In-hand youngstock showing tips please!

[Holly Hocks]

I'm planning on taking my new youngster to some in hand shows early next year. I have no idea about in-hand showing - the only thing I've ever done competitively is a bit of dressage.
Firstly, she is two and a half years old and skewbald - barely any feather.
Do I trim the tiny bit of feather she has on her legs, or leave it au naturel? Obviously I will trim her ears and face.
I know I plait the mane, but what do I do with the tail? Plait, pull or leave natural?
And what bridle to use? She isn't bitted yet. Can I use an in-hand bridle without the bit, or does she have to wear a bit? If I can take her in without a bit, do I attach the coupling to the part of the bridle where the bit normally goes, or should I get her a special "bitless one?"
Any other tips greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'm planning on taking my new youngster to some in hand shows early next year. I have no idea about in-hand showing - the only thing I've ever done competitively is a bit of dressage.
Firstly, she is two and a half years old and skewbald - barely any feather.
Do I trim the tiny bit of feather she has on her legs, or leave it au naturel? Obviously I will trim her ears and face.

Trim


I know I plait the mane, but what do I do with the tail? Plait, pull or leave natural?

If you are just doing local level then plait if you can do it neatly. If county or affiliated then pull it.

And what bridle to use? She isn't bitted yet. Can I use an in-hand bridle without the bit, or does she have to wear a bit? If I can take her in without a bit, do I attach the coupling to the part of the bridle where the bit normally goes, or should I get her a special "bitless one?"

I don't tend to bit fillies unless they are very strong so bitless will be fine. Again depending on Local or County/Affiliated level depends on whether you can use a normal inhand bridle with the noseband in the bit space with the lead on the noseband (local) or you get a Filly Slip (County). I personally much, much prefer filly slips.

Any other tips greatly appreciated, thanks.

Make sure you are as well prepared as you can be with standing, walking out, trotting out, standing square etc. before you go showing. Yes it may go wrong in the ring a bit but there is less chance if she knows what she is kind of supposed to be doing.

 

[Tnavas]

Trim all excess hair off legs, ears and jaw. It is acceptable to leave on whiskers though.

Pull and plait mane - get mane the same thickness the whole length by a combination of pulling and shortening with scissors - use scissor upwards and snip rather than cut. Don't trim off at the wither - plait down as far as you can as it makes the neck look longer and the shoulder a really lovely shape.

I love plaited tails but some youngsters hate being fiddled with. I do mine with a mix of thinning scissors, ultrafine clipper blades and a horse razor - simulating a pulled tail.

Use the winter months to get her used to the bit - the whole look is better with the bit on the bridle and better for control as she will be 3 by the time you start showing. Use a Black, unjointed nylon bit, very mild. You don't have to attach to the lead to the bit if you really feel that she is not ready. A butterfly lead which clips or loops throuogh both rings is best. It is surprising how easily they accept this type of bit and to date I've had no problems with bitting prior to breaking.

Practise working her in hand.
She must go freely forward in walk and trot without you haveing to haul her along or spend several steps convincing her to trot. Using a fenceline helps with this as you can use your schooling whip behind you and she can't duck away from it.

If she is inclined to get ahead of you so that you end up pulling her head around you will need to work hard on walking and running faster to match her stride.

When teaching her to stand - wait for the point when she stands and then say to her to stand. I ended up with a youngster who thought stand meant wriggle around as I would tell him to stand repeatedly when he was moving. We took some time sorting this out by getting stand first and then saying Stand. She will need to stand square as in dressage square and also to stand with one foreleg slightly forward and the hind on the same side slightly back.

Outfit - fortunately for you in UK you show in trousers and hacking jacket and velvet hat or headscarf still - here we have to dress up like we are going to a wedding - rediculous!

Wear light coloured trousers if she has dark legs and dark trousers if she has light legs. Gloves and leather covered cane to match bridle and your boots.

My yearling filly in her bridle

And my yearling gelding in his bridle