I want to go to HOYS - Honest opinions needed

[lexibell]

after a nasty fall when i was 14, I lost all my confidence and by 19 I had all but given up and my dad was riding my horses, anyway I got back into riding last year (23 at the time) and managed to get a whole lot of confidence back, I set myself little goals to keep pushing myself forwards - started with things like I will canter out again by myself, i will get to a show, I will start jumping again, anyway you get the idea. a year on I have soo much confidence back and am now competing regularly at a local level, in ridden horse, small jumping classes that sort of thing, anyway a friend said so whats my next goal last night and I couldnt think of anything so I said - I will get to HOYS, or RIHS or something similar.

I am fully aware that I need to put a hell of a lot of time and effort into getting myself and the hooves to that standard, which I am happy to do, but my question is, how realistic am I being? with a bit of work can anyone get there? and if so how the hell do I qualify?!?! if it helps pics taken of us recently are below

Honestly do I ever stand a chance?!

 

[ducktails]

I have no idea but good on you for getting back to where you are!!! x

 

[lexibell]

Thanks ducktails

by the way I would if I ever got there be aiming for showing not jumping, I most of the jumps are bigger than Harry!!

 

[Weezy]

Depends what you want to do - you could enter showing classes in the Search For A Star classes, they have the finals at HOYS

As for SJing at HOYS, no, the lowest class is 1.20m amateur class that has started this year and will be hideously well contended in the regional qualifiers.

RIHS, if your horse jumps 1.10m+ you could aim for the novice Derby

 

[Lolo]

Good on you for doing all that- I know how hard it is, having been in a very similar position. To get to HOYS however, you really need your horse to be working forwards, off your leg, in a soft and round outline. She needs really good conformation and a strong 'presence'. If you eant to jump her (i.e WH) she'll probably need to be doing about 3'6 (correct me if I'm wrong!). You need to be very neat and tidy with immacuklate turnout (probably tweed jacket, velvet hat, long boots, etc). But if you are prepared to work bloody hard and maybe speak to some more experienced people (maybe your instructor?) then go for it. I'd look round county shows to see what standard they expect.

 

[FrecklesMum]

I think that she is most likely to be a cob? How big is she? In reality, you would need to get the feathers off, hog her mane and pull her tail.

Your first point of call is establishing what class your aiming for? working on the basis that she is a cob, are you aiming for lightweight Cobs, heavywight cobs,working cobs, etc. You then need to register both of you with the govening body, who for cobs is the British Show Horse Association http://www.britishshowhorse.org/ and get a height certificate.Alternatively, you can try through SEIBs Search for a Star.

As stated above, you would also need to get the correct kit and work on her way of going, etc.

There is no reason that you can ever acheive your dream, but it takes a lot of work!

 

[lexibell]

I think I would be aiming for showing classes, my jumping is about 2ft.6-2ft.9 at the mo so no where near but hey were working on it a year ago I was scared to trot!!! if I changed my goal to be that I wanted to work my way up through county/regional to national levels what would be a good show to aim for? any ideas?

 

[lexibell]

Hi Freckles Mum

Thank you for the encouragemetn, weve come soo far I think we can do anything we really put ourr minds to.
Ive stated having lessons again to improve my flatwork & hairy bits are coming off this weekend

previously I have entered (with some success

) working cob classes, whats your opinion on what we would be suited to? happy to change my gear, would I need a brown saddle/bridle too? will check out thoses websites, thanks for the advice

 

[lexibell]

oh and shes actually a he

Harry - 15.1 hh gelding

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

If he is 14.3-15.1hh then Clip feathers, hog and polish up your jumping skills- then you can enter the Working Cobs at RIHS as its not a qualifier, you just enter on a day ticket (no height cert required)and go! Its 2'6"-2'9" so easy enough for a coblet with a pop! This chap:

Scrubbed up pretty well to get to SFAS at HOYS- done ALL by me- no special lessons/trainers etc in fact i dont even have access to a school

 

[flyingfeet]

I think you might be aiming a tad high for HOYS with your current pone

However what about Royal Windsor Horse Show? If you join a riding club they have show jumping and riding test dressage (which is supposed to be more about you riding than having a flashy pone). That would be an achievable goal and something to really aim for.

 

[SSM]

This site is full of useful information regarding turnout and classes

Good luck

http://www.theshowring.info/

 

[lexibell]

DDD

You both look great - well done - I think thats definitely something to work at for next year

 

[FrecklesMum]

Darkly - that is one hell of a difference! If it were not for the face markings, I am not sure that I would have belived you!

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you might be aiming a tad high for HOYS with your current pone

However what about Royal Windsor Horse Show? If you join a riding club they have show jumping and riding test dressage (which is supposed to be more about you riding than having a flashy pone). That would be an achievable goal and something to really aim for.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thats the sort of thing people said to me

and i proved them wrong too

never hurts to have a dream

It took me 5 years of clawing my way up the showing ladder to get to HOYS. I started doing the Central Horse News and Chiltern & Thames Championships (they do a great style & performance class thats about correct turnout/beautifully presented horses/doing a freestyle dressage test) which are great classes for amateurs (we won the C&T cobs as well) My cob is not a worldbeater but means the world to me- i found that if your horse gave a superb, mannerly ride and was beautifully turned out (lots of elbow grease and secondhand bargains) that compensated for him being "only" 15hh and not clinically obese

So OP try the "local" championships and definately join a riding club as that gives you access to teams and events like festival of the hunter, le trec etc. I think your best chance with your chap is to hog/clip feathers/pull tail and have a crack at Cob classes esp Working Cobs as they are usually between 2'3 and 2'9. Check out the RIHS schedule for the Working Cobs- something to work on for next year

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

I think horse is pretty enough, dont know how presence in the ring etc goes but I think if she could carry himself in a better outline and really do a proper work cob pace round the ring then ye I don't see why not (obv tack and turn out etc needs imrpoving but that can be done with time)

Good luck!!! Keep aiming high!

 

[FMM]

It is not simply enough to have the will and a good horse to get to HOYS - nowadays you have to be prepared to spend a small fortune - membership of societies and various levies come in at around £100 for horse and rider, entry fees are often around £40 per class - plus travel to the shows. I admire you for having the desire to succeed, but you need to be aware of the costs associated with this.

Sadly, your horse does not fall into an obvious section for either HOYS or RIHS - which is something that is not down to how dedicated or determined you are, just the fact that there are only certain classes available.

You would be better off, perhaps, doing the local championship shows, specialising in riding club pony classes perhaps - representing your riding club at dressage - that type of thing. Perhaps trying to get your riding club to go for the Quadrille at Olympia?

 

[IdoShowing]

What about working cobs - you don't have to qualify to go to RIHS!!!! Might change for next year though - not sure.

 

[ecrozier]

A friend of mine has a very similar stamp/size of horse to you - also fully feathered/mane etc. She did as FMM suggested last year and ended up sinning one of the unaffiliated national championship shows, at the finals, against some hogged/trimmed cobs, I think he won the working cob class, and also she jumps up to about 2'9 so that might a=be an idea? Depending where you are based there are local ones, or national qualifiers like trailblazers etc. I'd suggest those as an interim aim at least and if you start finding you get placed/win at a lot of those, then maybe SFAS would be a good one to try - I don't know the categories but there must be a Cobs section? Would probably need to be hogged/trimmed at that level though.

 

[Goya]

Why not join a Riding Club. PM me with whereabouts you live and i can give you details of those in your area.
It is always good to have a "final"goal but break it down into smaller steps. Join a RC and have a go at Area qualifiers in SJ, Dressage,XC etc. There are also Showing classes at the British Riding Clubs Festival Of Hunter Championships. I don't know how old you horse is but if he is a veteran you can enter the Veterans class at the BRC Lincoln Championships.
There is a RC in Northants which hold regular evening SJ and dressage comps. Again I can tell you more if you PM me. I might get told off for advertising if i say which Club on here.

Edited to add: this particular RC comps are open to non members.
Good luck.

 

[FMM]

[ QUOTE ]
What about working cobs - you don't have to qualify to go to RIHS!!!! Might change for next year though - not sure.

[/ QUOTE ]

The workers course at RIHS is a difficult course and a fair size - you would want to be show jumping 3 foot courses fairly easily to do well at the RIHS workers. Plus, the OP may not want to shave off all the excess hair from her horse!

 

[mbpsue]

you go girl
tot is riding for the dream to
shes aiming for 138cm showjumping final she did her first hoys qualifier the weekend and maniged to get in the 2nd rd we are going away work on it for the winter rihs qualifers then hoping to do the hoys q again next summer

 

[Zebedee]

First of all congratulations for everything you've achieved.

I think your best bet would be to get to some county shows & have a look at the ridden cobs. Then be totally honest with yourself as to how yours would compare.
I see you've listed his height at 15.1, which is the maximum height a cob should be ( metric equivalent = 155cm), but Harry doesn't look anywhere near 15.1 in the pics - he looks a fair bit smaller, & while the class criteria says 148 - 155 cm in reality anything less than 153 will look tiny.
In the meantime practice will certainly go a long way to making perfect. Do as much showing as you can at RC & then at agricultural shows. Watch the pro's as often as you can, & post regular updates on here with your progress.
Being honest I don't think Harry is quite the horse to take you to the highest levels of showing, but he's certainly going to get you started on the ladder, & give you a lot of fun in the process.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think some horses can scrub up amazingly well TBH as the poster above has shown!

There are amateur showing classes at HOYS so probably aim for those, but even those I think will cost you a lot to get to! Showing at the higher levels is NOT cheap it seems. I do think its a hell of a lot easier to get there with a bred-for-the-job horse though TBH so it depends how hard you want to work to get there!

 

[SO1]

It is very hard to qualify for HOYS and apart from SFAS the classes like most equine disciplines at the top level are dominated by professionals.

I don't know what your budget is but unless you are very lucky you will need to enter many qualifying classes and travel round the country to qualify the classes are expensive to enter there is a HOYS levy which means the classes are often £40 a go to enter. Showing at that level is very competitive and can be ruthless so you need to be thick skinned. There is a lot of money involved in showing at the top level and those who do well tend to have the money to buy the best quality experienced horses and have help from the professional producers.

I don't know enough about cobs to comment on the quality of your horse but cobs do often look very different in show condition than when they are not - I think cobs are split into two sorts the hogged sorts and the traditional/native types which have the long manes.

Your horse is the correct size for the class - the reason he may looks small is sadly there are a few people who compete horses over the height limit in the classes.

Because of the expense and hassle of traveling and joining the societies I would start off at some small shows perhaps aiming for the amateur showing champions at first - just to see if you enjoy showing. No point spending lots of money trying out a new thing only to find out that it is boring and you would be rather doing Le Trec or something completely different!

If you then discover you have the bug then perhaps try to get some help from a producer who should be able to provide you with tips and also help with the schooling side.

But don't let negative people put you off you - if you are willing to pay the money then you are just entitled to enter the qualifiers as everyone else just don't expect to win if you are up against Lynn Russell or a pro cob producer!