Showing... Love it or Hate it?

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Carrots&Mints

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Is there anyone on here that actually likes showing? Everytime I see a thread about showing there like 1 positive comment and 100 negative comments.

So what do you like best or not like at all about showing?

Cheers :)
 
I love showing.

It is very subjective in many ways, but I actually like that because it adds that bit of excitement to it - will the judge like your horse or not type of thing.

I have found that there is a drop in the standard of dress at local shows now though, compared to years ago. You didn't see people enter rings dressed in jeans and trainers back then, and if you did, they certainly didn't get placed. That seems to have changed now, which really gets on my goat.
One thing I don't like about showing my mare is that I can't tie her to the lorry as she is a nightmare, so I end up being stood all day without a break to sit down/have a rest. :-(
 
Moomin1 said:
I love showing.

It is very subjective in many ways, but I actually like that because it adds that bit of excitement to it - will the judge like your horse or not type of thing.

I have found that there is a drop in the standard of dress at local shows now though, compared to years ago. You didn't see people enter rings dressed in jeans and trainers back then, and if you did, they certainly didn't get placed. That seems to have changed now, which really gets on my goat.
One thing I don't like about showing my mare is that I can't tie her to the lorry as she is a nightmare, so I end up being stood all day without a break to sit down/have a rest. :-(
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Yes I feel your pain, my 2 year old goes beserk when left alone so I have to stay in the wagon with him wilst the other pony is showing.

Also, at the local shows your correct about the showing attire. Theres a lady who shows her Arab in jeans and a t-shirt and looks scruffy. Shame!! :(
 
I don't dislike showing as such, but what I do dislike is you either have a horse that will do well at shows, or you don't. It's not something you can work on and improve, like with other competitions, if your horse is back at the knee, or has a blemish for example, that's it, he won't make a show horse.

Oh and the subjectivity annoys me, but then I compete in dressage so can't really judge :p
 
Pigeon said:
I don't dislike showing as such, but what I do dislike is you either have a horse that will do well at shows, or you don't. It's not something you can work on and improve, like with other competitions, if your horse is back at the knee, or has a blemish for example, that's it, he won't make a show horse.

Oh and the subjectivity annoys me, but then I compete in dressage so can't really judge :p
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Could always show in equitation ;) lol. But yes I know what you mean by you either have the horse or you don't.
 
Pigeon said:
I don't dislike showing as such, but what I do dislike is you either have a horse that will do well at shows, or you don't. It's not something you can work on and improve, like with other competitions, if your horse is back at the knee, or has a blemish for example, that's it, he won't make a show horse.

Oh and the subjectivity annoys me, but then I compete in dressage so can't really judge :p
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Sorry Pigeon, but I think you could be wrong. To successfully show horses you need to have an excellent eye to find a nice horse in the rough and produce it correctly. They are not born show horses.

The horse below was a working showjumping stallion until he was 8. He was then spotted by an Olympic dressage rider and imported to the UK to become a dressage horse. He was gelded and was winning BD elem when I bought him as a 10 year old as a dressage horse for myself. I like showing (not local unless baby horse education) but I had been unable to find what I wanted, my preference is heavyweight show hunters, so I decided to give up showing and stick with dressage.

This gelding moved nicely but was never going to the top as a dressage horse because he does not have the big warmblood paces, he was also blemished. I thought he might be good enough to make a worker or a flat horse at countryside shows rather than County.

We messed around with him and it soon became obvious why his showjunping career had ended and why he was never going to make a worker. He was a nappy b with a fearsome ability to drop his shoulder. His dressage kept improving and as he muscled up I realised he would show. He won his first two novice classes age rising 14. His age was never put in the catalogue and my rider always said he didn't know how old the horse was if asked. The following season we took him into open classes at the early Hunter Show at Addington, 15 years of age and 2 career changes and an ex stallion. He won the open and took the championship. We never looked back for the next 2 years and it was an unbelievable experience to have a amateur produced horse competing with and beating the professionals. He took us to places I could only dream of, evening championships, Hoys, RIHS. Much treasured memories now but I loved every minute of it.

With the right horse showing can be lots of fun, but I do think many people under estimate how much work and schooling has to go in to produce a decent horse and then get disappointed when the horse cannot compete against a well schooled/produced horse.


At the very top it can be 'if your face fits', although I do think that is improving gradually. I was approached by a very well known producer who asked if I would like to place the horse with him ( my lad has just stood 2nd to the producer). The producer assured me my horse would win with him on it. Thought provoking comment to say the least.



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Hate it hate it hate it,
One summer enduring it was enough its the only equestrian pursuit I just don't get , there are things I don't do but I understand why others do but showing, no cant see the point at all.
 
Both!

I had never done a show until I met Moomin1 who is a bit of a showing addict! Thought it would be a good opportunity to get my youngster out to a show environment etc
I'm quite hooked now and thoroughly enjoy the day.
The only thing I don't like is the bathing and keeping clean :(
 
Love it. I compete mainly at local level, and the low standard of turnout does bug me, but on the plus side, I do often hear judges giving good advice to competitors on what they can do to improve the overall picture. Sometimes thus can be as simple as wearing gloves or tying long hair up - after all, it is the place to learn.
 
To be fair to it, the vast majority of threads on here complaining about showing are from people who have taken it up at local level, and local level showing can be very subjective, the equestrian world moves in very small circles and that is often highlighted in smaller shows.

That isn't meant as a snobby comment at all. I think the idea behind the local show is great and if it worked how it was originally intended it would encourage a lot of leisure riders who wouldn't usually be interested in competition, it can also provide a good starting place to get into showing. But it tends to host a lot of people not properly placed to be judging classes, biased judges, pot hunters and generally the worst kind of horsey people! I have really enjoyed the bigger shows, and I really enjoy the atmosphere.

I wouldn't be one for buying out of the HOYS ring, as AA says it is about finding the diamond in the rough and watching them progress - whether they are in the ribbons or not bringing a horse from the bogs of Ireland to the county ring is a very fulfilling feeling.
 
Love it! Love the bitchyness, the face judging, the ring craft, the knowledge of a job well done when you beat the producers, the gossiping, the laughs and most importantly - laughing when the judge places exactly who you thought they would! Can't beat it!

I have many fabulous showing animals. My 2 big horses were both racehorses in a previous life and whilst they bear the scars from that they do do well against other breeds and in hunter/riding horse classes.

The natives are another thing entirely. The shetlands are the stocky but leggy type suitable for ridden duties and some judges love that, others hate it. My fell is the same, more athletic and less elephant like. My Dartmoor is fab - its just a shame he is a pain the backside for almost everything!

As AA says you really need an eye for a good horse and to see it's potential. If you want to do showing then there is no point in going out and getting a blemished/badly conformationed horse and you quite simply will not do well. If your going to do it then you may as well go all out and do it properly!

My absolute pet hate is people thinking that they can rock up to a show *cough*ROR Classes*cough* and think they can just play follow my leader. It's rude and disrespectful to the judge for a start, it holds everyone else up, annoys me and makes you look like an eejit. Your not going to go to a dressage competition and say to the judge - "sorry, never done this before, never learnt a test or watched any so I am just going to go into the arena and do a few things and you can mark me on that, Ok?" if your gonna go showing then at least spend even just 5mins finding out what you are supposed to do and how you are supposed to dress before you even go let alone enter the ring!

Rant over :D
 
I love the idea, i.e getting all dolled up etc but when I get there I hate it, had it on my bucket list to compete with the nag in a hack class and BTO (before I had her, all she did was showing and was quite successful) went to said show, BTO was said to start around 1pm, however due to numbers in the in hand classes, ridden classes didnt start till 4pm and hack class was about 7pm! Anyhow got a 5th and 6th for my troubles but defo not again! :(
 
Some great replies :) my favourite bit about showing is getting to know the horses/ponies and their riders and also the traveling all over the country (I go with my friends 13hh SHP for the RI and HOYS qualifiers) and meeting new people and also seeing new places. Also pet hate is watching kids kick kick kick their ponies in the ring all the time and ill fitting jackets and incorrect tack! But everyone has to start somewhere :)
 
Love love love it.
Amazingly my completely non horsey OH 'I don't get horses/showing/waste of money' now loves it so much we've just got another to show - how lucky am I?
Love the atmosphere and must agree with EKW down to a T with everything said!
 
Love it, its what I've always done with ponies. We have welshes and the highlight of our season was our colt winning his class at the royal welsh. Nothing better than getting a foal and producing it and bringing it out as a yearling. Currently have 3 nice foalies.
 
Love it,love it , love it. nothing else comes close to the thrill of a rosette from a big show. thats not to say its easy or unbiased or totally frustrating at times , but my dream life would have been as a pro show rider
 
I do wish I had the horse to make it big in showing, but as much as I love him...with all his scars, his wonky face and odd neck...it's just not going to work!


I do, however LOVE showing local level and just going in for fun :) We came 5th out of 8 (I think) and it was the best day ever! So long as he's good and tries his best, I just love it :)

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Chan said:
I do wish I had the horse to make it big in showing, but as much as I love him...with all his scars, his wonky face and odd neck...it's just not going to work!


I do, however LOVE showing local level and just going in for fun :) We came 5th out of 8 (I think) and it was the best day ever! So long as he's good and tries his best, I just love it :)
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and that is just what owning a horse should be all about.
 
AdorableAlice said:
and that is just what owning a horse should be all about.
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Exactly! Where I live is very clicky and local competitions are all the same faces. I have one friend whom I drag along as my 'groom' and she is the only person I know. She seems to know everyone at every show while I enjoy taking out my horse showing. Wether we come first or last I enjoy the dressing up and making him sparkle. I don't socialise or get chatting to anyone there as all I'm interested in is having a good day out with my huss. My horses are my escape and it's exactly how I intend it to stay.
 
AdorableAlice said:
You should be proud of what you achieve, your honesty and your lovely horse. Good luck for next season, have fun.
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Even more blushing!!
Thank you :) I really hope he'll be good to go. Vet is coming this thursday (was meant to be last thursday, but couldn't make it) to confirm that I can ride him again! I'm also hoping to get a trailer soon so I can really get out there with him :D
 
Hate it! Last time left a really bad taste - the judge was so rude, not just to me either, one girl was in tears and he seemed to find it amusing to insult ponies
in front of "his" ringside audience, he was a total disgrace. I paid to enter the class for experience for the pony, not to be insulted and loudly told my pony was
"deformed" he really did think he was witty, I said "thankyou for your opinion but I am not staying to be insulted so I am am leaving the ring now and thankyou for your time" He
grabbed the pony and told be no way was I leaving his ring without his permission and to get back to the line up! Well, me being me and these days I will not be bullied, told him to get his hands OFF my pony NOW in a firm but quiet and sinister voice and that it was against the law to hold people against their will!!!!!!! I look back now and think it was very funny, his face was priceless - he had been a total BIATCH all day (I saw as I had been watching classes all morning) and was obviously getting a kick out of being rude and quite nasty...one girl couldn't get her pony to trot, so he bawled her out....another said her pony was fed up - Judge replied so am I......he was shocked that I stood up to him. I also made a written complaint to the secretary and to the panel he judges on.

It has left a nasty taste.....I used to like showing but now the more I think about it the less I can be bothered with it, I will not show again unless I get another youngster as one plus point of showing is that it is a brilliant experience for young horses, so in that case I would grin and bear it.....
 
What a horrible judge! Did you ever get his name?

When me and Merlyn did out very first show together, we had this stupid young man for a judge who ha obviously only just finished his probation and he kept on doing this stupid poses whilst looking at the horses. Me and Merlyn were placed at the bottom of the line up and he didn't even come over to tell us how to improve etc I found him rude and arrogant... Anyhow saw him about 4 weeks later at a breed show with his Connie, didn't get anywhere... I thought this karma for you!!! :)
 
Chan said:
Even more blushing!!
Thank you :) I really hope he'll be good to go. Vet is coming this thursday (was meant to be last thursday, but couldn't make it) to confirm that I can ride him again! I'm also hoping to get a trailer soon so I can really get out there with him :D
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I hope you can ride him again :) if you could, you could possible do equitation classes or the riding club horse classes? Aslong as you have fun! That's why we have horses xx
 
Carrots&Mints said:
I hope you can ride him again :) if you could, you could possible do equitation classes or the riding club horse classes? Aslong as you have fun! That's why we have horses xx
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Thanks :D
I'm not really very good at spotting subtle lameness, but more than once I've seen him trotting across the field to see me and he's looking great!
Ooh, I might try equitation, but I have very little style :P
 
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