In hand showing?

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Akkalia1

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After losing my beloved mare in December I now have a new horse who arrived 3 weeks ago. She's a 3 year old, about to turn 4 ex-racehorse who had just raced last a week before I got her. So she's having a nice time of relaxing and eating in the field, with some in hand walks and a little light lunging. She's being a super well-behaved girl, considering her fitness level when I got her.

I was thinking that towards the end of the summer I might try and take her to some in hand shows to get her used to a show environment. I've never done in hand showing before - does anyone have any tips on what to work on in preparation? She does have a habit of having her head in the clouds, although this is now way better than when she arrived, I've never seen a horse with such a high head carriage! She will mostly walk with her head quite low, but when trotting in hand her head goes way up again. Any ideas on how to encourage a nice low head carriage in hand? Thank you!
 
Sorry to hear of your loss. There is so much to In hand showing. What to wear, tack, how the class works etc...I'm just getting into showing and there's so much to consider. I'd recommend looking on website for tips, look at professional pictures of similar classes that you would enter and most importantly go to some shows if you can too, just to watch
 
Thank you so much for the reply! I shall try looking at some websites for advice. The horse in question is going through a slightly neurotic few days, so I suspect we will have much to work on!
 
I've never bothered to join TSR, thought i'd take a look, clicked register to be hit with:

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Practice going round a school leading, ideally maybe with some others in there - practice and nail the standing up - so when the judge pulls you out from the line to look over your horse. when you walk away to trot back make sure you turn on the outside a good trick is to slightly go off at an angle so you can get a good turn. Dont hold onto the horses head when trotting towards the judge - they like to see them move - I guess that depends on how much control you have but just keep practicing - it all makes perfect eventually. Maybe get out to a couple of shows your self and watch on the sidelines and take cheeky pics/ videos so you dont forget :)
 
Sorry, didn't see these last two replies! Thanks hoof01, she stands beautifully when I'm working with her in the field, but when she's in a remotely exciting place, ie anywhere else haha, standing becomes impossible :D I shall keep practising.
 
Firstly, especially as she is an ex-racer, I would buy a pessoa or similar lungeing kit and work on building up her top line by encouraging her to stretch over her spine long and low. Lots and lots of lungeing. Ex-racers are plagued with kissing spines as they are never worked properly over their backs. This will also hopefully help with the giraffe pose!!

In hand. First you will be asked to walk round as a group, you want her to walk on in a nice straight line, calm and correct but forward. You will then be asked to stop in a corner as a group and individually asked to trot on and round the arena. Get her to trot on nicely and forward and straight - you need to be able to keep up with her so her head is not turned out towards you! Then before you get back to the pack ... halt, immobility (stand her up), salute to the judge. Get her to stand up nicely, come round to her front so the judge can see you and salute (bow) to the judge then walk to the rear of the group. Judge will then pull you all in, either in pref order or random. Then you will be called out individually. You need to stand your mare up so the front leg nearest the judge is forward of the other and the hind leg nearest the judge is back slightly or if you cannot get that at least square in front and hind back a bit on judge side. If you are very good at this you can push then back when the judge goes round the other side so the reverse is showing if you know what I mean! grab a bit of grass and get those ears forward and neck rounded. As the judge comes round to the front to check out the chest .. step to one side. Then she will ask you to walk away and trot back so walk away for about 8 paces in a straight line then turn ever so slightly to the left then push her round to the right, straighten up first and THEN ask for trot and trot STRAIGHT BACK AT THE JUDGE he/she will get out of the way of you! Keep going in a straight line for as long as you can and then keep trotting round the back of the other competitors until the judge stops looking at you or you reach your place again. If she is still looking at you then halt, immobility salute again. Then breathe - grab your red rosette - go and get a glass of wine!!
 
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