Showing a horse with splints

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Erehwemos

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It's been a long time since I've done any showing (like, 15 years
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) I've only done one (disastrous) show with Ellie, and vowed I'd never taken her again....

BUT - there is a lovely show on next weekend with a fair few classes I could do with her - Best Riding Club Horse, Horse Most Suited To Rider, Best Condition etc - so I am hoping we may be able to go along. Gives us the chance to spruce up for once - I miss not going off to shows every weekend
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The only thing that is bothering me is the fact that she has splints on both forelegs
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She did them earlier this year, larking around in the field, and obviously they are still slightly visible and certainly there to touch. Are the judges likely to laugh at us, even at local level? I know that splints are highly unfavourable at county level, but as this is just a local show I was hoping they may be overlooked!

I once saw a horse win a Best Condition Class with a cough - I kid you not - capped hocks and huge scars on its knees - so maybe I'm worrying over nothing?

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You should not be marked as harshly for ridden classes for splints as you would be for in-hand classes.

At local level they will more than likely not be taken into consideration. My last Welshie had splints on both forelegs and won ridden and in hand M&M classes at local level, so just go along and enjoy it.
 
Thank you both, that's quite reassuring!
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It's not like I have any hopes of even taking home a rosette - Ellie and I are notoriously awful at showing - but it would be just fun to have an outing, and I didnt want to throw away my money if we'd be laughed at for having slightly lumpy legs!!!
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George has splints on both forelegs and small windgalls on his back and earlier in the year we did an unaffiliated show and were placed in the working hunter and riding club horse - if we can do it you really should be fine!
 
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George has splints on both forelegs and small windgalls on his back and earlier in the year we did an unaffiliated show and were placed in the working hunter and riding club horse - if we can do it you really should be fine!

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Ah ok - thank you!
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It's just there's a lady on my yard who shows to a high level and wouldnt DREAM of entering a horse with splints, so it got me panicking, you see....

I'm bonkers for even thinking of going - our last Riding Horse class was a disaster
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Ellie looks beautiful in walk and trot, but her canter is utterly horrendous - it just so happened that the judge (big 6ft tall man) wanted to ride them all and she went round the ring star gazing
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I'm hoping we might be ok with Riding Club Horse....
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All the classes you mentioned are performance classes so I doubt anyone will be bothered about splints. Even in higher level WH classes they don't bother too much because as long as they're sound, jump well and are sane then they're good hunters! Things like best conditioned too, they could be as ugly as sin but as long as they're looking the best they can and healthy it doesn't matter! lol Not that Ellie is though! Always thought she was very pretty
 
Some judges will overlook them even at top level. They should definitely be overlooked in best condition, best suited etc and probably the others as well, so defo go for it.
 
Im had a mare who had splints and did very well in affiliated ridden and inhand part bred arab classes. Just go for it. If two horses of equal merit were infront of a judge then the one without splints would probably be placed higher. Certainly worth a try though.
 
Hi, at local level it wont really matter, most judges at local shows dont all know what they are looking at anyway! and they aren't allowed to touch your horse anymore, so you dont need to worry about that, unless they are wopping big ones that are really sticking out then they probably wont mark you down much, as you've said county level they are a big no no, but county is judged a lot more on confirmation.
 
I used to show my Old boy at county level with splints the judges never said anything about it and he was always at the top end of the ribbons. Go have fun dont take the killer rabbit!
 
Oh thanks everyone for your replies, we are defo going to go for it!
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I cant wait - it's been years since Elz was last plaited up
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Sally - OH and I let the buns loose in his garden last night; we managed to catch Carlo just fine, but Monte decided to re-enact the Killer Bunny sketch from the Holy Grail and was lunging and leaping from one of us to the other! I think he knows his power
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LOL
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