showing - nice riding horse?

pheobee

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i have a 6 year old mare, she has done well in unaffilated showing winning sunshine tour and S.A.F.E champions.

would this mean when i affilate her she would be a novice riding horse or do you just go staright to open riding horse?

if she is novice what bit should i use, and can you tell me abit of info about the classes.

thanks very much

jo

oops sorry was suppose to say novice ridnign horse!!!!
 
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Normally I would say she has done too well for me personally to not to feel like a trophy hunter entering Novice. However at 6 she is still such a baby. So I would probably start with a Novice and if you feel you should then move up.

The quality of riding horses seems to be really quite high when compared with other classes which is another reason


As a novice I believe she should be shown in a snaffle
 
does she go in a double? if yes skip novice and go straight to open

if she is still in her snaffle you'll want the novice classes I would think?
 
she has never been ridden in anything but a snaffle!! am i wrong to say you can show them in a pelham in open classes??
 
she has never been ridden in anything but a snaffle!! am i wrong to say you can show them in a pelham in open classes??

yes you can use a pelham. Double is better but pelham is acceptable. I thought you could only ride in a snaffle in novice classes (but I haven't shown seriously since I came out of ponies so I'm probably wrong!)
 
well, that is an open ended question isn't it?

I suppose technically you shouldn't but you know how judges are. If you get an old fashioned one or one who has set ideas, possibly you will. The other argument is that it'll make you stand out as an amateur as most of the 'names' at big shows will be in doubles.

If she is happier in a pelham though and gives a nicer ride because of it I would go with that. You'll get penalised more for a horse which goes horribly because it isn't happy with the way it's bitted.

IMO of course. Like I say, I haven't done it since ponies and the judge didn't ride them so it was a bit easier.

If you use a pelham I would go for something loose ringed like the Fylde ones here as they look a bit nicer and use a lip strap with your curb chain :)

http://www.fyldesaddlery.co.uk/shop/index.php?session_id=81@98@255@222@20110130185529
 
thanks very much, if she very light, feels like your holding air, do you think i should just go for a double and start school her at home with one?? xx
 
nearly all the ponies were in doubles and I just rode them off the bradoon rein but you'll probably have to let some lump handed judge on so I don't know. We only had one go in a pelham and that was because she had a tiny mouth and you couldn't fit two bits in there comfortably!

My filly is hopefully going to be my hack next year and I am already dreading giving over her mouth in a double bridle to some of the judges I've seen at shows. Maybe I'll think of something else for her to do instead!!

Do you have a picture. I do love a pretty pony :)
 
A pelham is perfectly acceptable to use in open riding horse classes and a lot of professionals use them too if they suit the horse.

good stuff :) That's one less thing to worry about then. I will probably go for a pelham with the loosest curb chain and shortest shanks in history when my little one gets going. I know judges can ride but I have this strange paranoia about my horse's gob.

ETA, lovely horse. I love greys :D
 
thank you all for your great advice!! i'm on the hunt for a tweed jacket, but i like those redish colour ones, and can't seem to find one anywhere, i'm rather picky when it comes to stuff like that!!
 
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