Standards Slipping

[Cortez]

It's because it can 'split the neck' into two halves visually - I can't explain it any clearer I'm afraid, I don't seem to be able to put what I mean into words lol! Basically it doesn't do anything for the conformational appearance of the neck.

Actually, it is an even number for one sex, and an odd number for the other, but then that is a very old convention and perhaps not everybody remembers it nowadays. Oh, and many of the rules are silly because they serve no useful purpose other than to separate out those who are not in the know.

 

[Moomin1]

Actually, it is an even number for one sex, and an odd number for the other, but then that is a very old convention and perhaps not everybody remembers it nowadays.

I have no idea Cortez tbh - it has always been odd number for both in my time of showing (about 20yrs). I can imagine it hasn't always been the case though.

 

[Colouredwelsh]

It's because it can 'split the neck' into two halves visually - I can't explain it any clearer I'm afraid, I don't seem to be able to put what I mean into words lol! Basically it doesn't do anything for the conformational appearance of the neck.

Thank you, I wasn't here to reply to the question. You explain it perfectly.

 

[Illusion100]

From age 11, I was taught to have very high standards re: management/turnout and it has always stuck with me.

Although I have never done Showing, I have Evented and have always turned myself and horses out immaculately. I have never had hot water/solarium or any other sort of facilities to bathe a horse in cold weather, however I have never needed to as they were thoroughly groomed/strapped/and wet and dryed everyday. Due to mud, white socks and the bottom half of the tail will have had a wash but that's it.

The only time I have not plaited (with needle and thread, old school!) is for a lesson.

Manes, tails, ears, beards, legs and heels were kept maintained all year. 'Good' saddlecloths/coolers/travelling gamgee and bandages/headcollar/boots were kept clean and stored for sole use at lessons/comps, same for my 'good' boots/silks/jodphurs etc. Tack thoroughly cleaned night before.

I was appalled when a fellow livery stated they weren't even going to remove the worst of the caked on mud from their horse for a dressage comp in morning, so yes, standards are definitely slipping IMO.

 

[Busybusybusy]

I don't plait for dressage anymore because I also have a stressy TB who knows when he is going on an outing and turns into a complete plonker and I am trying to make his outings as calm as possible. He is out 24/7 so I don't bath him but will clean all the mud off so he is always clean and tidy with clean tack etc and I am turned out correctly. For showing though I am very particular and will try to look immaculate (probably don't succeed, but we do try!), having said that I try to avoid showing as I now find it is too much of a faff and very subjective.


For lessons I will be clean and tidy (mostly).

 

[twobearsarthur]

Actually, it is an even number for one sex, and an odd number for the other, but then that is a very old convention and perhaps not everybody remembers it nowadays. Oh, and many of the rules are silly because they serve no useful purpose other than to separate out those who are not in the know.

If I can drag my ancient showing knowledge it was even for mares and odd for geldings.
I love all the archaic showing rules and the history behind them.
I am a stickler for old fashioned showing and hunting turnout.
I also think it's easier to learn correct turnout today all thanks to google.
I had dusty old hand me down books that told you how to do things the correct way.
If other more modern sport disciplines eg dressage or show jumping have different standards that's fine.
I love showing I love the rules of turnout and I enjoy getting it right. Each to their own. I have a tweed fetish obviously.

 

[hairycob]

Love the outbreak of pearl clutching these threads always bring on.

 

[Deseado]

Love the outbreak of pearl clutching these threads always bring on.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Love that!

 

[twobearsarthur]

Pearl clutching????
Can you explain? never heard that phrase before.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Racehorse showing does my head in! People think that because they have a racehorse they dont need to school it or have it behave. They turn up in any old tack, bit and clothes. They don't even bother to watch a class before hand to see what they need to do and when they go in the ring they are clueless! And yet they expect to win because they have taken on a 'demon that was to be shot at the end of it's career'.

NO NO NO NO NO! You wouldnt go and do a dressage test without learning it! 'Sorry judgey I didnt bother to read the test, I'm just going to bumble about and you can mark me on what I do'

You don't go show jumping or xc without walking the course so why do people think it's ok to go into a showing class without a clue?!?

I have people callinv me a producer because my horse and myself are turned out correctly and immaculately, he is well schooled and I have been showing for years so I know what I am doing. I am far from a producer! My horse doesnt always behave 100% but he is a living,thinking animal but I remain in control and do look damned good even if I do say so myself!

It is very telling when a judge thanks you loudly in the ring for doing everything right having just been subjected to people not even following a simple set of instructions!

 

[Pigeon]

Sorry but I really have to disagree with you. Maybe you shouldn't be judging showing classes for at least 2 reasons you've said above. You find the rules "silly"?? Why?? Do you find the bit rules in dressage "silly" and secondly, I'm sorry but you obviously have no idea why you DO NOT plait an even number down the neck.

Oh dear, maybe it's not just turnout standards that are slipping!!!

And no, I'm not a snob and I don't look down my nose at people. I help those who wish to be helped. I give my time up to judge and I offer my experience at no cost.

That's because the bit affects the horse's way of going in what is supposedly a sport. You think the number of silly little bunches in his hair has any impact on how balanced his canter is?

If anything this thread has convinced me that plaiting is... useless.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

EKW - a question. Are Racehorse to Riding Horse classes for TB's only, or could an arab ex racehorse take part?

 

[tabithakat64]

I'm obsessed with correct turnout especially for showing. The amount of people I know who moan about not being placed when they haven't made the effort to turn themselves or their horse out appropriately for the class is untrue.
If you have long hair you should use a hairnet or put it up in a neat bun anything else just looks messy.

 

[twobearsarthur]

They have to be registered with Wetherbys stud book and have ran a race in GB to qualify.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

EKW - a question. Are Racehorse to Riding Horse classes for TB's only, or could an arab ex racehorse take part?

ROR showing is purely for wetherby's registered horses. Im not sure of their Arab stance in dressage or jumping or the likes. The Ex-racers Club are open to Arabs fir showing I think.

 

[milliepops]

That's because the bit affects the horse's way of going in what is supposedly a sport. You think the number of silly little bunches in his hair has any impact on how balanced his canter is?

If anything this thread has convinced me that plaiting is... useless.

:lol:

I actually like putting my mare's hair in bunches I am pretty quick at it and they look neat. Used to plait a yard full of hunters twice a week in the winter so I had to get speedy. But it's totally for my own pleasure, plus Millie gets a bit chirpy when the plaiting kit comes out!

I was shouted at by my very old school riding instructor as a young child (8 or 9) for turning up with muddy boots, so clean boots is a habit that has stuck.

But as an ex-eventer/now dressage rider, I do feel that plaiting and all of the turnout rules are a bit of a daft tradition. I always plait for affiliated comps but rarely do for anything unaffiliated. Apart from Armas, whose flowing locks need to be plaited out of the way just for a hack round the woods!

It's a bit different for showing, granted. I don't show, I couldn't be doing with all of the ins & outs - secret code, if you like. One of the things I like about dressage is good training will always outshine your appearance.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Thanks TBA and EKW, it's something that I ponder every time i see an arab ex racehorse for sale, but I've never actually looked up the regs for all the different showing classes (isn't TARRA another one?).

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

If anything this thread has convinced me that plaiting is... useless.

We plait the racehorses at the races due to the £30-£50 Best Turned Out prize in every race - up to £250 for Championship races! Plus I like the plaited look!

 

[Busybusybusy]

Racehorse showing does my head in! People think that because they have a racehorse they dont need to school it or have it behave. They turn up in any old tack, bit and clothes. They don't even bother to watch a class before hand to see what they need to do and when they go in the ring they are clueless! And yet they expect to win because they have taken on a 'demon that was to be shot at the end of it's career'.

NO NO NO NO NO! You wouldnt go and do a dressage test without learning it! 'Sorry judgey I didnt bother to read the test, I'm just going to bumble about and you can mark me on what I do'

You don't go show jumping or xc without walking the course so why do people think it's ok to go into a showing class without a clue?!

I do think this is a bit of a generalisation - certainly the ex racehorse classes I have entered have had very well turned out and mostly well behaved horses, though I have to admit that I do get very peeved when horses that are badly behaved get placed above those who behave impeccably (my boy behaves himself and will go well for pretty much anyone who rides him) after all they are meant to be judged on their suitability to do another job - how is a horse that rears in the ring suitable??
My boy is a big rangy national hunt stamp TB who is reasonably well covered but is not, & never will be in jelly belly 'show condition' and too many show judges like overweight horses - Hence why I don't particularly like showing!

 

[Colouredwelsh]

We plait the racehorses at the races due to the £30-£50 Best Turned Out prize in every race - up to £250 for Championship races! Plus I like the plaited look!

I've won many best turned out prizes with the race horses in my time. I once won it with 3 different horses at one meeting. Yes I can and do turnout to a high standard because I want to and it reflects on me.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I do think this is a bit of a generalisation - certainly the ex racehorse classes I have entered have had very well turned out and mostly well behaved horses, though I have to admit that I do get very peeved when horses that are badly behaved get placed above those who behave impeccably (my boy behaves himself and will go well for pretty much anyone who rides him) after all they are meant to be judged on their suitability to do another job - how is a horse that rears in the ring suitable??
My boy is a big rangy national hunt stamp TB who is reasonably well covered but is not, & never will be in jelly belly 'show condition' and too many show judges like overweight horses - Hence why I don't particularly like showing!

Come up to my area of Scotland... The standard is shockingly bad! Embarrassingly so at times! Twice I have been thanked by judges for knowing what I am doing, once I got asked by the judge what SHE should be doing in the class! In the last 2 years where you would think because it is becoming more popular people would have more of a clue.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I've won many best turned out prizes with the race horses in my time. I once won it with 3 different horses at one meeting. Yes I can and do turnout to a high standard because I want to and it reflects on me.

That is why I do 95% of the clipping on the yard! Everyone knows I do it and the others just don't do it properly! 1 girl leaves their full heads on - no matter how many times I scream at her for it - and the boss tells her to do half heads too. The rest just leave them all liney and streaky - it's not hard to see a great tuft of hair that you have missed! Honestly!

I have also been known to pull plaits out and redo them as the horse is being saddled because who ever plaited it didn't do it properly! I'm too much of a stickler to let anything go out on show that isn't immaculate!

 

[Colouredwelsh]

That is why I do 95% of the clipping on the yard! Everyone knows I do it and the others just don't do it properly! 1 girl leaves their full heads on - no matter how many times I scream at her for it - and the boss tells her to do half heads too. The rest just leave them all liney and streaky - it's not hard to see a great tuft of hair that you have missed! Honestly!

I have also been known to pull plaits out and redo them as the horse is being saddled because who ever plaited it didn't do it properly! I'm too much of a stickler to let anything go out on show that isn't immaculate!

Lol, you sound just like me. i also did most of the clipping/turnout as the young Irish lads didn't know how to brush one properly let alone plait lol. They would come over as young wannabe jocks and transformed into well schooled horsemen (well most of them anyway lol)

 

[Pigeon]

I even think half heads look terrible!! But again, proper clipping is not required for poncing!! And so I wouldn't judge someone for competing with clip lines.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I even think half heads look terrible!! But again, proper clipping is not required for poncing!! And so I wouldn't judge someone for competing with clip lines.

Bosses choice of clip! All off bar half head and legs! I feel bad clipping off their whole heads as A. they look cold (or in the case of the one I had to do the other day - he now looks likes a show dairy cow!) and B. I only have muckle big clippers to work with so can't so the eyes and ears properly. They keep their legs on as a bit off added protection when brushing through fences.

I try teaching the children to clip and the boys pick it up well but think it is beneath them and the girls are just useless. I'd rather ask the lads to do it if I was running out of time!

 

[Kadastorm]

I'm another who has to be clean and plaited, even for jumping I'm afraid. You are going to show off yourself and your horses ability but surely you want to look smart too?
My po does have half a head on though because we can't get near it with the clippers and he hates needles so I won't sedate (demosedan and sedaline don't work!)....so it's all off except the half a head!

 

[lara b]

I compete most weekends and dare to turn up with long flowing mane and feathers (he is traditional) and worse still a blanket clip! Funnily enough neither of the above appear to have stopped his legs from working and we pull in decent scores (BD Elementary). Presenting yourself clean and smart is fair enough but getting the stains out and cleaning his tack is where that definition ends for me (unless we are actually showing). People have enough to juggle with full time jobs, family, friends and the endless dark and cold of winter without making the little bit of fun we have competing to become a complete chore too.. live and let live I say!

 

[monkeymad]

I have to admit I don't often plait for dressage. I do make sure my horse is clean, and I am anal about manes and tails, so they are always pulled and kept neat. Eventing I always plait, but unless I have oodles of time I don't plait for pure dressage - I certainly don't see it as being disrespectful to the judge or organisers. In my eyes people who don't thank the organisers at the end of the day, or people who are rude to the various volunteers at the show are disrespectful.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I compete most weekends and dare to turn up with long flowing mane and feathers (he is traditional) and worse still a blanket clip! Funnily enough neither of the above appear to have stopped his legs from working and we pull in decent scores (BD Elementary). Presenting yourself clean and smart is fair enough but getting the stains out and cleaning his tack is where that definition ends for me (unless we are actually showing). People have enough to juggle with full time jobs, family, friends and the endless dark and cold of winter without making the little bit of fun we have competing to become a complete chore too.. live and let live I say!

Natives and traditionals I have no issue with keeping their manes and tails natural and not plaited as that is the way they are designed.

 

[Chirmapops]

While it's nice to look nice, as a judge I honestly can say the only way I would notice if you weren't plaited as you come down the centre line is if the horse's mane stuck up straight like a bog brush, it was one big poo stain and the rider's hair was like Lady Godiva - and even then I'm usually too busy watching the rhythm, activity of hindlegs, use of the musculature, accuracy of the figures etc to pay much attention to the quality of the plaiting. Certainly I find it amusing when showing people doing dressage think they should get extra points for turnout. I think riding a ice test, not jabbing your horse in the mouth and remembering to say thankyou on the final salute is all much more respectful to the judge!