Showing Youngstock advice

[Meeko]

Hi, I have never done any showing before, but would love to do a few unaffiliated, local showing shows with my youngster. She is 3 in May.
I have looked at the schedules from last year so I know what classes I can do, which is only the youngstock open, shes a thoroughbred.

Ive read a lot online but I like peoples input and opinions

Im guessing we will have to line up for the judge, walk and trot in hand??
What do I wear??
What will she wear??

Thank you

 

[countryal]

Usually in Youngstock classes, you going in the ring and walk round as a group a couple of times, then each take it in turn to trot your horse out to the back of the line. Then all line up and the judge will bring each horse out individually, look round the horse, then you will be asked to walk away from the judge and trot in a straight line back to the judge, and past them (they move out of the way!) before going back into the line up.

Practice this before you go, make sure you can get her close to standing square and used to trotting, some horses hate standing for the judge, and others it takes a bit to get the hang of trotting out.

Dress wise for yourself, either cream or dark trousers with jod boots, a shirt and tie either with a smart jacket or gilet. The gloves and either a hat or riding hat (most wear a riding hat).

Your horse a bridle (in hand or normal) with a bit - given she is coming 3- and gives you a bit of extra control! She will look great plaited up.

If you haven't done showing before I would say to go and watch one first, then at least when you go with the horse you know what is happening and what you have to so can just concentrate on that rather than worrying what you need to do!

It is a great education to get them out and seeing things, allow plenty of time to get there and get to the ring, and an extra pair of hands that can help lead is often very helpful in my experience as it can be very exciting for them! A pocket of treats also helps!

Most of all enjoy

 

[twobearsarthur]

From top to bottom for you.

Navy velvet riding hat or beagler, flat cap or trilby. (Personally with youngstock I prefer a riding hat just in case they get excitable)
Hair in a bun/hairnet
Pastel or pinstripe shirt
Tie and tie pin
Tweed jacket or waistcoat/smart gilet
Brown or tan gloves.
Show cane
Dark trousers with white legs. Light trousers with dark legs. Either chino type or cords look smart.
Smart boots or jod boots- something you can definitely run in.

For your lovely youngster

Either a Havana in hand bridle (with inhand bit and leather lead rein) or regular bridle with reins and a neat snaffle bit.
I prefer a 3 way coupling for youngsters so the pressure is primarily on the noseband rather than the bit if using an in hand bridle.
Plaited and bathed and polished to a lovely shine.

When walking away from the judge turn your horse away from you to the right (not toward you) when your on your way back and make sure you’ve straightened up before starting to trot toward and past the judge or you can end up doing the wall of death if you start trotting on the turn!

When standing up for the judge your horse should stand with the inside front leg slightly ahead of its other fore leg, and its outside hind leg should be slightly stretched back from the other hind leg, but the cannon bone should be vertical. I hope that makes sense. You can usually get them to do this by applying a little pressure to their chest and getting them to step back until it becomes habit.

Most importantly remember to breath and have fun. It’s such a good experience for youngsters to get out and about and see a bit of the world.

 

[Meeko]

Thank you both so much, very helpful

 

[Meeko]

Hi, bumping up this from January as we now have our first inhand show in a few days.
But we have an issue, she will not allow me to plait her forelock... she is genuinely terrified, not sure if something has happened with this from her previous race yard and she has some bad memories or if she is just being extremely sensitive..
Any helpful tips ??/ I was thinking of maybe making a fake forelock from her tail hair and 'some how'(no idea how) attaching it to her. I can touch and mess about with her forelock and ears, but once I try to start plaiting she flings her head up and starts snorting/blowing through her nose, then she wont let me touch her head for a few minutes. Im sure with time this will get better, but our show is on Saturday...

Help ....

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Warning unpopular opinion ...

Get someone to hold her with a hefty skin twitch on her neck, sod stitching the plait or doing it fancily just grab it, plait it, band it, job done. It will be fine and serve its purpose.

 

[Meeko]

Warning unpopular opinion ...

Get someone to hold her with a hefty skin twitch on her neck, sod stitching the plait or doing it fancily just grab it, plait it, band it, job done. It will be fine and serve its purpose.

I can imagine this to be quite unpopular yes

I dont stitch anyway, I only use plaiting bands.
I wont skin twitch her though, this isn't an option for me, but thanks for your reply

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Warning unpopular opinion ...

Get someone to hold her with a hefty skin twitch on her neck, sod stitching the plait or doing it fancily just grab it, plait it, band it, job done. It will be fine and serve its purpose.

This is not that bad my vet will do a neck twitch it's very effective for certain things and gets the job done.

Another way to maybe cure long term is get someone to hold a lick it while you do it, vets often use this method as well.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

This is not that bad my vet will do a neck twitch it's very effective for certain things and gets the job done.

Another way to maybe cure long term is get someone to hold a lick it while you do it, vets often use this method as well.

No it's probably the nicest form of twitching. A nose twitch for a horse like this wouldn't be great and an ear twitch is just vile. I only twitch when I absolutely must and never, ever the ear. But the kobs gets done relatively safely with no harm done.

 

[stangs]

Honestly, I'd be tempted to leave it. Awful showing etiquette I know, but it's more important that she has a good first day out than any placings. A twitch might work as a short-term measure, but it's likely to make her more defensive and head shy about plaiting the forelock in the future.

 

[Meeko]

Honestly, I'd be tempted to leave it. Awful showing etiquette I know, but it's more important that she has a good first day out than any placings. A twitch might work as a short-term measure, but it's likely to make her more defensive and head shy about plaiting the forelock in the future.

This is my way of thinking, I dont want her first time out to be a stressful start, for both of us . I would rather take her unplaited if it came to it, its meant to be fun after all (I think)

Im confident that in time she will be ok and accept me doing it, but I might be pushing my luck thinking it might happen in 2 days

I am tempted to try and put a false plait there though, if i can get it to work.

Thank you

 

[Meeko]

This is not that bad my vet will do a neck twitch it's very effective for certain things and gets the job done.

Another way to maybe cure long term is get someone to hold a lick it while you do it, vets often use this method as well.

I had the likit out last night and she was more accepting of me messing about with it, so ill keep trying this each day.

Thanks

 

[Sprig]

Will she let you do it from behind her ears? Do the highest plait on her neck and then just carry on forwards. You will probably need quite a high step to stand on and it might be tricky to get straight but could be worth a try. Otherwise just leave it.

 

[Leandy]

If its just a local show, I'd leave it and continue to work on the issue at home. Unless you are doing a turnout class, I really don't think it will make any difference to the result and even if you are or it does, the experience is more important than the result.

 

[Meeko]

Thank you all.
Last night I made made a fake forelock from her tail hair and wrapped it around her headpiece to keep it in place. Its nothing amazing, but it seems to do the job when I messed with it this morning

 

[Meeko]

So after all that she let me quickly tie a messy plait into a little ball and it looked ok. We both had a lovely time so that’s all that matters right ?

 

[xDundryx]

She's very pretty, love a chestnut mare

 

[Leandy]

You both look very smart. No need to worry about your turn out!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You both look great well done.