Tell me about in hand showing please!

[LHIS]

Evening all, it's my first venture into this part of the forum so please be gentle with me

I want to get out and about with my pony, but we're not ready for any ridden competing (my riding needs work) but I'd like to try some in hand showing to give him some experience of going out and seeing the world, and I hope what he would learn when ready him for when we are ready to try some ridden classes (I'm aiming for some low level dressage mostly, though he is predominantly a pleasure ride). I certainly wouldn't be going out with the intention of winning anything, purely just for the education and experience for him - I don't even know if he slots neatly into any class given he's a bit of a mish mash.

I have absolutely zero knowledge and don't know where to start, or what classes we would be able to fit in to. Here's a couple of photos of my pony - he's a 6yo pb Welsh gelding on a green passport (welsh D x coloured cob), 14hh. Apologies if these photos are huge. I would of course give him a good bath and get his white bits white before going public and ensure of no nicks and scrapes.

Can anyone give me some advice and information about how to start, etiquette, attire, and anything else that might be useful?

 

[Equi]

I would aim for part bred, and coloured or "fun" novelty type classes. Hes not hairy enough for cob classes. Your attire should be traditional - tweed and chords and a hat.

 

[LHIS]

I would aim for part bred, and coloured or "fun" novelty type classes. Hes not hairy enough for cob classes. Your attire should be traditional - tweed and chords and a hat.

Thank you - yeah I thought that might be the case re. Cob classes. Despite having some cob in there other than the colouring I think the rest of him (including the brain!) is Welsh.
I've had a look at what the local RC has done in the past for classes and there's a couple we might be eligible for based on your suggestions - coloured/spotted/palomino in hand, and then some novelty classes - I think we'd stand a good chance in 'pony with th cheekiest face' and 'best tail'. However, as a 28 year old grown up would it be a bit silly to enter these classes?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Part bred Welsh and Coloured classes are the way to go. The pbw classes are usually full of plaited ponies so you will stick out a country mile - depending on the judge as to whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Leave him natural, he isn't heavy enough to hog nor light enough to plait so leave his mane, tail and feathers as is.

 

[LHIS]

Part bred Welsh and Coloured classes are the way to go. The pbw classes are usually full of plaited ponies so you will stick out a country mile - depending on the judge as to whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Leave him natural, he isn't heavy enough to hog nor light enough to plait so leave his mane, tail and feathers as is.

Thank you - yeah I thought about pbw classes when I saw those as an option but thought it'd be full of lighter types and we might look a bit silly but I suppose judge might like him.
Re. the leaving him natural - I'm glad you think so, I don't like hogging and don't think it would suit him, I like him in his hairy glory.