horse riding horse, but they usually have to jump a small jump and do an individual show rather than the judge riding. It's a good class for horses of a variety of types, who are good allrounders.
Yeah those kinds of classes are the plan for next year but he’s still in the “being exposed to life” phase at the moment so don’t want to do anything too complicated! Definitely a good shout for next year though!
 
You need to plait whatever class you do. I wouldn't want to enter riding horse/hack/hunter classes as he's just not any of those, and you really would stick out as not being correctly turned out if the feathers are left on. WPB you might get away with, but they should be turned out to type, ie not looking like a welsh, but turned out as a riding horse or hunter etc. Theres probably more leeway in the WPB class though.

That’s a good demo video thanks - he’s registered wpbr so that’s definitely his class I’d hope! what are the actual requirements for riding horse vs Hunter?
 
I did small hunter with mine ,in hand, and she won at Essex County and also did other youngstock classes and she did well in all of them, when I did ridden classes she did better in the riding horse classes so for local shows it’s worth doing what you fancy although yours doesn’t look hunter type to me so riding horse and Welsh part bred would be my choice . Just go and have fun, my friend and I did a pairs class with a part bred Arab chestnut, and a hunter who was dark brown, we got placed as we kept together well and did a good show so anything can happen 🙂
 
That’s a good demo video thanks - he’s registered wpbr so that’s definitely his class I’d hope! what are the actual requirements for riding horse vs Hunter?
Clean legs, pulled tail, plaited mane. Hes closer to riding horse than hunter, so velvet browband, usually seems to be red and blue or variations of!
 
I clipped & hogged baby cob (no way was I cleaning up white feather!) and took him in best turned out, best condition (judged by vets) and the cob class. All in hand for his first outing. There were quite a few horses in classes who probably weren't true to type - hunter & riding horse was loosely interpreted - but no one was snotty about it.

Excellent experience for baby cob and excellent entertainment for the audience - I'm not sure they've ever had a horse quite so excited in best turned out 🙄

Unfortunately our local show is no longer able to run but they used to have best gelding, horse the judge would like to take home and other fun classes all good for novices.
 
I clipped & hogged baby cob (no way was I cleaning up white feather!) and took him in best turned out, best condition (judged by vets) and the cob class. All in hand for his first outing. There were quite a few horses in classes who probably weren't true to type - hunter & riding horse was loosely interpreted - but no one was snotty about it.

Excellent experience for baby cob and excellent entertainment for the audience - I'm not sure they've ever had a horse quite so excited in best turned out 🙄

Unfortunately our local show is no longer able to run but they used to have best gelding, horse the judge would like to take home and other fun classes all good for novices.
Im expecting a similar story with Mr 🙈 I have noticed that classes are a little bit higgledy pigledy round here too unless they’re breed classes so I was only wondering which he’d be closest to not necessarily a perfect fit! It’s all low level ag shows anyway 🥲 I expect most of my energy will be taken holding on tight than worrying about rosettes 😂
 
I did small hunter with mine ,in hand, and she won at Essex County and also did other youngstock classes and she did well in all of them, when I did ridden classes she did better in the riding horse classes so for local shows it’s worth doing what you fancy although yours doesn’t look hunter type to me so riding horse and Welsh part bred would be my choice . Just go and have fun, my friend and I did a pairs class with a part bred Arab chestnut, and a hunter who was dark brown, we got placed as we kept together well and did a good show so anything can happen 🙂
Not seen a pairs showing class before that’s a sweet idea!
 
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