Working Hunter - advice needed on boots & bits - & which class?

[Baileyhoss]

Hello there.

I have done WH at our local riding club working hunter, but pretty much any thing goes there. I would like to do WH at Burgie this year and obviously it's a bigger venue, higher level and I don't want to make any faupaux!.

ths is the schedule. http://www.burgie.org/pdfs/WHAPRIL1609.pdf

I was planning on doing the novice WH and possibly the small ridden hunter.

I know you go in and jump, then go in all together, ride round per the judge, line up, judge rides, strip down and remount, but can someone please give me the low down on what else I should wear/do/watch out for.

I thought you could only wear boots if you were going to keep them on all the time, but someone told me you can jump in them and take them off for the next bit - is this true?

I need advice re:

Boots - on, off, just for jumping? (I would be using studs behind)

Martingale - (I can manage without it)

Bit -I can ride and jump in a snaffle (although he can be a bit resistant) normally use a NS universal - can use a pelham & two reins if that would be better (he really does pose in that) although would need practice jumping in it. Can i use the NS for jumping, then change to pelham to show?

Also for anyone who has seen my horse - would he be a small ridden hunter or a small riding horse? what's the difference? is it worth bothering with either? would be quite happy just to do the WH as i want to do the arena on Fri, and the intro on sun too


this is him:
http://www.peak-photo.co.uk/index.php?pa...mp;search_mode=

http://www.peak-photo.co.uk/index.php?li...t&start=180

http://www.peak-photo.co.uk/index.php?li...t&start=180

Please help. Thanks vvvvv much.

F x

 

[horseywelsh]

Boots on for jumping BUT MUST come off for flat bit.
Martingales allowed (upto you on that one, but if ok without then don't have on, ride in what horse goes best in)
Bit MUST stay same throughout (again which you feel would give allround best performance in, pelhams are favoured for showing but if you're not ready to jump in it etc stick to snaffle).

Remember for WH tweed jacket, beige jods,shirt and tie. Pref flat browband and noseband on horse.

Sorry not got time to look at schedule, but sometimes at bigger shows if there is a ride judge be prepared for judge to ride your horse in flat section.

From pics looks more of a small ridden hunter than a riding horse (riding horses tend to be finer types, need fancy browband and blue jacket for that class).

 

[Baileyhoss]

That's just the advice that i needed. Thanks for that.

I would have looked very out of place next to fine little bays with ribbons on their browbands

 

[Quadro]

ive done the WH there bout 5 years ago now and the track was very very stiff!!! out of 80 starters there was 2 clear rounds and 4 4 faulters!!! you will do well if you have a bold and careful horse which i was lucky enough to have!!! might be different now though

 

[Baileyhoss]

oh my god - even the wee ones?

b is very careful and agile, but not the bravest, but he's quite honest and we'll have done a few cross countries by then to get some brave.

Just looking at the schedule more carefully tho - it's says horse needs to be 15hh or over. I'll need to measure him to make sure he's 15hh as I normally refer to him at 14.3hh, but I think he's 14.3.5. & we'll have studs in - how strict do you think they'll be on this?

 

[horseywelsh]

if he is under 15hh then you should do the WH PONY classes (jumps will be smaller). Your horse sounds very borderline though, i think there would be more hoohaa if they thought he was too big for pony class, than too small for horse. I'd def get him measured before entering as you don't want to disadvantage yourself by been in bigger class, likewise if someone does question height you need to be clear at what height he is.
From experience i have found with a "borderline" height people would rather them measure under 15hh and go in pony class, but then there is rider age restrictions if you were to do PUK/affiliated classes etc.
Have you got an instructor you could ask, or maybe have one lesson with someone who is in the know about WH, and help you before this competition (just an idea)

 

[horseywelsh]

I've just looked at schedule and they don't seem too strict.

The small ridden hunter class sounds ok, if i was going i would have a bash at that too, it's not as though entries are too pricey.