Please give me some confidence re: taking the youngster to her first inhand shows

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Hi all,

Having complete breakdown about taking youngster to some inhand shows. Shes 11months, I wanna take her but what if she messes around? If I can't control her? Will everyone be horrid or understanding?!?!

Eeeek =[

Tell me your horror stories of showing and make me feel better!

Hannah xx
 
Sorry to disappoint you but my lad (he was 3 but unhandled when I go him) behaved impeccably as his first show. Just soaked up the atmosphere and had a good nose around. It was a quiet show though.

Bet your girly is going to be a lot easier then you are imagining! Positive thinking remember, they pick up on your vibes! :D
 
It will be fine!!!

You just have to bite the bullet and do it. The only way she'll learn is by going to shows so the more you go to the better! I've found the only people who judge you are the ones who haven't been in your position, so who cares what they think!

Have fun and Good luck :-)
 
Eek thanks =] I'm sure she'll be ok, she can just be such a handful when she wants to be! I'm so sure I'm going to be the nutjob being dragged across the school with her face in the sand, or the one that doesnt really understand whats going on and turns the wrong way or trots and the wrong time!!!!
 
I took my horse to a show at the start of May. As it was her first show in 2 years, and only her second ever show we'd actually entered classes in, I figured we'd just do the veterans in hand class (she was started very late, so our first ever showing classes have been veterans!). There were three horses. One was well behaved, nothing spectacular but walked when he was supposed to walk, stood when he was supposed to stand etc. He came first. The pony that came second behaved reasonably respectibly, until it came to the individual trot up, when he broncked down the ring (luckily as he was only about 11hh, it didn't cause that much of an issue for his handler). My mare passaged the entire time she was supposed to be walking (wish I could get her to do it when I'm riding at home!), indispersed with some spinning and bellowing for her fieldmate, then wouldn't stand still at all! The moral of this is...with age does not come good behaviour apparently!

(Judges comment was she was very nice, but we should work on 'settling' her!)
 
We took her to another show last weekend. We weren't eligible for the veterans this time, so we just did a couple of the novelty classes while my friend did some jumping.

There was some improvement (jogging but no passaging this time, and she'd stand still for up to 10 seconds in between spinning, though only facing away from the judges sadly!) in the 'prettiest mare' so we got a 'special' :D rosette, cos they said she was very pretty but too much of nonce to place, while being fair to everyone else! Am glad to see its being recognised that my horsie is indeed slightly 'special' ;)

What classes are you entering? If the show has an novelty ones, I'd go for them, because they really are just for fun/ experience, so no one should really mind if your horse prats around a bit!
 
There arent very many novelty ones that i can see, but goig to take her to best youngster and prettiest coloured etc. I genuinely dont care if we come last!!!! I just want to get her out and about and show off my hard work - 3 months ago she was an almost completely unhandled youngster!
 
This time last year my daughter had just got a new two year old gelding. He was very nervous and was only halter broken . We wanted to take him to a County show which gave him six weeks to settle him in to his new home, learn to trust us and teach him as much as we could to be shown in hand. We took him to a local show first and he behaved much better than we imagined. At the County show he was fine, a little on his toes as you would expect but nothing out of control. He did'nt get placed but we were just pleased that he behaved so well. He is at the "ugly duckling" stage now and has a lot of growing to do so we won't show him this year but I hope he will have a positive memory of the shows he did. I'm sure you will be fine enjoy your day.
 
I would just take her with the intention of doing one class, make sure you allow plenty of time for loading and getting there, get her ready in the lorry / trailer (i.e put her bridle on)and give her plenty of time to settle once there, before her class.

I gave my boy some magic calmer before his first show and he handled it all really well. I did chose a really small show as his first - there were only 5 in his class but it was worth it for the good experience.
 
I was planning to take her to only one class, there are some that are at 9am so before it all kicks off, and i thought i'd take her there and come home straight after so its not too busy!

Hmm I was considering giving her a calmer, but i dont want to in case she doesnt need it...but then, if she does, it'd be too late! Aaaaaaah!
 
I'm sure even she does muck around a little, she won't be first or last to do so, particularly in the youngsters class. Frankly, so long as she's not dangerous to you/herself/anyone else then piffle to what anyone else thinks about you! I don't know about those watching, but I've found at the couple I've been to, the ring stewards and judges have been lovely, and really understanding that they'll be a bit antsy if its all new to them.
 
Aww thanks guys =] going to take her up to the school tomorrow when the yard is closing down so that she can experience being around other horses that arent her usual friends! And if shes well behaved then I'm just going to go for it! If shes a nightmare from the minute we unload her, then i'll just walk her around and put her back on and take her home, but i just want her to be good! thanks guyyyss xxxx
 
I have a 2 year old colt, brought him last sept and took him straight out to show and he was so quiet, taken him to about 6-7 others since and his behaviour has been getting worse each time. Its probably more to do with the time of year and that his b*lls have kicked in! anyway did the suffolk show yesterday and he was so naughty at one point nearly landed on the judge! bit me the whole time and wouldn't trot he either reared or cantered but I still came 3rd out of 10! I really couldn't believe it. Judge said she really liked him but he was rather over the top so she couldn't move me up but to be honest I expected to come last he was that bad! with youngesters people expect a bit of it, its the only way for them to learn. Its all new and rather exciting!

Sure your filly will be completely fine, if your worried get there early let her settle next to box for a bit and then a short lunge.

Wasn't trying to put you off but wanted you to know that it happens with youngstock and wouldn't take any notice of what anyone else thinks if your horse is excited! :D
 
Aww no thanks Dommy its nice to hear that nobody has been chased off the arena with pitchfork-wielding judges!!!!! =[
 
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