Veteran Classes?????

Gingerbird

Gingerbird

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 February 2006
Messages
2,715
Location
Hertfordshire
Visit site
Been thinking that maybe James should do a few classes for Veteran nags this year but I know nothing about showing!

What do they involve (pref' ridden classes)etc and what should my turn out be like (dress code etc)?

Sorry these are thick questions but I like eventing and stuff so never really shown before!

If I'm being dim, just say so!

H
 
I've done some veteran classes at local level, and (up here at least) its not very strict!

Ridden is all going round together, then individual show piece - no untacking and trotting up, but I think this does vary.
I wear cream jods, black hat and jacket, probably not correct but it does for me, and I've won some classes!
Chex goes round like this:
DSCF1784.jpg

But the majority of the horses do as well
smirk.gif
. I'm sure some shows will be more professional, but I only do it for a bit of 'fun' so I'm not bothered!
 
nice clean horse needed. ideally showing is brown but for veteran i dont think it would matter too much. just nice neat clean tack, no martingales, fluffy numnahs. for you tweed jacket, shirt, tie, cream/beige jods, long black boots. You will have to do a show in front of judge. ie. figure of 8 in trot and canter with possibly a bit of a lengthen in canter on long side.
 
My daughter did a few veteran classes in the past. Smart turnout, i.e. plaited unless native seems to be the order of the day. As far as turnout, she wore tweed hacking jcket because she hadn't got a show jacket.They were generally treated like ordinary showing classes, with each rider giving a small individual show. On a couple of occasions they did ask to see the ponies stripped off and run up and down. I think judging generally takes into account condition for age, performance and confirmation in that order, although some judges are a law unto themselves! At one show a very sweet, but very stiff old pony was placed 1st just cos he was the oldest, yet he couldn't even manage a canter in his show, bless. And if you're used to eventing etc. when the best horse usually wins, just remember in showing cometimes you just have to grit you teeth and remember it is the judges opinion, and in your eyes you are taking the best horse home!
 
For ridden veteran classes (they also have inhand) You firstly all ride round together. Enter at walk on the right rein, so going clockwise. You will walk round for a while as the judge gets the first look at the class.

After you've walked round and the judge has had an initial look, the steward will tell you all to trot on. When you've trotted for a while, the steward will ask someone to go into canter, and you all follow on. When you're in canter, the steward will signal for someone to change the rein across the diagonal. Come back to trot to change the rein, and go back into canter on the other rein.

Go back into canter on the other rein. You won't normally canter for long on the second rein.

Then the steward will signal for you to come back to walk. This is when you get pulled in - normally in a provisional order, although in a small class you may be asked to come in in any order.

Ridden classes are usually like that, but it's worth looking at similar classes to see how they are run.

Extracts from http://rehorses.com/

For dress - A navy or tweed jacket, with an up-to-standard navy velvet hat, preferably with a flesh-coloured harness as it looks neater, but a regular harness will be fine
smile.gif
You should have a nice tie and shirt to compliment your jacket, and wear beige or canary coloured breeches/jodhpurs with leather short boots and gaiters, or leather long boots. Choose a saddle which shows off your horses shoulder, and have a discreet dark numnah if neccesary. Hope that helped
smile.gif
 
He was never the best while eventing either so that wouldn't shock me!!!!!

i just think he deserves to go to shows again and have some fun as he loves it, so I thought this was a good way to let him be out and about and still not do too much!

Sounds as longs as I just want to have fun and show him off I'll be fine?????
 
[ QUOTE ]
At one show a very sweet, but very stiff old pony was placed 1st just cos he was the oldest, yet he couldn't even manage a canter in his show, bless. And if you're used to eventing etc. when the best horse usually wins, just remember in showing cometimes you just have to grit you teeth and remember it is the judges opinion, and in your eyes you are taking the best horse home!

[/ QUOTE ]

Last year the little girl that won it was on a lead rein and couldn't even trot!!

There was another pony that came in in a grackle, martingale and bottom ring of a gag! The pony was hopping lame so she was asked to leave.

At 25, Chex is usually the oldest in the class, and he's still usually the naughty one that goes galloping round. I almost ran into the judge last year because I underestimated how much time it would take me to get from trot to halt, I was mortified
blush.gif
She sidestepped and dropped me down to sixth place
smirk.gif
 
Yeh that about sums it up, hope you have some fun with him. We are thinking of doing some veteran classes with our old pony as she loves going to shows. Trouble is she looks far better under saddle than in hand, but is really too small for my daughter now but far too nutty for the average child to ride, so will have to see. Have found one local show with a combined veteran, adding age of handler and pony together, feeling I might be doing that one, but would be bit put out if we won!
 
Only turnout thing that's actually different from normal showing is that you could get yourself a dressage type number for your bridle - use it to show your horses age, especially if it is a venerable great age!!
(Oh and the fact that many veteran judges are completely mad and haven't much idea what they are doing) There are guidelines on the VHS website for how the class is judged, but don't expect to see that at local shows. Still interesting for bit of background, also if you do decide to point out to the judge how utterly inappropriate their placings are - not that I've ever done so, but have been tempted on a few occasions
shocked.gif
tongue.gif
 
Chex looks really well for 25. The pony my daughter used to show began looking his age at 25 so hasn't been shown for last 3 years, though he is still going strong. Our mare is a baby at 19, but is now semi-retired as she had a star fracture of her hind leg 3 years ago. She could be doing more but as I said can't find a jockey. If she does veteran she will probably be in a flash and middle ring of gag, lol!
 
Thanks
laugh.gif
Chex is starting to look his age a bit now, especially over winter (I think his winter coat is greyer than his summer one!). I wish I could ride him in a gag, I had no control at all in a snaffle, he kept taking off at every corner, I should have been annoyed but actually it made me happy that he was still so forward going. Saying that he won his class at the show he was worst behaved at - I think its because he was way more active and flexible than the others!

I never bother plaiting either, I do clean his white bits though.
 
These are my two:
James is 23 but as you can see he doesn't have the 'isn't that pony cute' factor being a TB
Jim.jpg

And this is Muffin who is 19/20 and does have cute ponio factor:
Muffin.jpg

Should I bother?????
 
You may as well give it a go - if you hate it don't do it again
laugh.gif
. Up here horses and ponies are split. I'm in the ponies so struggle up against the little cute ones. I thought about entering the horse class but he is a very small 14.2 (being only 14.1
smirk.gif
) so doubt I'd get away with it.
 
Veteran classes are so fun, I stewarded for a few VHS classes the other year, it was sooo nice to see all these horses who werent in the first flush of youth, yet were so nicely turned out! Even tho some were slightly creaky, some had interesting cushings coat etc. There was one lusitano who was ancient, and a few kiddies ponies who were being handled bythe children. And you can qualify for olympia cant you?!
 
Hi, Ginger-Bird,

CastleMouse has described the veteran class very well. If you are worried about him being a bit strong, you could put him in either a pelham, rugby or double bridle, as long as he is happy with it. When I judge veteran classes I look for soundness, good condition, a bright eye and a happy way of going. A good tidy turnout is very important so don't forget a hairnet and gloves.

I must admit I find veteran classes more challenging than others: sometimes the 'best' one there is the youngest because some of the really old ones are pretty stiff and can hardly move! Don't forget to check each schedule for the minimum age of the horse because it can vary from show to show.

Best of Luck!

P.S. We are not ALL mad, by the way!
crazy.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top