Why so faffy handling at Royal Welsh?

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MagicMelon

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I've been watching a few of the videos online from the Royal Welsh of the D's. Why are the handlers so faffy? They're permanently messing about crazily with their horse, yanking it in the mouth continuously in some cases and just generally all looking a bit panicked. I know the Royal Welsh is well known for being pretty mental but it doesn't make enjoyable viewing. There's no tidiness either, they seem to just stand about in a heap, no clear line-up etc. like other shows. Is this just a Royal Welsh thing as Ive never seen it elsewhere done like this (and I've shown Welsh Cobs but not to a particularly high standard).
 
Its all about "geeing" them up so they show themselves. They actually like them rearing and all sorts there. If you think they are bad, you should see the Arab classes there. I watched one man running up his stallion, flicking his whip against the advertising banners around the ring. (Nearly took my eye out!).He then ran it full pelt at another stallion, and when it was within a foot of it, yanked it right round, whereupon, it nearly fell over. All very unpleasant ( and I have showed to a high level).
 
I've never enjoyed watching the in hand classes at the royal welsh- it makes for uncomfortable viewing- I have frequently competed at Monmouth, three counties, bath & west and never seen it as manic as the royal welsh
 
I don't know much about showing in hand and don't really want to as it's about as interesting as watching paint dry but I was surprised when we took our youngster to a very small local show just to get him out and about and saw how the handlers of the Arabs wound them up before they went into the ring.
 
I haven't been to the Royal Welsh but always head for the welsh in-hand classes at the Cheshire Show. They always look stunning and I know they tend to look particularly flashy when they're on 'top note' but I really don't like seeing how the handlers wind them up. I saw one girl constantly flicking the whip at her D when the judge wasn't looking, a lot of jabbing them in the mouths, spinning them round in circles, dragging whips along the railings as they go past and strategically placed friends and family who also do their bit to wind the horses up from the spectator side as they passed. Not pleasant to see the whites of all the horses eyes as they got more and more hyped up and on edge so I walked away.
 
They often flap the banners or get people to do so. Lots of whistling, yanking but bit can those blokes run. Not saying I like it but wow! Stunning animals but agree ring manners... Ummm not really. Hear the Arabs and the Morgan horses like to gee up.. Having a highland would not matter if you exploded a bomb by 4 year old she's pretty horizontal!
 
I don't understand how that's supposed to make them look good? All I see is a bunch of people being dragged about by horses they can't control/pretending they can't control. Just looks wrong. But then I don't have much showing experience. Do they judge on obedience/behaviour inhand or is it just conformation and action?
 
I don't think the welshies have anything on the arabs tbh. lol at the highland comment, my welshie is a bit like that ;). Lovely mare champion at the end of the youtube vid. I think there might just end up being too much testosterone in the ring in the stallion classes - and not just equine!
 
mmmmmm Shoot me down for this but I really don't think it is that bad.
I show my welsh cob mare in hand and she is very well behaved so not need to faff but with some of these stalions handling is a bit diffenent I am sure.
Agree with it or not but lots of these stalions are kept in for a long time just to get them worked up I am sure after that handeling is not that easy but they do show off their attitude and pace with all that adrenaline.
 
Elbie said:
I don't understand how that's supposed to make them look good? All I see is a bunch of people being dragged about by horses they can't control/pretending they can't control. Just looks wrong. But then I don't have much showing experience. Do they judge on obedience/behaviour inhand or is it just conformation and action?
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Action, knee action if I'm not wrong there trot is so extended... Bit OTT for me but still stunning!
 
I suspect the start of this vid - which does look like disorganised chaos may be what the OP is getting at?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ikVnDW9hqw

Faracat if it helps Frank used to look like this when I bought him and didn't have lami, I suspect those that are prone just don't make it to the ring.
1934885_223362910437_2731227_n.jpg


he now looks more like this at same time of year ;) will always be quite wide barrelled though, he does have big ribs ;)

1908370_10154519611840438_8716410901311561478_n.jpg


10517511_10154519611815438_6109397306754470934_n.jpg
 
even though he is 9 years older ;) 12/21 in those pics. I do figure that's the only way they do it though, show the ones that are particularly not prone to lami.
 
ester said:
I suspect the start of this vid - which does look like disorganised chaos may be what the OP is getting at?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ikVnDW9hqw

Faracat if it helps Frank used to look like this when I bought him and didn't have lami, I suspect those that are prone just don't make it to the ring.
1934885_223362910437_2731227_n.jpg


he now looks more like this at same time of year ;) will always be quite wide barrelled though, he does have big ribs ;)

1908370_10154519611840438_8716410901311561478_n.jpg


10517511_10154519611815438_6109397306754470934_n.jpg
Click to expand...

he is lovely!! but yes, well sprung ribs.
Sometimes bugs me that so many people shout "fat" while alot of them just are barrel shaped. I am sure that there are plenty that can see the difference but unfortunately too many don't and shout without knowing!
 
I think those pics show the difference him muscle engaging makes ;) I always think he looks round stood on the yard even though I can v. easily feel/slightly see ribs. Then there have been times I have lunged him recently and thought he looks a bit too lean when he engages his abs a bit and ribs a bit more visible!

We're off showing for the first time in ages on Sunday hence me attempting to feather his tail! Our biggest issue is the combination of a black arena and white socks! :D

I would like to get my hands on some of the welshies at the royal welsh to see what condition some of them are actually in, I do think it is difficult to tell from footage.
 
ester said:
I suspect the start of this vid - which does look like disorganised chaos may be what the OP is getting at?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ikVnDW9hqw

Faracat if it helps Frank used to look like this when I bought him and didn't have lami, I suspect those that are prone just don't make it to the ring.
1934885_223362910437_2731227_n.jpg


he now looks more like this at same time of year ;) will always be quite wide barrelled though, he does have big ribs ;)

1908370_10154519611840438_8716410901311561478_n.jpg


10517511_10154519611815438_6109397306754470934_n.jpg
Click to expand...

Good lord! What a difference, he somehow looks like an 80s popstar in the first one, all that tan and blonde :-)

My haffy tries quite hard to drag me around, oh how easy it would be if that was what the judges were looking for!
 
Don't know about just the in hand classes - I am just watching some of the ridden and it's shocking the standard of riding. :-O
 
It's a different world ;) We live in a very welsh heavy area (separate rings at local shows just for welsh) and saw a fair bit of it showing a section B colt at a fair level (Bs aren't shown in that way but you're in the same ring!). I think what goes on in the ring really is only the tip of the iceberg about how these cobs are kept.
 
Although the adult have evidently made it to over 8 in the ring the youngsters often don't get passed their fourth birthday before succumbing to laminitis and being pts. You rarely see an in hand pony champion winning a ridden class in the welsh d classes and in many of the other classes too I had hope it was starting to improve but evidently not in Wales at our local county I was pleasantly surprised to see fit not fat in hand ponies being shown
 
I was at the Royal Welsh yesterday and although I didn't sit and study the classes I was amused to see the collecting ring before one classe, I think they were theyoungstock classes yesterday. Some were very quiet, others were getting excited ,but nobody was loosing control and no pony went AWOL that I saw.

I also thought that most of them looked pretty trim and slim and I don't just mean the handlers!
 
windand rain said:
You rarely see an in hand pony champion winning a ridden class in the welsh d classes and in many of the other classes too I had hope it was starting to improve but evidently not in Wales at our local county I was pleasantly surprised to see fit not fat in hand ponies being shown
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The Sec D ridden champion at RWAS this year won there as a youngster in-hand too.
 
I am pleased to hear that as in the past it was never heard of as most of the in hand winners were dead by the time they were ridden age due to laminitis and joint problems if they did make it to adulthood their lives were shortened by arthritis and cushings
 
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