What Classes Should I Aim For... *Photos*

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Forget_Me_Not

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O.K load down... Lets say 16.3hh because if he hasnt made it yet....He will....Six years old.... Education of a three year old.... Acts like a egiht year old tho.... Irish Sports Horse. Just backed walking and troting. What shows should I aim for? I doubt he will be up to clearing courses for his height come summer so ruling working hunters out? Oh is it possible to get away with a dressage saddle in showing/hunter classes? Bare with me hes not in the condition I would like....

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hunter classes, i would say a middle weight hunter, but i stand to be corrected on that as im a pony girl not a horse person.
And dressage saddles realy depend on the saddle and the level of show.
If its a nice saddle you can get the straps shortened which essentialy turns it into a show saddle.
 
He's stunning! Needs a bit of muscling and condition, but a lovely type. He's built very uphill - perhaps he would make a nice dressage horse as you already have the saddle!
 
Well probs 16.2hh? I havn't brought a dressage saddle yet but I would rather one for dresaage, as I plan to work up to eventing etc. Idealy would like shorten girth straps but finding them very hard to find.
 
get the dressage saddle and get your saddler to shorten the straps, all it needs is for the straps to be cut and extra holes to be added. no fancy structural changes to the saddle.
 
rule of thumb is you dont do hunter classes in a dressage saddle. However there was a woman in my class at the B&W last year who did it in a dressage saddle. She did come last tho......
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Nice horse btw!
 
he is lovely - looks like mine about 4 years ago. depends what the dressage saddle is like - much better to use a gp/jump on him as he has lots of shoulder.

local shows usually do workers with very small courses and if he was mine, i would be getting him out on sponsored rides to build up his confidence with jumps.

he looks like he will shape up quite quickly but don't worry too much about condition at local level. mine has what most would class as a weak back-end but she is always placed in workers.
 
looks like he's make a lovely working hunter type, you can always do local shows this summer, the jumps are usually pretty small compared to bigger shows
 
If you are thinking of showing in classes where the judge will ride (workers, weights etc) then your dressage saddle may become the isssue, many judges will not feel 'right' especially in a deep seated saddle, how about a vsd which isn;t too deep as a compromise?
 
You can get dressage saddles made with short girth straps as I had my albion done that way. I have competed at affiliated show hunter classes in this saddle without problem. Depends on the sort of saddle though. If it has blocked knee rolls etc you are going to have problems but as long as you can ride short or long in it then you should be fine.
 
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