Showing yearling sports horses any advice??

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pigsmight:)

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Hi there i havent shown youngsters in hand before, i have a yearling who i would like to get out and about a bit this year but i am a bit of a showing novice :o

So i was wondering what sort of shows i should be aiming at, do you do local level stuff, or go for it and say head for bramham yearling sports horse class? i no this would depend on quality ect but i am purely wanting to do this to educate my little fella.

I was having a look at the pictures from the yearling class at bramham last year and they seem to be bitted?? is this reccomended, should he be wearing an inhand bridle with a small rubber bit?

What should i be wearing, would it be a tweed hacking jacket sensable boots, light coloured trousers?

I understand that i will need to prepair him for this and get him trotting up in hand/ well handled ect but do you have any other advice of things i should be doing with him to get him ready and to reduce the chance of a massive freak out :p
Thankyou in advice for any advice you are allways really helpfull on here, oh and any pictures of you showing your yearlings in hand would be really helpfull xx
 
Perhaps consider taking him to a Futurity? They are a really good introduction to being taken out and about, and unlike some local shows do not have lots of other sometimes very scary things going on (like terrier races, for instance!) The BEF also have lots of detailed guidance on their website on how to prepare a youngster for the Futurity, and there are some guidance videos on their website as well. You also get very valuable feedback and an evaluation of your yearling. Of course more expensive than a local show, but even if you decide not to take him have a look at the guidance.
 
I'd choose a small, quiet 'showing' show for your 1st outing and if you find him easy to handle then maybe do some other shows.

I wouldn't reccomend Bramham as a 1st outing, and actualy, I don't think I'd go there unless I hoped to be placed. The yearling class usually has about 50 entries, and takes over an hour to get through, so it's a real test of their, and your patience! Also, the collecting ring at Bramham usually has all the workers warming up and having people cantering past your excited yearling isn't ideal!

I'm assuming you're in yorkshire as mentioned bramham...Hambleton is a good set up for Babies I've found, and they have a sport horse class :)

Yearlings should be wearing an inhand bridle with a rubber bit, I find it best to use a 3 way attachment, with most of the pressure on the noseband.... and use a really long lead line.

Good Luck :)
 
Your yearling should be in a nice fitting in hand bridle, a plain browband and noseband that suits his face with a bit, this can be of your choice but mostly people show in a little nylon straight bar with brass rings. As mentioned above a three way couping is acceptable or a two way to just his bit.

You should turnout under SHB(GB) rules in hacking jacket, pale coloured trousers, unless he has lots of white on his legs then look to maybe wear a darker pair so you dont blend in, short boots that you can run in but are substantial enough if you get trodden on!!! Hacking jacket, shirt & tie and I always show in a beagler type hat, youngsters as we know can be unpredictable plus I also feel it finishes the picture off. You should also carry a showing cane/stick and I think gloves look best.

For futurity (BEF) you would need to be turned out in white trousers, white shirt and trainers and an easy release clip on your bridle so to turn them loose with no problems.

I tend to take my youngsters to a couple of local shows early on and see how they cope then aim for the County Shows, there is lots going on and plenty to look at, however it is good for the long term education for eventually a ridden career.
 
no_no_nanette said:
Perhaps consider taking him to a Futurity? They are a really good introduction to being taken out and about, and unlike some local shows do not have lots of other sometimes very scary things going on (like terrier races, for instance!) The BEF also have lots of detailed guidance on their website on how to prepare a youngster for the Futurity, and there are some guidance videos on their website as well. You also get very valuable feedback and an evaluation of your yearling. Of course more expensive than a local show, but even if you decide not to take him have a look at the guidance.
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Thats a really good idea thankyou, i had thought about it but wasnt sure of how to go about it, i will have a look on the website thanx again x
 
air78 said:
I'd choose a small, quiet 'showing' show for your 1st outing and if you find him easy to handle then maybe do some other shows.

I wouldn't reccomend Bramham as a 1st outing, and actualy, I don't think I'd go there unless I hoped to be placed. The yearling class usually has about 50 entries, and takes over an hour to get through, so it's a real test of their, and your patience! Also, the collecting ring at Bramham usually has all the workers warming up and having people cantering past your excited yearling isn't ideal!

I'm assuming you're in yorkshire as mentioned bramham...Hambleton is a good set up for Babies I've found, and they have a sport horse class :)

Yearlings should be wearing an inhand bridle with a rubber bit, I find it best to use a 3 way attachment, with most of the pressure on the noseband.... and use a really long lead line.

Good Luck :)
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Hi there yes im in North Yorkshire to :), i thought that may be the case with Bramham so will probably give it a miss, Hambleton sounds like a good idea though if we are ready to venture out by then, I will get a 3 way attachment for him, is tere any particular type that you would recomend? i will google it also and see what i can find. Thankyou for all your advice x
 
holiday said:
Your yearling should be in a nice fitting in hand bridle, a plain browband and noseband that suits his face with a bit, this can be of your choice but mostly people show in a little nylon straight bar with brass rings. As mentioned above a three way couping is acceptable or a two way to just his bit.

You should turnout under SHB(GB) rules in hacking jacket, pale coloured trousers, unless he has lots of white on his legs then look to maybe wear a darker pair so you dont blend in, short boots that you can run in but are substantial enough if you get trodden on!!! Hacking jacket, shirt & tie and I always show in a beagler type hat, youngsters as we know can be unpredictable plus I also feel it finishes the picture off. You should also carry a showing cane/stick and I think gloves look best.

For futurity (BEF) you would need to be turned out in white trousers, white shirt and trainers and an easy release clip on your bridle so to turn them loose with no problems.

I tend to take my youngsters to a couple of local shows early on and see how they cope then aim for the County Shows, there is lots going on and plenty to look at, however it is good for the long term education for eventually a ridden career.
Click to expand...

Thankyou great advice! really helpfull i will try and get him to some low key stuff and see how we get on, thankyou for al the info on what to wear xx
 
I took my 2yr old to Bramham last year and it was his first show. I am a bit of a wuss aswell. There was only youngstock in the collecting ring. The workers etc. are on a bit later anyway so shouldn't be in the way of yearlings. They are big classes but as they are unaffiliated it is an ideal opportunity to take your baby out to a big party for very little money (£15 entry which includes 2 passes in on the day). I thoroughly enjoyed my time there with my baby and had he behaved (ie I had been better prepared!) we would have been placed. I was gobsmacked when the judge pulled my horse in 4th initially so had I not let me baby down by being so useless we would have gone home with a rosette. He did though redeem himself later in the year by coming 3rd at Royal Festival of the horse. Oh and they split the fillies and colts/geldings last year at Bramham and had two judges judging the classed simultaneously.

Hope this helps
 
The North Yorkshire show is a nice one to go for. The show classes are held in an area away from the main showground so that there are less distractions. There always seems to be a good turnout and it is normally held in June. Their website will give you this years date.

The Futurity classes seem to be more towards the end of the season but would be excellent experience for your youngster.

Yearling fillies don't have to be bitted but colts do. It would be useful to start getting her used to having a bridle put on and taken off and led around in it. I always prefer a three way coupling with babies so that the noseband takes some of the pressure away from just having it on the bit rings.
 
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