New Forests in Showing...

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Why do they not seem do to well (in hand and under saddle)??
Everything but NFs seem to be getting the top accolades...though to be fair I think people like the flashier breeds eg welshies and fells etc.?
I mean as an NF owner myself I am obviously biased(!) but I think they are a really lovely breed, particularly the ones born and bred in the national park itself, retaining a nice old fashioned stamp and pretty much able to turn their hoof to anything and with nice movement.
Drove through the New Forest a few weeks ago and saw some lovely little ponies; there was a stunning little bay roan I would have absolutely have taken home there and then had I been able to xD lol
 
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something that seems to be common (or from what I've experienced) is so many judges don't seem to be able to recognize a new forest! I've been told my pony 'is a nice pony but isn't a great example of the [Connemara] breed' when he's a pure nf pony!!
 
nfpony said:
something that seems to be common (or from what I've experienced) is so many judges don't seem to be able to recognize a new forest! I've been told my pony 'is a nice pony but isn't a great example of the [Connemara] breed' when he's a pure nf pony!!
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Do you also do breed only classes with nf panel judges? This would give you a good idea if you do have a good specimen or not, once you have been under a few judges.

That said, unless you are planning on competing at national level, then what does it matter, enjoy your pony :)
 
nfpony said:
something that seems to be common (or from what I've experienced) is so many judges don't seem to be able to recognize a new forest! I've been told my pony 'is a nice pony but isn't a great example of the [Connemara] breed' when he's a pure nf pony!!
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oh my god....i would be so annoyed xD
In fairness I've also got an appaloosa and no one believes me when I say she's an appy as she's "not spotty" when she's a fewspot !
 
Newfies tend to get over shadowed by the Connie's as they are usually in the same classes. A good Newfie is hard to come by though. Same as exmoors.
 
There was around 20 if not more at 3 counties as they split the NF and Connie tickets. Tbh it was easy to see why most are over shadowed in a mixed class, they just don't (and shouldn't to be true to type) have the movement and in a big ring this can equal presence. A number get through in the workers and of recent time Shiraz had a fantastic season a few back.
 
Ah but Connie's never used to have such daisy cutting movement! This has been bred into them and is far from true to type! But it's flashier and that's what the judges go for. Same with the Welsh B's - they have changed dramatically from their breed standard. They are lighter built with a more daisy cutting movement. Same as alot of dartys too to be fair.
 
I'm hoping to do a few workers classes with mine. Do they do it on height or is he automatically a large m&m? I ask because he is only about 13h. I love mine to bits he is so easy to deal with and has a lovely temperament. He has a very nice jump too.
 
zaminda said:
I'm hoping to do a few workers classes with mine. Do they do it on height or is he automatically a large m&m? I ask because he is only about 13h. I love mine to bits he is so easy to deal with and has a lovely temperament. He has a very nice jump too.
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Sadly you have go in with the biggies. I had a 13.2 connie years ago and we had to go in large M&M. Funnily enough a flashy welsh cob always beat us, but I hope things have moved on.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Do you also do breed only classes with nf panel judges? This would give you a good idea if you do have a good specimen or not, once you have been under a few judges.

That said, unless you are planning on competing at national level, then what does it matter, enjoy your pony :)
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no i haven't done any, he's a relatively good example of his breed, but he doesn't have the flashy movement of, for example, the welshies in the m&m classes. which i think is one of the main problems for new forest ponies :)
 
zaminda said:
I'm hoping to do a few workers classes with mine. Do they do it on height or is he automatically a large m&m? I ask because he is only about 13h. I love mine to bits he is so easy to deal with and has a lovely temperament. He has a very nice jump too.
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It depends under which society you jump. NPS/BSPS/normal workers go by height sections of 12hh and under. 12hh-13.2hh and 13.2hh+. Hoys classes go up each hand 12hh and under, 12-13hh, 13-14hh and 14hh plus. So for the most part you'd be in the middle height section which from my bad memory is 2fr6-3ft I think ... Don't quote me on that! It's a long long time since I looked at a workers class!
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Must be a cyclical thing.
Look up Willoway, Fijal, Peveril and Deeracres to name but 4 NF breeders, all had multi prolific winners, not just in hand but ridden and whp too, as well as other breeders like Merrie, Gosden etc too.
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Agree with TFF. I think Highlands seem to be in fashion just now, and sorry to offend half of this forum but they really aren't my cup of tea. And it isn't just NF that confuse judges, our bay Connie is usually thought to be a NF.
 
millikins said:
Agree with TFF. I think Highlands seem to be in fashion just now, and sorry to offend half of this forum but they really aren't my cup of tea. And it isn't just NF that confuse judges, our bay Connie is usually thought to be a NF.
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That's the problem. When you deviate from the colour majority you often get confused for a bad example of something else. Bay connies turn into bad Newfies, grey Newfies turn into bad connies, bay Highlands get confused for Fells, grey fells get called Highlands (Though Murthwaite Windrush is doing a hell of a lot to change that idea!) Chestnut Dartmoors are bad Welsh B's. I think the only ones that don't get mixed up are Shetlands and Welsh. Some of the darker Exmoors and lighter Dartmoors get confused for each other.

You don't see many dun Connies around these days though to be fair.
 
I think a lot of top level showing is like most equine sports dominated by professionals. New Forests are a minority breed and I don't think that many of them are produced or ridden by professionals in the same way as a lot of the other native pony breeds are.

I qualified my new forest for the ponies UK winter champs in hand and ridden and he was the only new forest in the in hand and I think there were 3 in the ridden. There were plenty of Connies and Highlands around. New Forests are very versatile ponies I don't do much showing, I am not very good at it and I like my pony to be quite lean as I think is healthier for him, I prefer Le Trec.

This is my lovely new forest pony at Royal Windsor this year.

Showing is very subjective and even if you have a nice example of the breed, different judges have different preferences. There seems to be a trend for the lighter type of new forest in the show ring so my pony who is more traditional looking does not always do well. He does often get mistaken for a welsh section C as he is quite flashy with his white blaze and socks and he is chunky.

It also seems you have a better chance if you have a stallion or mare than you do with a gelding.

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Pretty much all m+m whp (all the main socs.) split on the hand now- if you fit into 133cm (remember 'show' measuring, so that's without shoes relaxed) novice is around up to 65 or 69 depending on society with intermediate being 75, opens being 80 with 'big' ones being 85. I've done a few my my pally section C so feel free to browse the pictures to get an idea of height. I think being a 'big' 133cm on a pony with a bit of athleticism is one of the easiest/most accessible affiliated heights :)
 
SO1 said:
I think a lot of top level showing is like most equine sports dominated by professionals. New Forests are a minority breed and I don't think that many of them are produced or ridden by professionals in the same way as a lot of the other native pony breeds are.

I qualified my new forest for the ponies UK winter champs in hand and ridden and he was the only new forest in the in hand and I think there were 3 in the ridden. There were plenty of Connies and Highlands around. New Forests are very versatile ponies I don't do much showing, I am not very good at it and I like my pony to be quite lean as I think is healthier for him, I prefer Le Trec.

This is my lovely new forest pony at Royal Windsor this year.

Showing is very subjective and even if you have a nice example of the breed, different judges have different preferences. There seems to be a trend for the lighter type of new forest in the show ring so my pony who is more traditional looking does not always do well. He does often get mistaken for a welsh section C as he is quite flashy with his white blaze and socks and he is chunky.

It also seems you have a better chance if you have a stallion or mare than you do with a gelding.

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Oh this pony looks like my girl! She's smaller and a lighter colour though. How big is your boy?
Shame I'd never be able to do ridden classes with Rosie - not without roller skates anyhow seeing as she's only 12.2hh :P
 
Diva&Rosie'sMum said:
Okay, so thoughts on my mare? True to type? Flashy?
bearing in mind this is her fat, unfit, and on rough ground(!)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3...Oa-4DaZg4tlc7qUUpwU6Gj16uvCo8M5=w1181-h664-no
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Not the best photo to go on but she is very obviously a forester, has a feminine face which is nicer than some mares have but she is not of top show quality, she is what most forest bred ponies are a really decent type that can turn it's hoof to any job and with that strong bum she should jump, I have yet to have a forester that didn't jump extremely well so get her out doing workers where the jumping is the priority.

I used to ride a top new forest stallion, he went champion at county level ridden and in hand, there are still many nice ponies around but they are far less numerous than the connies so do tend to get overlooked by serious amateurs looking for a good pony to show and have fun on, they possibly need to be pushed a bit more, as I mentioned on another thread a few days ago a NF stallion won the Badminton Grassroots final this year proving how versatile they can be.
 
be positive said:
Not the best photo to go on but she is very obviously a forester, has a feminine face which is nicer than some mares have but she is not of top show quality, she is what most forest bred ponies are a really decent type that can turn it's hoof to any job and with that strong bum she should jump, I have yet to have a forester that didn't jump extremely well so get her out doing workers where the jumping is the priority.

I used to ride a top new forest stallion, he went champion at county level ridden and in hand, there are still many nice ponies around but they are far less numerous than the connies so do tend to get overlooked by serious amateurs looking for a good pony to show and have fun on, they possibly need to be pushed a bit more, as I mentioned on another thread a few days ago a NF stallion won the Badminton Grassroots final this year proving how versatile they can be.
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This is actually pretty encouraging lol, I just feel she's bored stuck in a paddock all day every day but she's too small for me to ride too crazy for anyone smaller or younger xD and even if she's placed last it'll be last by a bit not last by a country mile :D (hopefully...) :lol: because let's face it nice as a HOYS win would be not every pony can be that standard :p
 
New Forests do well really, yes they get overshadowed by the Connies in mixed classes but there are a lot doing very well in the workers. A NF won champion flat M&M at HOYS a couple of years back

I do agree with a previous comment though that a good NF is harder to find than a good Connie but they are a very underrated breed

M&M workers classes tend to be split 122cm, 133cm, 143cm and 153cm so if you pony is a true 13hh you'd be one of the biggest in the class but your pony needs to be typey to stand up against the section Bs who do dominate this class
 
Diva&Rosie'sMum said:
This is actually pretty encouraging lol, I just feel she's bored stuck in a paddock all day every day but she's too small for me to ride too crazy for anyone smaller or younger xD and even if she's placed last it'll be last by a bit not last by a country mile :D (hopefully...) :lol: because let's face it nice as a HOYS win would be not every pony can be that standard :p
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Having just seen she is 12.2 if you can find a young, under 12 I think, rider it opens up a load more classes for her at affiliated level she can do the first ridden M&M's plus whatever they call the nursery stakes working classes, they have a height limit of 12.2 and she would be eligible, if you are near enough to go to the breed show there should be plenty there for her as well, just need to search for a rider now.
Get riding her yourself, you are not too big to lightly school and exercise her so she will be good for a capable younger child, I have never known a "crazy" forest pony most are lovely if a little opinionated but no more than most native breeds.
 
My pony is 13.3h so medium sized. I am 5.2ft so on the small size!

I also think Connies are being bred bigger now so you get more 14.2's around which seem to be popular with adults. Average size for NF is 13.2-14h you don't see many at 14.2.

If you don't feel comfortable with a child riding her have you thought of driving, new forests make good driving ponies too.

Diva&Rosie'sMum said:
Oh this pony looks like my girl! She's smaller and a lighter colour though. How big is your boy?
Shame I'd never be able to do ridden classes with Rosie - not without roller skates anyhow seeing as she's only 12.2hh :P
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SO1 said:
My pony is 13.3h so medium sized. I am 5.2ft so on the small size!
I'm jealous, at 5"8 I'd give anything to be able to ride a proper small pony again lol

If you don't feel comfortable with a child riding her have you thought of driving, new forests make good driving ponies too.
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This is a nice idea...didn't think of this, might give long reining her a go and see what she thinks.
 
I would only show a NF mare in NF mare classes.
But working classes are different and I agree with others. If you can find a good rider then do the workers.
 
So1, how lovely to see Homey again! It's been a long time since I've seen him. I was just talking about him the other day when I saw a mare who was just like him, and asked if she was from the Lovelyhill lines as she looked just like a Pony I knew... and it turned out it was from nebo lines and a bad Sec C!! I scuttled away glad that they didn't realise I thought she was a Newfie :D

They do get overlooked in the joint classes, which is a shame but a good judge should know the breed specs. Maybe keep your eyes open for a judge with close ties to the breed if there are no specific classes for NF, Google can be your friend!
 
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