Showing youngsters-what do I need?

[Jojo_Pea4]

Am looking to show my 2year old next spring and as I have nerver done in hand only ridden showing classes, I do not know what I need.

He's a Dun Reg Connemara. What would I need to get him and what would I wear myself?

Thanks in advance.

 

[nikkiportia]

I took my youngster to his first show this spring, and I was a newbie to it as well.

He wore an inhand bridle with newmarket chain and leather lead.
I wore smart black trousers (he has white legs) a tweed hacking jacket, white shirt, yellow tie, velvet hat and hairnet.
We won our first class and came 2nd in the other, and had nice comments about our turnout.

 

[Jojo_Pea4]

Well done. Your horse is gorgeous and both look great.

 

[Theresa_F]

This is my outfit and bridle for Stinky, he is in a double as he is now six.

If I am not wearing beige trousers, I wear dark brown ones.

I wear brown tweed and hat which suits Stinky, or dark green tweed (which I have to at the moment as I am still very overweight from the chemo drugs).

When I showed Stinky as youngstock, he wore this inhand bridle from Flyde Saddlery and I also used a small ring gold peanut joint snaffle which he far perferred to the often used rubber straight bars. For your youngster, this is the sort of bridle you should wear, ie hunter noseband and very plain. If he is not too strong, I prefer a leather coupling to a chain as I think they look smarter.

You can wear a trilby, but in youngstock classes, if you are a junior a hard hat is mandatory and if I were handling anything other than my very placid and well behaved cob, I would wear one. I now wear a hard hat as I have had too many other ill behaved animals kicking out etc.

For a dun, a dark green tweed, navy hat - ideally without straps - you can often buy a cheap one off ebay and take off the harness to use in hand - this is what I did as I didn't want to pay out for a beagler, I would wear beige trousers. Coloured shirt and nice tie with a tie pin to finish the outfit. Brown gloves, show cane and boots. If you can get brown tack, this is more correct.

Use a piece of elastic for your number, make sure hair is neat and tidy - I used to bun and net mine and once back, will do so again. Avoid any bling - a native should be turned out in plain workmanlike tack. Make up on a native is also out, but you can use coat gloss etc to have them as well turned out as you can.

Finally turnout for a Connemara (taken from another showing site)

Manes: Ponies should be shown unplaited. However, very thick manes may be discreetly thinned but should look as natural as possible.

Tails: Should look natural and should not but pulled but may be squared off at the bottom.

Head: Ears may be trimmed flat (no trimming inside of the ears). Light trimming of long hairs in jawline is permitted. Whiskers should not be trimmed.

Legs: No trimming of feather on legs or trimming into heels.

Others: No false hair, artificial colouring or make-up should be used.

Hope that helps and you have great fun with him in the M&M\Connemara classes.