Prize Givings

I have to say at the area festivals my favourite part was cantering around with everyone in the prize giving, Lou was bouncing about but he loved showing off his rosette and I thought it marked the occassion as opposed to just a regular class. I'll be upset if mounted prize givings are no more!
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Archie gets hacked out regularly, goes out in his field regularly and also does jumping. However unfortunately he is the type of horse that is highly strung and the prize givings really excite him. No amount of training is going to make it any different!!

Most prize givings are 8 - 10 riders anyways (not 3!!)
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i love mounted prize-givings. really look forwards to them, but can imagine it would be different if i had a difficult horse. mine doesnt care what the others are doing - prize-givings are the highlight of his year especially if he's out in front! probably comes from his previous life as a show horse though.
 
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but can imagine it would be different if i had a difficult horse..

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Exactly - some horses dont mind certain things, others so and vice versa.

I used to love prize givings with Bloss, even tho she used to rear it didnt bother me. Archie is a million times more powerful than her tho and when he decides he wants to go theres no stopping him!!
 
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Try PC team jumping. 6x4 horses all carreering round the ring, all trying to stay in lines of 4.

The biggest and best I've seen is a PC 3ft team event called Gosling cup, where all participants (this year 92!) stand in a horseshoe shape and walk out as teams to receive their rosettes. No lap of honour though.

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I seem to recall many years ago when I did the Schools Championships at Hickstead ALL the teams went into the International Arena at the same time and they ALL did a lap of honour as well
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It was the highlight of the day for most of us...

On a more serious note though, i'd be a bit worried if dressage horses/riders weren't comfortable or feel able to ride a lap of honour with half a dozen or so other people ! Surely the point of dressage is to teach your horse to be obedient
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Come and try a lap of honour at Towerlands Inter-Nations Show one day.....full pelt around the arena with Queen blasting out at full volume
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its the fact that they can be really dangerous - If one horse exlpodes its likely to set off the others. Its not something you can cure - some horses like them and some dont
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Should have been clearer, they could just have the first 3 that should be safe.
Sorry but I have been around horses for nearly 50 years in competion and I know that MANY off these horses NEVER go out and lead a normal life. They may walk down a track or go in a tiny turn out but loads of them are wrapped in cotton wool and never even do that and if they do go for a ride they are in draw reins for safety.
I know some do have normal lives but a lot don't but I agree that all horses are different and if it is felt unsafe then they shouldn't be made to go in. Just think it a shame for those who love it and the sponsores.
 
Yes i agree - i know that one of the top riders (cant remember which one) dosent have to do prize givings on her horse as it goes completly bezerk - perhaps this is a good solution to people whos horses really dont like it?
 
Well, I can sort of understand a bit of Dutch, and I think Sjef said she was ok but rather bruised and hasn't decided whether to ride in the next competition or not???? But I'm sure someone with better Dutch will tell me I'm completely wrong LOL.

Poor Anky. She's not had the best few weeks.
 
Mmm, I'm not sure which side of the fence I stand on this one! On the one hand I LOVE watching the prize giving at Badminton, especially when they all parade into the arena and then after, when the winner and runners up all gallop around the arena, just fab, BUT,why TF have the bl00dy live band behind all the horses and play the national anthem so that they all kick off?!!!!!! One year I saw a horse rear and fall over backwards, it was quite shocking.
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So Yes to prize givings, no the the bands playing the national anthem at the same time.
 
only been in them at local level, and it's just an accident waiting to happen. Last one there was a girl (who is an absolute pratt anyway) who deliberately winds up her pony, who rears, bucks, kicks out, runs into other horses and just causes chaos, personally don't think she should be allowed on a showground, but even if your horse can behave, it could get hurt by another who can't. It's great when things go OK, but when they do go wrong its dangerous. Thing is, anything could happen anywhere with a horse when you can't control external factors
 
I love being in a mounted prize giving - but then I grew up doing showing so maybe that has something to do with it!
I loved the Petplan mounted prize giving with Diva
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See now I have grown up with prize givings and to be honest either on foot prize givings or none at all (i.e. collect rosette with sheet at end of day!) are just a disappointment.

I think the main problem comes down to horses not being exposed to:

1) standing still in a line with other horses
2) rosettes on their bridles (which may touch their ears)
3) cantering as a group under control
4) noise

Now when I was younger my PC ALWAYS had mounted prize givings and you were disqualified if you did not present yourself for them except exceptional circumstances (lame horse!) and even then you were expected if appropriate to borrow another pony!
My BSJA was the same, you turned up mounted or you didn't get your money/rosette. Granted there was 20-30 absolute max in a class but that made no difference.

Now I have had a variety of horses and ponies from the quiet and sedate to the hot and firey and ALL would stand quietly for a prize giving and were controllable in a lap of honour including when music was blaring and people clapping and often also car horns being hooted! The first few as babies needed careful approach to make it a positive experience but it was never a long term issue. And with one horse who was a bit head shy I just asked to take the rosette before being put on the horse's head and instead attached it to the saddle (stirrup leather hoop thing is perfect).

I have met very few horses who with suitable and sensible exposure cannot cope properly with a prize giving and I would hate to see them disappear.

Even for dressage there shouldn't be an excuse. Half the problem is I believe the lack of prize givings at the lower levels. Yes the classes are often too large but its not hard even for a professional to take the horse out as a 4yo to the odd bit of quiet showing or similar, or even 'fake' some prize givings with about 4 or 5 horses at home.

Hey take it out hunting and that will get it used to cantering as a group
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LOL
 
Off topic but for anyone who can watch the news report of Anky being bucked off....Dont you think Sjef Janssen looks like Tim Stockdale with a Rod Stewart wig on
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I'll disagree, I love prize givings (albeit never been at a big one) and think if you know it will misbehave, certainly ask to go on foot but if you have a calm horse, you should have the oppurtunity,
 
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Off topic but for anyone who can watch the news report of Anky being bucked off....Dont you think Sjef Janssen looks like Tim Stockdale with a Rod Stewart wig on
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There is a certain strange simalarity although I personally find Tim Stockale the more attraticve of the two
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