POY and child show jumpers.

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Clarey100

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I went up to watch the POY show today arriving just as a prize giving was going on. The children are obiviously really high on adrenaline if they are lucky enough to make it through to the prize line up but........... the ponies would not stand, the children were not looking pleased with thier achievements - the sponsors of the class had prizes down to about fifth and adults were given them whilst the kids did there lap of honour. I sat in the crowd watching and overhearing the comments fmade from the adults about the prizes their children had just be given was terrible, they should have been pleased that their child did well and any prize is a bonus!

Not only did i find this bad - but the winner, on the group go round went at a sensible speed BUT then during her individual go round to which they play "simply the best" at an increased volume she went round VERY fast, the pony slipped in one corner and then by the top end of the arena her saddle and rug slipped causing her to fall!! This was the winner - the pony was spooked by its saddle and rug under its belly and took off at speed leaving the child eating the surface rather than celebrating her win! I think this is sad for her - but also dangerous as course builders and large number of arena party were building the next course - what do others think?

A final point - why do children wear spurs when the pony is in a standing and running martingale and pelhams, gags and such like?!?! Of 35 in one class only 2 were in a snaffle and simple running martigale!
Personally i was sad to see this in junior riders!! Any thoughts (sorry its so long but it annoyed me!!)
 
I agree... the other thing that annoys me is so many of their ponies are like launched at the fences- speed doesn't mean a better jump!
Yes there are some cracking pony jumpers, but some are horrible to watch.. its all lean forwards and kick like mad, which just doesn't work.
The ponies are so jittery because of it all...
Its all about having the "in" gear, spurs, gags, martingales, boots- everything, you have gotta have it, and its so un necessary...!
Shame as some lovely ponies are ruined by it all! :(
 
in fact the child you mention was my daughter!!!! and i'm pleased to say neither of them are any the worst for there fright!
she did not go around at an unreasonable speed until the saddle had started to slip the pony in feeling this then speed up and the saddle slipped around causing my daughter no chose than to fall off but no the pony did not slip or fall.. yes.. the pony then ran to the entrance and stood still.
the only reason this happened was the saddle was altered to take the winning rug and we were not told the girth had been changed hence the saddle slip..
this is my daughter's VERY first big show and she has been very nervous through out and also the pony's.. neither have stayed away from home before...this was a class of over 80 children and she had led from the start to the end so yes was on a high...brilliant acheivement for any child not just mine...even more so as she also won the class the day before!!
not every thing you see is as it first appears...sorry this is a long but in this case needed...
oh and by the way the prizes are awesome...in our view anyway..
 
there are some good kids out there, I help out local BSJA in the summer. Though I suspect that those combinations arent necessarily the ones that get to poys as they arent warped speed enough :).

tbf though many of those kids have shown me a thing or 2 about jump offs ;) :)
 
oh yes sorry but on another point she then spent several hours in the horse box in floods of tears because she was so ashamed and embarrased that she had not check her tack herself and had let me her dad and whats worse for her the pony down...and would not be consoled until the vet was called out to check the pony out
 
well said baily, she should be proud that she did so well, and everyone makes mistakes... this whole experience will make her a better and more able horsewoman :)

have you seen unaffiliated showjumping competitions?
or any showjumping competition that involves children... they are on such a high and having so much fun, which i feel is the main thing about riding, the children should have fun.. and then as they grow up they can refine their skills.

do agree children shouldnt wear spurs unless they have a good lower leg

not too bothered about bits and gadgets
by bestfriend is a showjumper and trys her hardest to put her ponys in a snaffle, but sometimes this cant be helped
i rode one once, she was in a vulcanite pelham and standing martingale, which i thought was too much on the flat, but was definitly needed when jumping!
 
On a seperate point, spurs back up leg aids and bits slow the ponies down- seperate uses. Spurs aren't "go faster" aids all the time! A used to compete a little 14hh cob at BSJA stuff, and evented him. She jumped Hen in a cheltenham gag, running martingale and she wore spurs and carried a whip. Why? Because he was a seriously strong little pony who was prone to tanking off and taking advantage of his superioiur strength, but equally she needed something which made him sharper off her leg as he also tended to completely ignore her at times. The result? Lots of success, a happy and safe partnership and a confident young rider (she was only 11/ 12 when she had him).

And baily- well done to your daughter! The saddle-slip happens to everyone at some point and it is so embarrassing. She got some great prizes and lovely rosettes to make up for it though!
 
well done :) i think you shoudnt tar them all with the same brus, yes sometimes the adreniline kicks in and they dont ride responsibly, but most children are very good riders, and respectful of their ponies. i do not agree with spurs, but the bits sometimes are needed as these ponies are often super-wizzy ( seen tixylix anyone).Baily, you should be very proud:)
 
A HUGE thank you for everyone's support!!! We are very very proud parents...the pony is still quite young and in fact only started jumping less than 6mths ago he was found just doing nothing serious in a local field...he has a huge attitude and can buck for britain but they have both worked hard with the flat work and jumping over the winter and started bsja only 5 shows ago..and this is his 5th show!! He has already gone from a JD to a JC and is being taken very slowly because we think he may have a brilliant future in front of him...
To attend theses shows as we have found is a very hard on both there nerves...but to get placed would have been great but to win two out of two is just awesome for any child...
but again thank you to everyone for the lovely comments
 
QR

Although in my experience, they are few and far between, a true rider who has carefully brought on a pony with due consideration for flatwork and the pony's welfare and comfort deserves success.

It cannot be bought. Brief flirts with success can, certainly, but not consistent and progressive success.

There is also, it has to be said (again!) much kicking and pulling and precious little in the way of proper riding going on across the levels, and nothing in the way of consideration for ponies between rounds/classes and the interminable waits at shows.

I can't bear to see ponies and horses ruined and 'trampled' by rosette-hungry individuals.

May I offer my congratulations if you have managed this win by 'doing it properly'.
 
firstly don't know what QR is at the top of your replay means

This is my daughters second problem pony we have taken on...both having Major quirks when we have got them her first a 12.2 coloured gelding out of the knackers lorry as it was deemed dangerous for anyone to ride i took it one to break to harness as its last chance..three years later it has been sold to a tiny kid and is well placed on the bsja circuit and eventing and hunts like a dream...many many hours were spent both on the ground and ridden getting this pony back up to this level
this pony at poys now...is a well established bucker and not little fly bucks proper rodeo when he throws the dummy out the cot!
he is now eventing at be level and just coming on to the bsja circuit...many hours have been spent getting the flat right as i grew up with one of the best teachers i could ever have wanted drumming it in to me if you haven't got the flat you will never keep the jump!!
our ponies are treated to the highest standards and not left for hours and hours tied up to boxs or in stables tacked up between rounds...
his future is always in our minds as we take him through the levels...
 
My aim was to get my pony to JA level when i was younger (were talking 20 yrs ago now :o) but pony had other ideas :rolleyes: We stayed at JD :D But even back then the difference between some of the kids and myself was crazy!

I hate to see spoilt kids wacking their poor ponies for mistakes that they themselves made :confused: spurs on, standing martingale and american gag :confused: But having said that there are loads of kids that have fab attitudes and are a pleasure to watch.:D Same as the adults really, there are some awful examples for the kids to follow :(
 
baily said:
firstly don't know what QR is at the top of your replay means

This is my daughters second problem pony we have taken on...both having Major quirks when we have got them her first a 12.2 coloured gelding out of the knackers lorry as it was deemed dangerous for anyone to ride i took it one to break to harness as its last chance..three years later it has been sold to a tiny kid and is well placed on the bsja circuit and eventing and hunts like a dream...many many hours were spent both on the ground and ridden getting this pony back up to this level
this pony at poys now...is a well established bucker and not little fly bucks proper rodeo when he throws the dummy out the cot!
he is now eventing at be level and just coming on to the bsja circuit...many hours have been spent getting the flat right as i grew up with one of the best teachers i could ever have wanted drumming it in to me if you haven't got the flat you will never keep the jump!!
our ponies are treated to the highest standards and not left for hours and hours tied up to boxs or in stables tacked up between rounds...
his future is always in our minds as we take him through the levels...
Click to expand...

QR = question reply :D The reply would have been to original question not yours :)
 
QR actually stands for QUICK reply - by putting it you mean that you are not just singling out the post of the person above you to reply to, but are just putting your views in to all :)
 
thank you for the QR meaning...clears that up...
Any way pony and child came 12th today...just rolled a pole in the jump off and had the fastest four faults...so really pleased with them both...12th out of almost 100 aint bad..
she is feeling very nervous about the grand prix tomorrow...but as long as they both have fun and finish safely i don't care if there placed or not its just been a fab weekend and we have all had fun and learn't alot
good luck to everyone else taking part in whatever event there doing this weekend
 
Bravo on your daughters win Bailey - you must be chuffed for her. hope she is okay after her fall, tell her it's nothing to be ashamed of, happens to the best of us!
 
I went to get on Belle the other day and the saddle slipped... I had checked the girth about 30 seconds before but obviously not well enough! Luckily only my mum was watching :P Horse wasn't too impressed though!

I too hate a lot of the gadgets to do with tack which seem sometimes to be there just because it's the fashion. If I'm honest I'm clueless about most of it, so I can't be too opinionated, but although I'm sure much of it is necessary I'm almost certain that some of it isn't. When we got Belle she was in a running martingale and flash with a dutch gag. Kept the tack the same to begin with but have now got rid of the flash which has made no difference, the martingale is unnecessary (at least for what we're doing now) but instructor suggested I keep it for the time being as the neck strap is handy and as for the dutch gag, we use it on the snaffle ring.

I keep seeing flashes everywhere! I think I would always try to have my horses in the most simple tack possible, though I appreciate sometimes horses do need the 'extras'.
 
Don't worry baily, sideline riders are always better than those in the ring ;) just like the ones who sit on this forum whilst Olympia and HOYS is on and rip the competitors to shreds because they could do so much better...

Congrats to your daughter and pony, and to you! Good luck in the Grand Prix - tell her to pretend she's in a lesson ;)
 
i went to poys last year and my gosh is there some competition between the riders so to get placed is a big achivement a the ponys that go that have been passed down are phonomanal
yes ther are bad riders and some top future stars there usally with passed down ponies but to have a pony that has only been doing it for 5 month or a year and winning wow how i would love that so well done !
about the attire the horse wears well yes i agree some off them are over bitted and held down but it usally shows that they have a pony that is "usally" too much for the child:( but then again some ponies need it!

so i would love to be on ponies and have the chanch to do all thease shows again pluse snr the people are so much nices not so many over ambitious perants uying there selfs to the top insted of working your way there!
 
As a recently promoted bsja parent - we're on horses now tho son should still be on ponies but is v tall - I think that it is very easy to be judgmental about children, ponies and tack. Most of these kids are brave and gutsy, trying their best for fun and success in a difficult and competitive sport.

The fact that early in the thread a poster commentated that at POYS only 2 ponies were in snaffles and running martingales says more about the type of pony needed to be successful, ie quick thinking, fast, and often sharp than bad judgments about schooling routine, tack or riding ability. We owned over the years about 8 138's and 148's and only two were ridden in a snaffle. Of these one had no success at all as he just wasn't forward thinking enough and the other was a top JA who could buck. The rest, the majority we had success with, did not go in snaffles but won rosettes and did not make son into a bad rider.

One JA we had was a dirty rascal and could switch from behind the leg - spurs needed despite hours of work on educating him to the leg at home - to cocking his jaw and p&%$$ing off and so a snaffle wouldn't do. He was awkward but talented and taught son a lot and did not make us bad owners or son a rough rider by the spurs/bit combo.

Baily - can I add my congratulations to your daughter on her success. To win at POYS is a huge achievement and she and you should be very proud of her and her pony.
 
Sometimes the spurs are needed for steering rather than speed

Well done on the win, I would be absolutely bursting with pride if that was my child!
 
QR

THe original poster has clearly never been at POYS level!! Or ridden difficult ponies!!!

For the most part, some of them simply do need spurs, the height and speed these guys need to achieve to even be in with a remote chance is way beyond most competition.


Some of these ponies may look like point and push but I can assure you a lot of them know the ropes and also now how to throw a stop, or maybe take the mickey in another way!!

Maybe they would go just as well without gadets, but until you are in the position of some of these kids, I wouldnt comment!! Having spent a lot of time around someone who didnt even get to that level....but had a string of ponies that jumped at similar level, those ponies needed brakes quickly for the turns they had to perform and also needed back up for mini riders to ensure they got over the fences. The ponies are mini grand prix horses that work in precision a lot of the time!
 
Baily - huge congratulations to your daughter - you must be incredibly proud :)

No one wins at this level without a lot of hard graft behind the scenes. I really think that these kids deserve recognition, its bloody hard to ride a sharp pony when you are a little stick insect yourself and simply for that reason, spurs and stronger bits are often needed. I would much rather see a strong bit with soft hands than a kid tugging and pulling on a snaffle without effect.

Good luck for tomorrow :)

Is there anyway we can see coverage of this event?
 
QR

It seems very easy to forget childhood, can everyone think back to their pony days, for just one moment?
My mum has constantly told me throughout the years as I have teased her for being a wuss and boring, that as age comes, so will the need to slow down and evaluate.
I am 20 and starting to understand where she is coming from.
I was never good enough for POY, and as a child was more focussed on mounted games, a sport revolved around speed at the level I played to. I didn't get too technical at 12years old because a child's ability to see a stride is obviously going to fall short to that of an adult.
These children have done incredibly well to get through to POY, if I had achieved that I would be excited to have a lap of honour, and I too have a displeased look on my face when my horses won't stand still- it's always going to be annoying, whether you have won the class or not...
 
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