I'm New to showing! somone please help!

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Brimful of Asha

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Well, I’m thinking on starting to do a bit of showing. I was thinking of doing M&M as she’s Connemara (would she class as small or large breed) she's also bay roan and stands at 14.1hh! (Does it matter she's bay roan!?) I would also like to know how she should be turned out and what's the dress code for me (I would be classed as junior as I’m under 16) my tack is black and I have a gp saddle. I would only be starting locally until and if we were getting good results. My mare has good paces and has previously done showing with first owner. So please would someone please be kind enough to give me some more information and tip's to point me in the right direction. :D
 
Hello

I can help a bit but you'll need someone wiht more indepth experience once you get to county level.

For M&M you need to leave her unplaited, have a plain flat bridle with a flat cavesson noseband (hunter style), and ride in a snaffle or pelham or double (you can get special pelhams for showing which look like double bridles, I think they're called butterfly or elgar can't remember which, but a quick look on ebay will show you), but if you usually ride in a snaffle I think you should continue to do so.

You need to wear a tweed jacket (would recommend brown or green if pony is bay roan), and your jodhpurs need to be cream or canary NOT WHITE. if canary, see if you can get a canary coloured shirt to go with them. Then also wear a tie and make sure everything is nice and smart. Tie should go with your outfit, and hat too (e.g. don't have a navy tie and brown jacket and black hat). Hat should ideally have a fixed peak but at local level a skull cap is fine as long as your silk is navy or black.

Make sure you clean your tack thoroughly including under the saddle flap and pull down your - wait brain blank - the keeper thing that goes on your giurth straps to prevent the rubbing on the saddle flap, can't remember what it's called! anyway pull that down over your girth.

No boots (on pony, haha, you definitely should wear boots ;-)!) and either black long boots or gaiters (not chaps) and jodhpur boots for you - as you're sixteen you can prob also get away with jodh boots and jodh clips if you prefer, but longer boots are smarter.

Also make sure your girth is black or brown (white used to be OK but I would err on the side of caution as don't think it is anymore). And use a brown numnah ideally NOT saddle cloth, though at local level black or sheepskin is also ok.

Hair - NEAT - plait or hairnet. If you want to go to town a little get a matching hair scrubchie and buttonhole for your jacket!

Interesting question re: small or large, I think she would count as large.


Wow that's a lot of rules isn't it. Other advice, make sure you plan your individual show in advance and showcase your pony's best bits (e.g. when I used to show my welsh D, he has a particularly lovely trot and does some lovely extended trot so I would definitely put that across the diagonals in my figure of eight, if you have a nice rein back whack that in there, that sort of thing. But don't go to town and start doing leg yields or anything dressagey, they don't like that).

Urr.... make sure pony is good in line up and doesn't lie down (mine used to, haha).

Oh - whips - black or brown, no sparkly star whips or anything! and they should be standard length, no jumping whips or schooling whips.

Be polite to other competitors and keep away from their horses in the initial go-round, and if your horse finds it hard, for example, to maintain an outline, let her stretch out when the judge's back is to you but put her together again when you are going past (not too much but very useful if your horse finds it hard ot be consistent).

Don't be disheartened if you don't do well (this is my least favourite thing about showing, it's easy to get disheartened becuase you spend hours and it's so subjective), but do ask the judge for tips to improve and stuff!

Don't overload your pony with make up!

Think that's all for now... let us know how it goes!
 
Thank you, I think that’s just about coved everything :cool: and when you say make up what sort and where do you apply it! Sounds stupid! ;) think I best start saving up for a little spending spree! ahh!
 
yeh sorry for the essay, avoiding Fri afternoon work!!

lol. some people put a bit of baby oil around their pony's nose and eyes to make them darker, but REALLY don't overdo it as it's easy to go too far with baby oil!! Chalk on socks for whiteness... that's it. Don't go on a spending spree till you've given a good few classes a go, really local level most of your standard tack should be fine. Good luck!
 
Well I don't blame you! haha! Just one last question, because I have black tack would I need black Jodhpur boots to go with my tack or brown boots! Thanks :o
 
Hmmmm I would go for black, I don't THINK I've seen people showing in brown long boots. BUT having said that, if you already have brown boots and they're smart, just wear them wiht brown gaiters/jodh clips, that will be fine for now.
 
short brown boots, or long black are correct for your age, local level.
Teach your pony to stand 4 square,on a loose rein, both ridden and in hand.
If everything is clean and plain, and your pony has a neatly pulled mane and is clean, then you can relax and have fun! :)
 
Connie's are always Large Breeds regarless of their height. You should wear long black leather boots. Hair back neatly in a bun and hairnet. Button holes and brightly coloured scrunchies are for dainty show ponies so please avoid these in M&M. You black tack will be fine. If you need a numnah make sure it is as closely fitted to the saddle as possible and of the same colour. Plain leather, plaited or laced reins - not rubber reins. No boots, martingales, neck straps, bit guards, breastplates/girths, flash straps and the likes please. As plain as possible. Brown leather gloves - black gloves should not be worn in the show ring unless you are in mourning. A show cane rather than a whip if you need to carry one. And preferably a blue velvet hat. Pony should be scrubbed clean and well presented also.

Good luck and have fun!
 
Im an old pro at the M&M ridden game, so here is my advice.

At local level black tack is fine as long as it fits and looks smart. A flat nosed hunter caveson bridle with either a snaffle, pelham or double is acceptable. No 3 ring gags, martingales or saddle cloths. A discreet numnah is allowed.

Connies manes can be shortened but not to the point of looking like a showjumper. Tails neat not dragging along the floor. Faces to be trimmed, no beards or hair sticking out of ears. Whiskers also can be tidied up.

Your outfit. A good fitting shirt (cheap school shirt will do) in either white blue or yellow. If going for yellow buy a white one and stick some cheap dusters in with it in the wash, dyes the shirt a lovely butter colour. Tie any colour you like but dont make it so wild that it stands out like a sore thumb. Jacket should be tweed. Scrunchies try to co ordinate with tie. NO button hole, only the show pony kids wear them. Jods cream or canary. Boots, as you are a Junior, you can either wear oxblood jod boots with jod clips or long black boots/black jod boots and gaiters, which ever makes the overall picture look good. Brown gloves, brown cane/whip.

I trim my numbers at the edges, and use either plaiting thread or thin elastic to tie it round jacket. If you have to use the plastic thread they give you at the shows please dont tie it in a big bow, but tie in a knot and pop ends in the button hole.

If you still not sure google Connie ridden classes for good photos.

Have fun, and good luck.
 
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