What can I do in preparation?

michellev123

michellev123

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Hi
Am taking Oscar to his first ever show this summer!!

He is 2 (tomorrow) and stands at 15hh, is just a fun local show. I think he will be full of it!! What can I do to get him preparded it?

The classes and the atomosphere etc.

Would it be worth taking him and not doing any classes just walk him around?

I must admit I am really nervous too, haven't been to a show in many many years! but am good at hiding nerves lol

We will be going with a few horses he knows so hopefuly this will help.

Any tips much apriciated!

Also regarding turnout? How should he be turned out and how should I be turned out.
Will just do in-hand classes like best youngster/coloured etc (dont actually know what classes are on but you get the jist!!)

He is a WB * TB here is a pic....

200907Oscar3.jpg
 
michellev123 said:
Hi
Am taking Oscar to his first ever show this summer!!

He is 2 (tomorrow) and stands at 15hh, is just a fun local show. I think he will be full of it!! What can I do to get him preparded it?

The classes and the atomosphere etc.

Would it be worth taking him and not doing any classes just walk him around?

I must admit I am really nervous too, haven't been to a show in many many years! but am good at hiding nerves lol

We will be going with a few horses he knows so hopefuly this will help.

Any tips much apriciated!

Also regarding turnout? How should he be turned out and how should I be turned out.
Will just do in-hand classes like best youngster/coloured etc (dont actually know what classes are on but you get the jist!!)

He is a WB * TB here is a pic....

200907Oscar3.jpg
Click to expand...


I would take him, be a shame to get there and not do anything with him :p

He does need to be bitted as a 2 year old if you haven't already done so . :) An inhand bridle with either a nylon showing bit or plain little snaffle/french link bit with couplings and lead rein .

Also plaited and his tail pulled or plaited ( pulled looks better )

Plenty of chalk/ talc on his white bits .

For yourself ..... tweed jacket, shirt and tie that compliments your jacket . Brown/black trousers and comfortable joddy boots are fine :) Gloves and showing cane .

As for preparing him, he needs to be walking out and trotting up nicely in your hand, also getting him to stand squarely .

If he is going with other horses just be prepared for him to be calling or looking around for the other horses ;) .

Good luck :) and enjoy .

Col x
 
I took my 4yr old to his first ever show yesterday. He is ridiculously sensible with everything we do anyway - but I did a few things to ensure it was a nice experience for him.

- I got there at 8am (our class was at 10) and parked my trailer out of the way but close enough to see everytihing. That way it was quiet when we got there, he saw everything turning up and it gradually got buiser which he coped with well. I thought that was better than unloading him straight into a busy environment.

- We did an inhand class. I led him down to the ring with two leadreains attached to his inhand 'lead' thing. I had one in each hand incase I lost one! He was fine but was a bit worried by the burger van!! I also wore a 'Caution Young Horse' Tabbard!

- Our class was at 10am, so we stood next to the ring at 9.15. That gave him lots of time to see what was going on and relax. He was a but 'looky' for 10 mins, but by 9.30 he was grazing.

- As soon as we went in I told the judge it was our 1st show. (Didn't need to worry as he was great in there!)

We did 'Potential Competition Horse' - and although we'd practiced our trot in a straight line loads, we were asked to trot round cones in a triangle!! My boy is 16.1 with gangly legs and we haven;t really mastered corners yet - so I brought him back to walk at every corner then asked for trot again. Better to be safe!!

He was a star in the ring - and we even got placed 6th which I was thrilled about!

Have fun and enjoy it.
 
yup, at 2yo should be bitted, sorry!

Dont have to be anything special just a happy little snaffle that he is ok with having in his mouth! :)

Plait him, pull or plait his tail, super cleaned the night before (then repeated in the morning if he is turned out)

and just be prepared for a risk of giddyness! :) but its all good fun! and take a camera for someone to capture it for u! :)
 
At risk of monopolising your thread - I thought you might find this a bit reassuring. I have done LOTS of showing but nevertheless here is a report from Coco's first show recently:

I plaited him at the yard. He was a bit grumpy about that but tolerated being fiddled with, and looked tres handsome in his curlers!

Got the box out & he walked straight on after Sienna. The show was 20 mins away and had a range of classes including miniature ponies. We got there and entered. Got him off and he had a major revelation - There are hundreds of horses in the world, he has only met a few of them and they come in all shapes & colours, including teeny ones who could be playthings.
He could not believe his eyes. Needless to say we then had fun putting his bridle on and trying to finish grooming him, in the end the novelty of hooves flying past my ears as I was trying to apply hoof oil, wore off.
I decided to just go as we were, jeans and all.

You know that person at the show with a screaming spinning youngster who is barely in control. Yes - that was me.

I expect him to be hoarse for a few days, he was practising his loudest stallion roar. I decided that a horse with a big walk is all fine and good until you are trying to keep up on foot. I had on my wool jacket and was frankly sweating buckets trying to contain his 'exuberance'.

1st class was a hunter class, he was 2nd. 2nd class was a riding horse class & he was 4th. By the 2nd class he was much more settled & deigned to stand briefly for prize giving etc.

I am well pleased of course, he had a very educational outing & ended up back at the box quietly & tiredly eating hay & looking round calmly, which was kind of the purpose of the whole day.

He's going again in a couple of weeks and will do a fair amount of showing this year, it's great experience.

A photo of the mudmonster:
OMG a shetland....
26933_429717724837_621514837_540200.jpg
 
siennamum said:
At risk of monopolising your thread - I thought you might find this a bit reassuring. I have done LOTS of showing but nevertheless here is a report from Coco's first show recently:

I plaited him at the yard. He was a bit grumpy about that but tolerated being fiddled with, and looked tres handsome in his curlers!

Got the box out & he walked straight on after Sienna. The show was 20 mins away and had a range of classes including miniature ponies. We got there and entered. Got him off and he had a major revelation - There are hundreds of horses in the world, he has only met a few of them and they come in all shapes & colours, including teeny ones who could be playthings.
He could not believe his eyes. Needless to say we then had fun putting his bridle on and trying to finish grooming him, in the end the novelty of hooves flying past my ears as I was trying to apply hoof oil, wore off.
I decided to just go as we were, jeans and all.

You know that person at the show with a screaming spinning youngster who is barely in control. Yes - that was me.

I expect him to be hoarse for a few days, he was practising his loudest stallion roar. I decided that a horse with a big walk is all fine and good until you are trying to keep up on foot. I had on my wool jacket and was frankly sweating buckets trying to contain his 'exuberance'.

1st class was a hunter class, he was 2nd. 2nd class was a riding horse class & he was 4th. By the 2nd class he was much more settled & deigned to stand briefly for prize giving etc.

I am well pleased of course, he had a very educational outing & ended up back at the box quietly & tiredly eating hay & looking round calmly, which was kind of the purpose of the whole day.

He's going again in a couple of weeks and will do a fair amount of showing this year, it's great experience.

A photo of the mudmonster:
OMG a shetland....
26933_429717724837_621514837_540200.jpg
Click to expand...

LOL brilliant! Oscar gets excited enough on a walk if we meet one other horse let alone 100's lol will see I spose am just worried about bitting him then him getting excited and pulling on his mouth!!

Congrats on results!! :D
 
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