Showing/Working Hunter advice? Please Help!

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alfie8

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Hi,

I'm currently in a bit of a panic & would like some advice please?

I'm taking my horse to a local show next week and we usually spend our time show jumping/ dressaging but the times are all ridiculously late so instead were going to do some working hunter and showing.

Working Hunter i know about, jump a course, walk/trot/canter together then individual show but i'm just wondering what tack i can use? Bit wise..

When it comes to the showing i need much more help if possible.. i've got a Palamino Lusitano x and i haven't a clue which classes i can enter him in? theres a riding horse type over 14.2hh could he do that? obviously i can do best turned out ridden but with both of these which bit would be best? i ride him in a snaffle or a pelham (goes much better in pelham but cant use that for dressage) Also, he's got brown tack and a plain browband would he need a coloured one? and finally, plaited or unplaited? he's got a very long mane so could do a running plait?


Thank you for anyone who can help! I should just stick to the show jumping really! ;):D
 
Can you post some photos of him? It is impossible to give class advice without seeing him, as it's all about looks!
 
If they have got a combination or riding club horse class, that would probably be your best bet, as there will be a wide range of horses in these classes, and tack a pelham would probably be best with double reins. if you use a numnah make sure it is saddle shapped and as close as possible to your horses colour, same goes for girth, prob white for a palomino.

Riding horse is a type of horse slighly chunkier than a hack but not as chunky as a hunter, the judge will ride in these clases

Also get there a bit earlier than you need to, so that you can watch some classes to see what you need to do
 
Thanks, how do I post photos?

& Thank you for all your tack advice, he has brown tack & numnah, girth is also brown would this be a big issue?
He is a chunkier type, but not a hunter.
I've done some veteran showing before with my old mare so
I'm guessing my individual show would be pretty similar.
I think I'd prefer the judge to ride him.. Saves me ruining it! :)
 
Upload to the site photobucket, and use the code to post photos.

His type is going to be difficult. I don't want to make definate statements without photos, but from his breeding and long mane I get the feeling he takes after the andalusian quite a bit? If this is the case you may find you struggle a bit in both riding horse and hunter classes, as they are looking for the classic english tb type.

That being said, at local shows having a horse that does as asked is often the key to winning!

From your description of him as chunky but not a hunter, he'll be best suited to the riding horse class. For this class a ribbon browband is normal, though pick out one in subtler shades and without too much diamonte. A pelham with 2 reins or double bridle is also correct if he will go well in one, though at local level a snaffle will also be acceptable. Your brown tack will be fine, and use a neat fitting brown numnah and brown girth. He should also be plaited normally for this class - perhaps give it a shot? You'd be surprised how many long manes look acceptable when plaited. The judge may ride in this class. If not you should do a personal show with walk, trot, canter and a gallop. You can also fit in rein back and walk to canter transitions if you can execute them well.

Ideally, the classes you'd be looking for are ridden horse and riding club horse. The first is a very general class, and any neat turnout is acceptable. The second is looking for horses specifically for riding club activities, and all types are accepted. For this one you should use a plain browband on a snaffle bridle. This one will require a personal show like above, but with extended canter rather than gallop.

Hope that is of some help. Good luck!
 
Oh. And for working hunter any tack is acceptable (except a bitless bridle). However, the KISS theory applies. The gentler your bit and simpler your noseband etc. the better.

That being said, the horse that does a round in control in a pelham will always place higher than the one careering round in a snaffle. It is a balancing act. :)
 
I hope these pics work..
ammy2.jpg

xc11.jpg

xc3.jpg

ammydsg1.jpg


(ignore his noseband on the first pic, it had slipped. :( )

Thanks very much for all the help, it's all very useful! There is a riding horse/hack type class that i guess i can do? It's only a few local shows, most shows i will usually jump at but i've got off jumping on grass a bit due to the hard ground etc so trying to support local charity shows by showing.

Would the judge prefer to see some walk/canter transitions & rein back? as in the past i've been told not to.. he can do some lovely transitions as he's a decent dressage horse so we could put these in.

Oh i forgot to ask, whats the rules on whips/spurs?

Thankyou so much! :)
 
What a pretty boy, and not overly spanish either :)

I'd try the riding horse class and see what the judges think - feel free to politely ask them at the end of the class if they feel he'd be better in another class. He may do better in hunter classes, but it's difficult to make a complete judgement without seeing him in person.

If you're confident in them I would do the transitions and rein back in a riding horse class. I wouldn't do them for a hunter/working hunter class.

You can use spurs if you wish - and if not a dummy spur completes your turnout. Whip wise you can carry a cane or, if you feel you will actually need to use it, a showing crop. I forget the exact measurements, but generally anything BS legal is legal in the show ring. Dressage length whips are not allowed.

:)
 
Thankyou :) Yes i think i will enter the riding horse & then see what the judge says at the end.
I always use spurs on him to jump but not usually flat so will see how he goes, he's usually more highly sprung in a snaffle so in a pelham he will most probably need them.. Lazy horse! He's very responsive to the leg he's just lazy with his back end.
:D
 
Both my natives are lazy and very much snaffle mouthed because of this. Yet, in the go round, the fell becomes so forward going that she can't do pony club (snaffle only) classes as the breaks just disappear!

He may just surprise you :)

Good luck. I hope you have a good time.
 
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