Show classes

[Shannon.mc]

I’m 18 years old and I have a 14.2hh pony which I still compete on. At the moment we are doing 70/80cms in working hunter. I stopped doing the pony classes as I was too old for them and started in the horse class which was no problem but I feel awkward surrounded by big 15/16hh horses. Should I go back to the pony’s or stay with the horses?

 

[conniegirl]

If your pony is a purebred registered M&M then you can stay in the pony classes forever.
If your pony is a plaited type then whoever told you that you were to old was mistaken at least when it comes to affiliated classes. The rules for affiliated are:
for the Open working hunter pony classes for ponies exceeding 143cms (14hh) and not exceeding 153cms (15hh) class, Riders are not to have attained their 20th birthday before 1st January in the current year.

For thre Intermediate working hunter classes for ponies exceeding 148cms (14.2hh) and not exceeding 158cms (15.2hh) class, Riders are not to have attained their 25th birthday before 1st January in the current year.

Unaffiliated shows tend to make it up as they go along and if you are to old for thier pony class then you cannot enter it and have to stay in with the big boys.

 

[dorsetladette]

How well are you doing? Are you holding your own against the bigger horses? If you feel your pony is equally matched to your competition then stay where you are. If you feel you or your pony are over faced by any of the fences etc then drop back into the pony classes.

 

[LEC]

it depends how well you want to do. A good big horse will always beat a good little horse. In a horse WH class the judge chooses basically the horse they would most want to go hunting on based on how they have jumped and gone. Your pony would have to knock the socks off the horses to beat them.

 

[rara007]

I doubt at many shows you’ll have a choice, the rules usually dictate what class you’ll be in.