Showing Help!!

[BobbyMondeo]

Hi Everyone i need your help!!

I am a complete showing novice. I have no clue what i am doing, i can reel off BD rules to you but showing just shoot me now haha, however I am soon to be buying a coloured youngster with a friend and we would really love to show him inhand and perhaps go to some big shows and qualify for things????

He is black and white, sports horse type to make 16hh.

MY questions are:

1. What to wear??
2. Where on earth to find schedules ect for shows that are near us??

Really looking forward to have a young quality horse and just want to do as much as possible with him as a baby so when we come to riding him hes already been there and done it.

All help and advice is VERY MUCH appreciated

 

[emfen1305]

I am by no means an expert but I've been showing locally for 3 seasons so have picked up the basics! Congrats on your new purchase, sounds very nice and should do well in coloured classes and you could join CHAPS if you wanted to enter their classes at the bigger shows!

In terms of what to wear for you, inhand can be very varied but I always go in my tweed jacket, shirt, tie, dark navy jeans, navy hat, brown gloves, cane and my black jodphur boots,but lots of people wear waistcoats, smart jackets, tweed caps etc. Some people wear beige trousers if their horses have dark legs, i wear dark trousers as my horse has white legs. The horse just needs a smart bridle and whatever bit you want though snaffles or pelhams are the norm! I show in my pelham because I usually chuck a saddle on and do ridden classes plus he is an absolute tank in hand so need the control! I assume given the horses breed, you'll show as a coloured plaited so horse just needs to plaited, feather trimmed and tail pulled.

You could always start with local riding clubs to see what he is like and then some bigger unaff shows and then county level. If you start local you can get advice in a friendly and cheap environment on what shows to take him to and if you register him with CHAPS you can check on their website too (i think! I know they have a list of shows on other societies' websites!)

Good luck and have fun! Be prepared to be placed 1st one week and last another week by different judges, they go with what they like and if they like a hairy trad then you haven't got a look in but I know at county level they split the classes so you'll just be with other types like him! I only show local and i've got to know which judges don't like my lad (he's a strange colouring) so I just don't bother going under them unless it's working hunter as it's a waste of my money.

Like i said, I'm not an expert, just my view on it from local level!