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lelabell

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I am planning on taking my mare to a working hunter show this weekend, it will only be our 2nd time out to a competition. We were going to do the nursery novice (60cm) and the prelim (65cm).
However, I have just found out that the judge will ride in all the classes (didn't say this in the schedule) so I am a tad unsure.

My mare is nervous girl, and although she is a good one, she is wary due to her past. I am only really starting to click with her now after getting her in April. I'm worried that having a different rider on her away at something might be too much for her, but on the other hand it may be really good for her and help her education.

What would you folks do? Would you go or would you hold off until next year.
 
I would get a few friends on her over next day or two and assess her confidence. Any anxiety I would not compete her.

Bear in mind your ride judge could be male and a lot heavier than she is used to. Plus you must not put the ride judge at risk of injury.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I would get a few friends on her over next day or two and assess her confidence. Any anxiety I would not compete her.

Bear in mind your ride judge could be male and a lot heavier than she is used to. Plus you must not put the ride judge at risk of injury.
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She has had my instructor on her and she was very well behaved at home. I may get her out again.

The ride judge is female. She would never do anything untowards, she is just tense.
 
Definitely get a few friends and/or your instructor on her in the next couple of days. Then the judge getting on at the show won't be a shock.

Good luck OP..

Fiona
 
Are you sure that the schedule says that the judge will ride, it would be very unusual at a low level unaffiliated comp. Most judges won't want to risk it! There would normally be a ride judge and a confo judge, so if 2 aren't named on the schedule, I doubt that the judge will ride.

If so, yes get as many people as you can to sit on her in the time before the show.
 
I would ensure she is happy having a rider legged up onto her and to walk away from another horse without being clingy, that is the 'risky' stage for most judges, once the rider is on most horses should be happy to do a simple walk, trot, canter and extension.
When I used to ride judge I sat quietly didn't ask a lot especially in a novice class and only refused to ride one that seriously napped leaving the line up and had already misbehaved with the owner being pulled in last, they were not very pleased when I took it back having failed to get out of walk, it is not the judges job the school the horse and not worth the risk of riding something that is likely to be really tricky.
 
As others have said see if you can get some practice in beforehand with other people, legging up etc. In any event you can go, do the jumping bit see how that goes and take a view on whether to do the ride judge bit or not. You can suss out the judge, see what you think of her riding, see how your horse has gone for you and then decide. Hope you have a good time.
 
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