In hand showing of coloured youngster

[emma_louise_3]

Hi all! I'd be really grateful for some advice please! I've got a 2 year old coloured Irish Sports Horse, registered with BSPA. She's not done anything yet apart from the usual ground handling, and has been a little star, super friendly - oh by the way, she is about 16.1hh already...!! Anyway, I want to take her to a youngster in-hand show in August however I've not done any showing previously so don't really have much idea what I need to do, wear, expect etc?!! It's only a local low key event but will be great for her to get out and experience it, same for me too! Are there any books/magazines/websites anyone can recommend where I can do more research? Or anyone out there with any advice?! Many thanks!!

 

[Gracie21]

Hey, I have only just started out with my youngster too

She needs to be able to walk and trot in hand, and halt.

I practised with mine in a NH rope halter & heavy 9ft rope under the guidance of a good friend who shows at the top level. You want her to be at a safe distance from you, not right next to your side. This means she respects your space (especially seeing as she is so big!) and won't get in it when you're running round the ring! Practise lots of transitions in hand until she works off your voice. They get the hang of it really easily

Hacking jacket with tie & coloured shirt and trousers the opposite colour to her legs. M&S do really good ones. Velvet hat is a must, and a good pair of gloves & cane.

She wants to be in a brown inhand bridle/slip, plaited, and tail either plaited or pulled.

SHOW: Make sure you get there in plenty of time. If she hasn't been out before she'll be excited. I put Jack's bridle on in the trailer as he is still fidgety out of it. Follow everyone else in. You will probably all walk around, remember to keep your distance. Then trot in turn. Then they'll walk you round and line you up. Then you will stand in front of the judge in turn, walk away from them then trot up towards them (literally run at them, they move out the way!) Then you'll walk around again and they'll line you up.

Remember they are all youngsters so don't worry about her messing around! Be patient with her, the more she gets out the more she'll get used to it. If she's naughty in the line up (like mine was!) then just walk her back out of it and keep her out the way abit, you don't want to annoy everyone else!

This is mine at his first show

 

[fruity]

Ah lovely pic,love your jacket! I'm also starting out with my coloured 2 yr old this season in hand,she's CHAPS reg so will be doing them and youngstock classes. Have just got her a lovely in hand bridle,she's been bitted already,although i now need to practice the in hand work,she isn't great going into trot and isn't keen on my schooling whip i'm encouraging her with! Want her to listen but don't want to scare her and her see a whip a something negative,any tips? Love seeing babies,any pics of your one op?

 

[Gracie21]

Thank you! It was a 2nd hand bargain!

I use the end of my rope if he is lazy, it has a leather clapper on like the end of a whip, so i shake it behind me if he is being lazy. Nothing else I can really suggest I'm afraid as generally all he wants to do is go faster!

Yeah OP we defs need a pic to help us out x

 

[emma_louise_3]

Ah Gracie21, thank you so much for all of the information, it is really really helpful!! Love the picture, what a fab pair you both look!