Show Classes for Draft Breed?

[LauraJay]

I was wondering if anyone knows what ridden classes you can enter a draft breed in? My local shows don't have a heavy horse class, so can I enter a cob class or what would people recommended? Viewed a gorgeous Belgian Draft mare this weekend but no idea what I could do with her! Thanks in advance.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I was wondering if anyone knows what ridden classes you can enter a draft breed in? My local shows don't have a heavy horse class, so can I enter a cob class or what would people recommended? Viewed a gorgeous Belgian Draft mare this weekend but no idea what I could do with her! Thanks in advance.

There are ridden heavy horse classes organised by the Shire Horse Society but they are only open to the four native breeds with a minimum of 50% proven pedigree blood. Local level cob classes would be a possibility but in reality a Belgian horse isn't really a ridden show horse of any kind.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

There are Foreign breed classes at some shows, horses have to be registered with their breed society as purebred I have seen classes for ridden heavy horses which were not confined to the British breeds

 

[Kikke]

we take our belgian draft into heavy horse classes. both ridden and in hand. depends on the show. subscribe to heavy jorse world. they have all the heavy jorse shows in their magazine and there are loads!! (not just for the 4 breeds as said above!)

 

[Snowfilly]

I take my Clyde boy in tack and turnout, coloured and veteran classes as well as heavy classes. There's also best rider type things, and he's been pinched by small children before for fancy dress, dissimilar pairs and all sorts of in hand classes which he loves.

Depending on where you live, heavy classes can be hard to find, a lot of them down my way are restricted to shires and others state only British breeds.

Second subscribing to Heavy Horse World.

Or you can do dressage, le trec and hunting like my friend's Belgian! They're very versatile.

 

[conniegirl]

Snowfilly how is your Clyde eligible for the coloured classes, as far as I know the breed doesn't come in piebald or skewbald

 

[Snowfilly]

Conniegirl, he is sabino. The gene is common in clydes and some other British breeds, and in George's case, he is extensively marked bay and white. He passes all criteria for CHAPS markings in terms of white patches, he has four white legs and a pure white belly, a white shoulder and withers, and a white patch extending up to his hip on the other side as well as some smaller splashes of white and a gigantic blaze. The rest of him is a good red bay, with some ticking.

The older heavy horse people will tell you he's roan. A roan is a even mixture of white and any other colour, with dark legs and head. George has distinct patches.

Most coloureds in the UK are tobiano, with the more characteristic solid edges patterns, but sabino is also found in the Arab and welsh, although not often expressed enough to make a coloured horse.

It's also responsible for the 'pure white' clydes which used to be common - they are Sabinos which are one huge white patch and are foaled snowy white. Quite cool!

He's been placed in all his local coloured classes except one with a scary bird in the hedge, and we've never had any quibbles about his colour. The old boys persist in calling him roan, and I don't try to correct them, but I've got his DNA sheet and colour details if we ever have any questions from anyone.

Colours are a pet thing of mine, as you might have guessed!