What are 15hh WHP classes?

[canadiangirly]

Hi all,

I'm Canadian and an avid reader of H&H, but confused about something.

What are 15hh WHP classes?

If WHP = Working Hunter Pony, and ponies are defined by a max height of 14.2 hands...does the 15hh stand for something else?

Thanks for enlightening me!
Barb

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

In Show Hunter Ponies the Working Hunter goes up by a full hand at a time so 12hh, 13hh, 14hh then 15hh. THe age limit is 21 on the 15hh's I think.

 

[canadiangirly]

Hmmm. Not sure I follow quite yet...

Does that mean the classes are split into "divisions" based on the ponies' height, eg, ponies in the 12hh range (12-12.99hh), 13hh range (13-13.99hh), etc?

And if so, that means even horses, eg from 14.3-15hh, can compete in the 14hh and 15hh divisions?

Not a big deal, just found it confusing, as in North America, pony classes and horse classes are clearly defined and have no overlap, eg, anything over 14.2hh is a horse and would not be allowed in a class described as for ponies, including "working hunter pony".

 

[be positive]

Yes there is an overlap where a 14.2 -15 hand "horse" is classified for these classes as a pony. Just to make it more complicated they are now in metric measurements so the classes are up to 133cm/143 cm/153cm which means they are slightly over nearest measurement in hands.

The working hunter classes are for horses over 15 hands so a 14.3 would not be able to do them.

 

[canadiangirly]

Ok, thanks...that helps me "get it"

 

[camilla4]

Hi Barb,

As the name suggests, these classes are for hunters to be ridden by children and teenagers/young adults so the term "pony" is used even though the largest height class is for those up to 15HH. The age limit for this class used to be 18 when I was doing them years ago but I understand it is now higher.

 

[Foxhunter49]

In the UK a pony was defined as 15 hands and under. Somewhere when shows became more organised with registrations to various societies, it became 14.2 and under for all show classes and junior show jumping.

There was basically a show pony class and Working Hunter Pony for juniors and that was it.
I cannot remember when but rules were changed and the Show Hunter Pony was introduced where the pony heights were from 15 hands and under and WHP classes changed to the same.

All but some Native Pony classes have a rider age limitation.

There is a big difference between show classes in the UK and north America. Here it is very unusual for a child to be riding a horse. We have a large diversity of native ponies and children start to ride on these. I know that when I first went to the US and saw small children riding horses, I was astounded at the danger of it. To see a six or seven year old child riding a 15.2 horse off the lead seemed to me to be very dangerous. Then I realised that there was little choice as there are so few smaller ponies available.

 

[canadiangirly]

In the UK a pony was defined as 15 hands and under. Somewhere when shows became more organised with registrations to various societies, it became 14.2 and under for all show classes and junior show jumping.
....
There is a big difference between show classes in the UK and north America. Here it is very unusual for a child to be riding a horse. We have a large diversity of native ponies and children start to ride on these. I know that when I first went to the US and saw small children riding horses, I was astounded at the danger of it. To see a six or seven year old child riding a 15.2 horse off the lead seemed to me to be very dangerous. Then I realised that there was little choice as there are so few smaller ponies available.

Interesting! I guess I grew up assuming that a max height of 14.2 for ponies was an inviolable international rule...but I guess there's nothing stopping a country (or a show) from redefining various classes as they see fit.

I agree with you about the danger and inappropriateness of children in North America being put on horses way too early. My sister, who's a riding instructor, and I shake our heads at how often this happens. It just doesn't make sense, both from a safety point-of-view and because a child is not strong enough to really control a horse, let alone give proper aids. It makes for a bit of chaos at shows! For the most part, it seems to be the riding centres who are most guilty, though often enough their horses tend to be gentle elderly schoolmasters who take care of the kids. But just one spook, and that child will be flying off!

My sister won't even put a small child on a large pony; they start off on the 12-13hh and it may be years before they graduate to a larger one, depending on their development and talent.

It's also true that we don't have nearly the number of ponies you have in Britain; I'm really impressed at the quality and good breeding and focus you have on ponies there! We also have very few pony classes compared to you (at least in my part of Canada). I think the US has more, but still not comparable to the UK. And the whole pony/horse industry seems to be part of the culture in Britain; here it is something apart, that only a few get involved in.

Anyway, can't wait to make a trip out there and see a good UK show full of native ponies! My sister had four New Forest half-brothers for a while (they are so rare here; their sire was imported from the UK), and we just loved them to bits! She kept one which my niece rides in hunters and jumpers; he's a champ and a pony of a lifetime

 

[spookypony]

Hi there! I'm an ex-pat Canadian now living in the UK, and I think I'm finally starting to crack what some of these differences are about!

First, the showing classes in general appeared very confusing to me! I'm from a dressage background, but had a passing acquaintance with the hunter-jumper types in North America. From what I can tell, hunter-jumper classes are a bit like a cross between Working Hunter and Style Jumping, if that makes any sense... I ride a pony here, because 14.1 happens to be the height that he is, and would not be allowed to ride him in any showing classes here other than possibly Riding Club Horse/Pony. I'm too old to ride him in WHP, and as an unregistered presumably part-bred native, he's not eligible for anything else, other than novelty classes (he even has a trophy for Best Mane and Tail! ).

The division between pony/horse is taken much more seriously here. I'm continually amazed at people thinking they've "outgrown" their 14.2 or even 15hh, when they're not even 5'5" tall themselves. When I was growing up, our riding school had few really small ponies; I'd say most were 12.2 to about 15hh. While I tended to ride the smaller ones at first, I know I was riding small horses by age 10 (and not having any trouble), and full-up 17hh by 13 (I have very long legs). For most of my teens, I rode a deranged little bay mare that was probably smaller than 13hh. Even now, I don't really consider the height of the horse to be terribly relevant, within reason, of course.

Here's me on a definite horse, at age 10. The black pony at the back was over 14hh, and often ridden by adults. The one with the white mane and tail was a bit smaller, and usually used for lead-rein purposes:

 

[MeganLindsx]

15hh WHP classes are normally for a horse 15hh and above, in this class you will have a jump a course of rustic fences ( a cross between showjumping and XC style jumps) and then show a small indivual show consisting of walk, trot and canter on both reins.
You could compete your 14.1 in an open WHP class or any Working hunter classes that have no age or small restrictions.
Hope that helps