Showing - what class/ type?

[HufflyPuffly]

Seems a bit daft really, but Beryl is a lovely stamp of horse but I’m finding her a bit between types? What would you show her as?

She’s 5, approx 16hh, blue and white and half Arab.

She could be a touch taller now, very broad though the chest and body and will only get wider as she matures. She has a lovely PBA face to me and doesn’t have massive amount of bone. I have been putting her in the part bred classes (she’s got enough Welsh in her for that too) but the shows I’ve been to she literally towers over the others . I’ve been turning her out more as a riding horse, but I’m wondering if she’s a bit heavy set, but in my eyes too ‘pretty’ for the hunters.

I’m in no way serious about showing and just want her to be a nice alrounder, but where would you place her?


Ignore the blue jacket, the tweed I ordered didn’t come in time for this show.



Towering over some other PBAs


She doesn’t look that big until you see her with other horses. Doesn’t really matter I guess but I do like to be ‘correct’ even if I am just an amateur.

 

[Cortez]

Riding Horse, or you might try her in a Middleweight class if you just want to have fun.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Riding Horse, or you might try her in a Middleweight class if you just want to have fun.

That was my thoughts, I didn't expect her to keep growing up or outwards!

There is a novice hunter class at the next local agricultural show which got me thinking, they also have a sports horse class (no idea what that is?) but no riding horse class. I'm too long out of the showing world to really have a clue these days!

 

[Cortez]

That was my thoughts, I didn't expect her to keep growing up or outwards!

There is a novice hunter class at the next local agricultural show which got me thinking, they also have a sports horse class (no idea what that is?) but no riding horse class. I'm too long out of the showing world to really have a clue these days!

If you just want to have fun, you could enter in both classes and see which one you do best in? I’d be aiming for the Novice Hunter myself, but as I’m sure you realise showing is a very subjective game and judges are quite, um; variable, unfortunately.

 

[conniegirl]

I'd have said LW hunter.

 

[ester]

I’ve always had her as a riding horse in my head but no pro

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I think I'm so swayed by the half Arab bit I didn't have her pegged as a hunter! But I think a novice class would be good for her, so maybe we will try that, I bet she is going to look tiny compared to the hunters .

I’ve always had her as a riding horse in my head but no pro

Me too, but she is actually quite beefy in real life!

 

[SEL]

No use on classes - but she has really chunked out!

(in a good way...)

 

[HufflyPuffly]

No use on classes - but she has really chunked out!

(in a good way...)

Well she has never been scrawny! Hoping to really crack on this year and get her fitter and stronger!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

She is looking lovely I would look into doing some Arab horse society shows not sure on the percentages they have to be but I think she would do well.

I would also look into registering her with chaps and do non native, my friend had a blue and white 14.1 arab x and she did brilliantly she always stood out she qualified for RI on her first year out.

 

[Caski]

It is a few years since I hung up my showing boots but I'd try Riding Horse for a start, I think she needs to come a bit rounder (NOT FAT!) behind to compete with the hunters at County level. She is absolutely gorgeous though, I am envious too. Does she jump? Maybe Working Hunter if forward enough....

 

[humblepie]

Looks like you have lots of options. Looks more riding horse but some of that depends on how she moves as well. I had a 7/8ths thoroughbred who did (wait for it!) affiliated riding horse, unaffiliated riding horse, hunter, light horse, sports horse, competition horse, riding club horse and would throw in a best condition and best turned out then veteran when old enough. And working hunter. Oh yes and style and performance classes and even did a family horse once when bored and waiting for his proper class. He was a show jumper initially. An unaffiliated hunter class will be quite different to affiliated with the various weights. Are you near any of the remaining SEIB search for a star qualifiers. She may be a little inexperienced for that but a good way of getting advice as to class and type. The judge rides in some of them but not all so worth looking at. She is very eye catching.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

She is looking lovely I would look into doing some Arab horse society shows not sure on the percentages they have to be but I think she would do well.

I would also look into registering her with chaps and do non native, my friend had a blue and white 14.1 arab x and she did brilliantly she always stood out she qualified for RI on her first year out.

She's 50% Arab so could definitely do the Arab society shows, my late PBA was less % and I used to do them with her. I just think she ends up not looking very Arab due to her size... I also think the speed she is greying out I'm not sure the coloured classes are for her, blue and whites are a bit marmite and she's already loosing definition on her coloured areas so not sure it would be worthwhile registering, especially as I am not that mad into showing .

It is a few years since I hung up my showing boots but I'd try Riding Horse for a start, I think she needs to come a bit rounder (NOT FAT!) behind to compete with the hunters at County level. She is absolutely gorgeous though, I am envious too. Does she jump? Maybe Working Hunter if forward enough....

She's 5 she has a lot of maturing and strengthening work to do, so I expect her to fill out more, I seem to be always on a never-ending mission to get my horses to loose weight so there is no feeding for condition here! She's popped over a few show jumps and been XC once and was naturally bold (well except for the water but we're working on that!), will do some more this summer and see what she thinks.

Looks like you have lots of options. Looks more riding horse but some of that depends on how she moves as well. I had a 7/8ths thoroughbred who did (wait for it!) affiliated riding horse, unaffiliated riding horse, hunter, light horse, sports horse, competition horse, riding club horse and would throw in a best condition and best turned out then veteran when old enough. And working hunter. Oh yes and style and performance classes and even did a family horse once when bored and waiting for his proper class. He was a show jumper initially. An unaffiliated hunter class will be quite different to affiliated with the various weights. Are you near any of the remaining SEIB search for a star qualifiers. She may be a little inexperienced for that but a good way of getting advice as to class and type. The judge rides in some of them but not all so worth looking at. She is very eye catching.

Ah you've got to love an allrounder! Makes the day worth going when you've got a few classes you can choose from . She's a bit green for a ride judge yet, needs to be more in front of the leg and see more of the world yet I think. She definitely isn't on the scale of the county hunters right now for sure, but I think the novice class might suit her, sad to be giving up the sparkly browband though, I think it suits her .

Thanks everyone, seems its not just me who has her between classes! I think I need to go see the county level riding horses vs LW hunters to really gauge where she falls, but we'll keep doing the local shows for the moment and let her see the world a bit more.

 

[SpotsandBays]

No clue, but what a stunner! Could you ask a judge next time you go out for their opinion on classes?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

No clue, but what a stunner! Could you ask a judge next time you go out for their opinion on classes?

Yes that is a good idea, best enter some more shows then I guess! I do think dressage and jumping are much easier, you go in do your bit and you either do the test well and leave the jumps up or not, none of this turnout/ type nonsense .

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think she will be a bit different at AHS shows so might be to your advantage you do often see the odd bigger PBA.

As to greying out my friends pony hardly had any blue and still did well in the chaps classes.

I will see if I can find a picture of her

 

[Caski]

I think she will be a bit different at AHS shows so might be to your advantage you do often see the odd bigger PBA.

As to greying out my friends pony hardly had any blue and still did well in the chaps classes.

I will see if I can find a picture of her

I agree with Pinkyboots, it comes as quite a shock when you see how big the hunters are at County level, my 16.3 looked small in comparison when you look up and down the lineup!

At least with AHS events/classes you will have similar breeding and type to compete against.

Good luck and time for a new rosette board maybe?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I think she will be a bit different at AHS shows so might be to your advantage you do often see the odd bigger PBA.

As to greying out my friends pony hardly had any blue and still did well in the chaps classes.

I will see if I can find a picture of her

I'll have to see where the nearest AHS shows are, I know there used to be one at Northop which is only round the corner these days, might have to keep her away from the in-hand I don't want her getting any ideas , luckily my old show horse was long enough in the tooth not to be fussed by some of the in-hand crew tactics but I think it might blow Beryls mind a bit!

I find the coloured classes so variable as to what the judges want, but I think she's striking and she does attract attention so maybe I should look at them more.

I agree with Pinkyboots, it comes as quite a shock when you see how big the hunters are at County level, my 16.3 looked small in comparison when you look up and down the lineup!

At least with AHS events/classes you will have similar breeding and type to compete against.

Good luck and time for a new rosette board maybe?

I remember being at Cheshire county on my old show horse (all 14.3hh of her) when the heavy weights came past, the ground shook they were so big, height and width!

Guess I better look up when the AHS shows are!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Some of the AHS classes and qualifiers are at county shows and the in hand PB is much more civilised thane the pure bred

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Are you in Wales I don't know why I thought that

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Yeah moved over the border a few years back but I was North West before then.

It looks like I've missed most of the AHS shows, there is Anglesey but its Flint and Denbigh the same week and I was planning on F&D as it is 5 mins up the road. Something for next season maybe!

Have you heard that the Cherif Champs is coming back? I am quite excited by that as the organisers are who bred my previous PBA.

 

[Roxylola]

Can't help loads with class choices, although I'd consider if she's 16hh if she's possibly too big for small riding horse is she going to look tiny in with larges? Happened to a friend with a just a bit too big for a shp horse who was lovely but dwarfed in the "proper" hunters - he ended up as a worker iirc.
However - coloureds, I had a friend with a greyed out blue and white, I'm pretty sure she used to wet (or maybe oil???) her down for coloured classes and did very well

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Can't help loads with class choices, although I'd consider if she's 16hh if she's possibly too big for small riding horse is she going to look tiny in with larges? Happened to a friend with a just a bit too big for a shp horse who was lovely but dwarfed in the "proper" hunters - he ended up as a worker iirc.
However - coloureds, I had a friend with a greyed out blue and white, I'm pretty sure she used to wet (or maybe oil???) her down for coloured classes and did very well

From memory the large riding horses weren't normally at the top end, I seem to remember around 16.2hh being the norm, but I am some time out of the ring! I am swinging more to her being a riding horse the more I've googled, but I think its a lack of riding horse classes in my immediate locale that has meant she looks a bit out of place.

Haha interesting on the coloureds, wetting would make her patches show up more!

 

[rara007]

Coloured and partbred classes will keep you busy! And I’d go with riding or sports horse at local level.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Coloured and partbred classes will keep you busy! And I’d go with riding or sports horse at local level.

It’s always nice to have something that can do more than one class! Not sure Beryl is as thrilled by this news .

She is not thrilled at all the bathing!

But I do think she is smashing, even if I’m biased!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Yeah moved over the border a few years back but I was North West before then.

It looks like I've missed most of the AHS shows, there is Anglesey but its Flint and Denbigh the same week and I was planning on F&D as it is 5 mins up the road. Something for next season maybe!

Have you heard that the Cherif Champs is coming back? I am quite excited by that as the organisers are who bred my previous PBA.

No not heard that about the cherif champs.

Wales and West Arab group run shows also see if you can finds some BACS qualifiers they should still be running as the show isn't until September.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

From memory the large riding horses weren't normally at the top end, I seem to remember around 16.2hh being the norm, but I am some time out of the ring! I am swinging more to her being a riding horse the more I've googled, but I think its a lack of riding horse classes in my immediate locale that has meant she looks a bit out of place.

Haha interesting on the coloureds, wetting would make her patches show up more!

Thing is with riding horse at County level you won't see many coloured horses in the ring.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Thing is with riding horse at County level you won't see many coloured horses in the ring.

Ah but we can masquerade as a grey, not that is much more common .

I doubt we will be taking the showing too seriously for it to matter. I just found it tricky to place what she should be, this thread has helped a lot but I don’t think I will really know until she’s fully mature.

 

[aciciwawa]

im having the same issue with my pony , hes 14hh currently at rising 4 but im struggling with adults on ponies classes for non m&m as he has no registered breeding

 

[Bernster]

She’s maturing nicely