HELP - New to Showing.

[mandponies]

Hello - i'm wondering if anyone can advise me - i read the posts already on here and i am still confused.
My daughter wants to do lead rein showing on her ?exmoor pony this year and i just need some advice what we should be wearing.
My daughter wants to do tack and turnout, and lead rein showing class at our local show. She is also going to do working hunter.
My main query is - what sort of jacket we need and if we plait the pony does she need a show browband.
Many thanks

 

[TelH]

Tweed jacket for showing M+Ms, plain browband, no plaits

 

[xloopylozzax]

How old is your daughter?
Horse gossip is a good place for showing people

 

[Shay]

It might be worth calling the secretary and asking them. If it is a PC show the tack & Turnout guidelines are slightly different from a local unaffilliated show. if its an affilliated show thats a different ball game all together!

Show secretaries are usually very helpful to first timers - you are after all the lifeblood of our sports. But you do get the odd one or two - they're only human!

In general terms - Canary Johds with a tweed jacket is correct for both lead rein and working hunter. There are some stunning lead rein outfits for the leader - but smart and workmanlike will usually do for PC or unaffilliated.

As for the pony - unplaited if it is native or looks pretty native like. Then plain tack. Or plait and opt for a fancy brow band. You can get them to match hair ribbons and button holes. If it looks exmoor like with the mealy muzzle I'd opt for unplaited and plain tack. But if it hasn't got the mealy muzzle then you can probably choose. Snaffle bit only - especially in working hunter. Ideally a leather lead rein attached to a newmarket chain; but if not a plain dark lead rein attached to a newmarket chain or to the cavesson noseband. Few, if any, places will allow the lead rein to be attached directly to the bit. Current standard hat, tagged if for PC. A hairnet if for PC, neatly tied back if not.

Do check the schedule rules as many limit the classes that lead rein competitors can enter so you don't get someone pot hunting and doing everything from lead rein up. Working hunter is quite a stiff discipline including jumping a round of rustic fences and its a bit odd to see someone in a lead rein class as well as WHP. If your daughter can jump to the standard of WHP she might possibly be better in First Pony than in lead rein?

 

[mandponies]

Thank you for your help - i did mean my daughter would be doing lead rein working hunter. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
As a rule then - does a plaited pony always have a posh browband not a plain leather one.
Thanks again

 

[mandponies]

My daughter is a very nervous 8 year old. Who currently refuses to canter as she is too scared. She loves her pony dearly but lacks confidence when riding.

 

[twobearsarthur]

No the type of pony decides what browband, working hunter show hunter native wear plain browband. Whereas show ponies wear the coloured browband. The workmanlike ponies don't is the rule of thumb.

 

[twobearsarthur]

So plaited doesn't necessarily mean a coloured browband as you would plait a hunter and not have one.

 

[Crackerz]

I would never plait an Exmoor, never seen one that wouldn,t look daft!

& no, a plaited pony will not always have a pretty browband, if you chose to plait your Exmoor, you'd still need a plain browband. Only show pony types should wear the blingy browbands

A nice neat tweed, shirt tie & canary jods. I prefer oxlood coloured jod boots on children too

 

[mcnaughty]

There is such a thing as a working LR but they are pretty few and far between. Tend to be at the much larger affiliated shows. There are three basic type of LR classes.

M&M - Non plaited native types in their natural state - child has tweed jacket, canary jods, brown or oxblood joddie boots, brown gloves. Leader has matching if poss tweed jacket, hat, brown gloves, long skirt (tweed or dark blue) or coulottes look good. Tack is plain and knots are allowed in reins. Leather lead should be attached to a plain cavesson noseband.

Hunter Type - these are chunky monkeys with pulled manes, tails, trimmed heels and are neat and workmanlike. Lots of M&Ms do this class as they tend to be of the correct "type" - same tack and turnout as above.

Show Pony Type - flashy, fine ponies, plaited, pulled and trimmed. Children wear blue jackets, canary jods etc, handlers wear smart taylored suits usually of a blue/black/red colour. Tack is flashy headbands, fine leather cavesson, leather lead as above.

Local shows will be a combination of the above but you will need to choose between going native or trimmed and not a midway point. Cross bred natives look far better trimmed and plaited!

 

[FMM]

M&M Local Lead Rein turn out

Show Pony Turn Out

 

[Honey08]

We used to do LR working hunter a lot at pony club when stepson was around 8. They also did LR showjumping and gymkhana as well as showing and equitation. The best advice I can give you for LR jumping is pray the coursebuilder is kind to the mums and don't make them too big!