OK....explain in plain english

N

newtonpark

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WHY a pony shouldn't compete,in showing classes, EVERY week, sometimes twice a week throughout the "summer" season???


i am losing the will to live here, as i'm being portrayed as some kind of monster as my "poor ikkle pony" will just die of exhaustion......

hardly likely, but there you go...
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What - just showing classes? I think I'd be coming out with plain Anglo-Saxon, not plain English!
 
I see no problem, as long as the pony is kept fit - however the pony MIGHT become bored and stale.

Last summer I would have been showing every weekend but the weather was just too bad.
 
My pony also competes virtually every weekend and quite often both days at the weekend. We also travel up to 3 hours away in a day and she thrives on it. Our other two don't go as often but are happy doing what they do.
 
If the pony is fit enough then I dont see a problem at all. I usually compete myself about once a week, have done twice in one weekend before now, and take him to a lesson once a week aswell.
 
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those of you who "know" him/of him..its Boggers...

can't see him keeling over, eh??

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I bet he annoys you too much for you to do that much with him anyway. I give it a month
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i could of quite happily killed the little toad last night out hacking.....

so you are probably right, SC....

a month might be a tad optimistic, eh
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Doesn't harm, friends got a horse both days at city of Swansea, doesn't even go home and goes straight to Bath and West, spending the week at the Royal Welsh.. when I was working one summer with county show ponies we were more on the road than we were at home
 
I always showed my pony every week sometimes twice a week when I was a child. It was brilliant and we both loved it. If there was ever once where I thought he was tired or not up to it, I would have not gone that time. I don't see a problem at all, as long as the pony can cope.
 
I think its all down to the individual horse/pony, the handling and the kind of life they lead in and of course out of the show ring.

If your pony appears to be enjoying life in the fast lane be it showing/jumping/eventing or what ever the chosen discipline, then why not?

A good horseman will know when their horse has had enough and your horse will certainly let you know, its just recognising the signs.

What is the difference between an eventer, a hunter or a chaser to a show horse or pony, they all need working in the week to keep fit, there are all kept fit to cope with what is asked of them...despite coming first or last and they all travel about here, there and everywhere more than once a week!

What I do disagree with, is people that enter practically every class there is at a horse show, you see them on their horses back from 9am to 4pm all day riding about, if their not in the ring, their working in, if there not working in, their off doing a clear round etc etc, horses are not machines and some are very sensitive soles, I'm sure if you always put your horses welfare first before quenching your own thirst to win then your not doing anything wrong and people should mind there own business, unless its blatantly obvious that you are over doing it.
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i compete mine every weekend in the showing classes, however be careful yours doesnt become ring sour. My main one loves the show ring and realyu comes alive in it (sometimes too much). however he will only do 2 ridden classes a day, maybe 3 when he is at his fittest. we dont do inhands and I get off his back as much as possible between classes.

However with mine i do not often travel him that far, 45 mins in the lorry is going to tire him alot less then 3 hours would so you want to limit the long distance shows that you do if you intend to be out every weekend.
 
I don't know much (but I know I love youuuuuuu - sorry! Got carried away there!).

I don't know much, but two showing classes a week is hardly a huge amount of work. Who's saying he'll die of exhaustion? Sheesh! Don't tell them about my poor ickle exmoor, who does 6-8 hours hacking a week in summer, up and down hills. They won't like that!!
 
I cannot see why not, however, I was told that an hour travelling is the equivalent of 3 hours on a hunting field, but I echo what others have said - you know your horse.

On the flip side ( and I am sorry if this sounds harsh) I knew someone that was out at every competition going chasing points for some championship or other and my first thought was pot hunter!

TBH it sounds like petty jelousy.....especially in these times of high fuel costs.

I sincerely wish you luck with this summers show season
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and look forward to hearing the results and seeing some photos
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