Showing folks - a gallop or extended canter????

T

TequilaMist

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 March 2006
Messages
1,733
Visit site
Was discussing this other day,now working hunter pony/horse know your meant to do a gallop but what about show hunter pony????
Or show pony do they gallop or extended canter there??
Have seen some classes where tbh think they were meaning to gallop but its come out as extended canter - my daughters old pony was one of them.
 
No-one?Mind you maybe worded it wrong.
grin.gif
 
I have known people be placed lower because of a naff extended canter when they really should have galloped. If your horse isn't capable of producing a textbook extended canter then stick to a good gallop
smile.gif
It looks better than what most kids on show ponies try to do, which is to boot the horse with their heels but haul on its mouth to try and get it to 'extend'.
 
It needs to be a controlled gallop, not a full tilt hell for leather foot to the floor job. Come up to the corner before you ask for gallop and start extending at that point, so you have smooth acceleration, then, start slowing down (without pulling for dear life) as you get to the end corner, and slow down gradually. You don't get marks for a 0-60 acceleration - it is showing and has to look beautiful.

Arms, legs (horse and riders!) flying around don't look attractive.

If you have a horse that gives a good gallop, then by all means show it off, but if it is tail swishy or inclined to buck, then just show a little less. Teach your horse (for example) that a tap with the cane on the shoulder on the corner before you gallop means that they need to be ready to extend.

So many people half halt before their gallop, wind the horse up and then fire it off the corner like a bullet!
 
Thanks for replies so usually a good controlled gallop rather than extended but extended if can't do a controlled gallop.
laugh.gif
grin.gif

just one of kids from yard has got show and we were discussing what she was doing in her show.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top