Lead rein showing-any tips?

[Rebecca88]

I brought a welsh sec a x pba last February & did a fair few inhand shows with her. This year she will be doing lead rein classes with my 7yr old niece & I will be the leader.
I've been showing for years so I know the showing circuit for turnout & making sure the lead is on her nose band. We have been practicing a short individual show based on a figure of 8 with a halt & salute to finish.
I'm just not sure where to be? Do I stand by her shoulder when walking & trotting around or slightly by her head? The lead is always slack as the pony has been used for lead rein before so she knows what she's doing!
Any tips/advice would be appreciated!

 

[minesadouble]

You should be at her shoulder whilst doing your show. When the judge is looking at her conformation you should be at the pony's head to give the judge an unimpeded view of the pony. Good Luck

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The latest trends in Lead Rein Showing:

Culottes or Peddle Pushers
Wilkie Bits
Child holding onto a strap on the front of the saddle
Reins tied in a knot to/taped to said strap
Holding the lead rein in your right hand having wrapped it right up and are leading the pony from the head
The leader showing more extravagent movement than the pony.

Fwiw - I do none of the above, at all, and lead from my left or right hand depending on which side of the pony I am on/how clever I am trying to be with the lead loose.

 

[jakkibag]

As above, but just to add something else to the mix, last year there was a bit of a trend for judges to ask the leader to swap sides and handle pony from the off side, threw a fair few who hadn't practiced and ponies were completely lost, It also means that if you practice handling from the wrong side the ponies don't pre empt the show too much! Lots of practice is def the key, good luck!

 

[minesadouble]

Under BSPS rules reins are not allowed to be attached to the saddle and must be of 'normal' length. Knots in reins (to place the child's hands) are allowed (as are notched reins) occasionally a judge may be asked for knots to be removed.
Strap from D to D on saddle Acceptable if your jockey needs a little help with balance.
Culottes have always been fashionable for LR ( first wore them
With my eldest daughter now aged 21 and still wearing them for my youngest aged 5!)
Wilkies are common but you may win brownie points from certain judges for being in a plain snaffle.
Judge asking you to swap sides - has been going on for a while but usually only at qualifiers or where large numbers forward. Well worth practising though just in case.
Most of the above is only worth worrying about once you affiliate. When starting out unaffiliated just go, watch and learn at the better shows and make sure you and most importantly, your little jockey, enjoy it!!!

 

[Rebecca88]

Thanks guys, it will only be local level this year see how we do.
I have been watching the classes when I've been out at competitions & seen so many leaders doing different things. I've seen some people with the lead short and dragging along and others with it loose. I have been practicing being on the opposite side of the pony so at least I'm doing something right. However my niece when trotting needs to hold onto the saddle to steady her balance (there is no strap it's just the pommel). Although she can rise without holding on to it but her hands go everywhere and it looked untidy.

 

[minesadouble]

If your niece is holding the saddle in trot you may be better off with a strap from D to D as holding the pommel can sometimes tip them forward. You are lucky she is happy to hold the saddle and look tidy. My middle daughter refused to hold the saddle and had reins like washing lines and very wobbly hands!! Luckily her reins were so long she didn't jab the pony's mouth and our little LR is an old pro and happily tolerates the most useless of jockeys
It's always a bonus if your pony will go off a loose lead rein, a lot of the producers do seem to be hanging in a bit tighter than they used to. It's something I don't like to see in a LR class TBH.