Unrideable horse - inhand showing?

[Scheherezade]

My little (16.1

) man is going through the works trying to fix osteochondritis in his hock. He's had a new experimental treatment and it's all just a matter of-wait-and-see.

He's is my 'forever' horse, and I would go without riding just to pat and brush him. But I was thinking - could I inhand show him? He has lovely conformation and always attracts admirers. He is not obviously/significantly lame, more uncomfortable when ridden.

What types of inhand classes are there? He doesn't have papers so it would have to be unaff stuff I assume. He's 16.1 lw-mw hunter build (thinking TB x Welsh D/ID).

Thanks - any kind of optimism I can grab is appreciated!

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

If he is not lame then yes in hand showing is fine.
If he is even a tad lame a good judge will pick up on it and either comment to you on it, or ask you to leave the ring. (not nastily just as it is not fair on the horse)

also id check if the trotting up etc for the showing would effect the results of the treatment in any way! or whether the movement would help keep the joint supple (or as possible!)

If its all ok then there are in hand horse classes, in hand hunter classes, best conditioned (which often doesnt have trotting up in!) best turned out (sometimes in hand or ridden, so obv only inhand!

)
If her passport says welsh x then you can do inhand m&m or welshx classes (depends on the show regulations)

id just ask or find a show list for your local RC and see whats "applicable". Id just check all the first things first before taking her in, for her health as well as your bank balance (as obv dont want to pay for further treatment if this would work without the showing)

Hope this helps, not trying to sound pessimistic, just realistic

Also, any pics you have would help classify her too!

(plus i just like looking at everyones beautiful ponies!)

 

[Scheherezade]

Thanks!

Vet has said in future he will probably be a light hack if we can't fix problem, if we can then full work. Right now lameness can only be seen under saddle or on a small lunge circle - not in trotting up unless on a concrete surface.

But I wouldn't do it until we are at the end of the investigation/treatment obviously. He's having first injection treatment now, re-evaluating in two weeks.

Passport just says TB x.

Recent photos: (He is being kept in due to snow etc so has got very very fat!)

Last autumn on a training week away:

 

[humblepie]

Ditto lots for you to do provided sound and vet okays it. Stopped riding my old boy when he was about 20 and went to shows solely to do in hand. He used to do riding horse, veteran, hunter, competition horse, sports horse, best turned out, best condition. Had another friend who used to do the same. Used to really enjoy it, meant I still spend a lot of time with him, keeping him up together and at shows we would have lovely days and there was no chance of being bucked off! I used to feed him Blue Chip or similar conditioning stuff and do some long reining etc to keep him up together. Even if he would not trot up 100% sound, you could do the odd best turned out class just to have an outing provided he was okay to travel.

 

[Theresa_F]

You should be fine at local shows as long as he is sound.

When you have to walk away and trot back, do not do a tight circle, but a large loop and do not trot until he is back on a straight line. This helps to hide any problems.

Classes - best condition, turnout, hunter type, handsome gelding are all out there for you.

Have fun and good luck.

 

[superpony]

I do this with my 11 year old pony who is no longer up to much work, just hacking nowadays. He used to do dressage, so misses his trips out! So this year we took him to some inhand shows and he loved it!!! He also did really well. I really enjoyed it and I found it alot more relaxing than ridden showing. I'm going to take him again this year.

Just take him to a local riding club show and see how you get on. If when you get there your struggling on what classes to enter him in the stewards will nearly always give you advise on what to take him in.