Showing a Native at the highest level-pics needed

shadowboy

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2006
Messages
4,754
Visit site
I have shown hunters at large shows before, and have groomed for a show rider at a number of shows but not Natives - Howie has done some county shows but we have some BIG shows like the Three Counties and Royal Welsh coming up and I need some pics of the correct standards. He will be in the 2/3 year old in hand.

Also does anyone have pics of men's attite in the show ring as the OH is showing him as he's not too strong/fast for me. Thanks
 
Tweed jacket, shirt tie, light or dark coloured trousers - opposite colour to ponies legs, smart shoes or boots that you can run in. Hat - either flat cap or trilby style. Brown leather gloves. I'll go see if I can find a pic for you.
 
Tweed jacket, shirt tie, light or dark coloured trousers - opposite colour to ponies legs, smart shoes or boots that you can run in. Hat - either flat cap or trilby style. Brown leather gloves. I'll go see if I can find a pic for you.
OH has all this stuff thankfully- but I think we were wondering the level we need to put into his and pony's turnout- will I need to 'make-up' Howie? How trimmed should he be - i know they are 'au-naturel' but having seen some at shows they are sometimes very tidied looking.
 
The photo of Hollybrooke Rambler is a good one to use as a guide, they were supreme champion at NF Breed show last year. Also google Mallards Wood Goddess (also regular winners/champions in hand at this high level) and look at the photos, she is also owned/shown by a man, he usually wears a flat cap though. Equally a bowler hat is worn by some men showing foresters at County level, although not always. So whatever you have really.
 
An in-hand bridle with a discreet bit is correct for the pony. Forester's tend to be shown with pulled manes and lightly pulled and trimmed tails. No quarters markers. You can use as much coat shine, chalk, hoof oil as you like. If you are going to enhance his eyes and muzzle with baby oil then do it discretely - no need for panda show pony eyes lol!

Whiskers can be trimmed off and ears trimmed flat, some people also trim the feathers off but that is optional.
 
Whiskers cannot be trimmed off - see rule 1 on the breed society website

"Ponies are shown unplaited, but may have lightly pulled manes and tails. The jaw line and heels may be trimmed, but the whiskers should be left untrimmed."

Whiskers can be trimmed off and ears trimmed flat, some people also trim the feathers off but that is optional.
 
Me, I don't trim my ponies whiskers and he is very whiskery and does not disadvantage him at all - what is the point of there being breed society rules if people don't bother to respect them?

Show me someone who adheres to rules :D
 
Rules are there to be broken. Just look at the Welsh pony people - they clip foals for heavens sake!

At the end of the day the choice is yours, if you leave them on and he does well then great, if you think they disadvantage you then take them off. You can always play it by ear and see what happens.
 
This is a head shot of my pony, I don't trim his whiskers and although he has long whiskers and as you can see from a distance you can't see them. As far as I am aware he has never been disadvantaged by having whiskers. He also has feathers and his mane is only lightly pulled.

I like to try and keep him within the breed standard rules, if your pony is good enough then you do not need to break the rules to do well.

I have done some county shows with him but the photos were not so good.

There are some people with foresters who also show them in non breed classes so perhaps they trim the whiskers for those classes where whisker trimming is expected.

show1.jpg
 
Last edited:
He's lovely. really nice face :) Howie has done really well at area shows and some smalled County shows/1 day agri shows but never done a 3 days agri show before. I have no idea how much higher the standards are for this so just searching for tips and advice.
 
You will often find the same people are at the county shows, areas shows and the bigger shows especially if they are also qualifiers. However it may also depend on the judge too, my forester seems to do far better when the judge is a someone who breeds foresters.

I imagine at the Royal Welsh there will be a lot of welsh experts so they may not be so knowledge about foresters?
 
Last edited:
I very much agree with SO1 about the trimming. I too show at this level and keep whiskers on, they have them for a reason ;)

That must be a new section at the RW as ive not seen mixed MandM in hand there before :)

Good luck :)
 
Top