Working Hunter Advice Please

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wilsha

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I want to do an unafilliated working hunter at summerhouse in Gloucester at the end of the month and need some advice!
I have a 15.2 class one Connemara who's only 5 and I haven't competed him yet, but he has with his old owner.
I normally ride him in a little universal gag, can I use this or should he be in a snaffle?
As he's a Connemara does he need to be plaited?
Also what exactly do you need to do?

Any advice will be really helpful!

Thanks
 
Sorry, not much advise re WH, the only thing I wondered was are you sure he is a class 1 because the rules state height above 148cm is a class 2.
 
Kikke said:
Sorry, not much advise re WH, the only thing I wondered was are you sure he is a class 1 because the rules state height above 148cm is a class 2.
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As I found out the other day having just purchased a rising 3 year old connie. They can be graded from the age of 2 so wilsha's may well have been 148 at the time of grading.

My 3 year old I am going to get graded in summer as she is about 148 now & is definitely going to grow but has class one's in her breeding all the way back so hoping I can get her in.

Re workers you can compete in a universal I think yes. If you are wearing front boots in jumping you have to take them off for flat.
Plaited if you are doing normal workers if it is m&m workers unplaited I would guess
 
Kikke said:
Sorry, not much advise re WH, the only thing I wondered was are you sure he is a class 1 because the rules state height above 148cm is a class 2.
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I agree, he is overheight therefore will be class 2 and not eligible to show in most breed/ M&M classes, I would definitely plait as he is going in an open class and should not be presented as an M&M as he is overheight, in fact I would trim off any feather and pull/ trim his tail as well.

You can ride in any suitable bit/ bridle so if he goes well enough then at this stage I would leave his as he is but work towards getting him going in a snaffle with a view to using a double/ pelham if you really want to show more in the future at 15.2 he may make a small hunter or riding horse which would require a different bitting arrangement.
 
When he was graded he was 148, does this means he needs to be re-graded or something like that now that he has grown?
We are working him towards being in a snaffle, but just needs a little extra since he team chases he thinks that all jumps should be galloped at!!
Just thought I would have a go to see how he gets on and then take it from there! The details from when he was sold as a 3 year old said he had the perfect conformation for a working hunter so thought it would be fun to try!
He's also going to go eventing this season which is exciting!
 
wilsha said:
Also what exactly do you need to do?

Any advice will be really helpful!

Thanks
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I don't think anyone else has answered the above part of your post......so, you will need to complete a course of jumps - these will be knock-down show jumps but of a VERY rustic nature! Think cross country, in olden times! They are supposed to be the sort of thing you would genuinely meet crossing the country, rather than the modern type questions you see on the XC phase of a ODE.

Have a look on Louise Bells website for some examples of the types of things you may have to jump.

Also, you need to be happy in walk, trot, canter and gallop on the go-round in the group.

Am not really a show person, so unsure if at an unaffiliated show you would be required to do an individual show or there is any requirement to strip the horse.

PS The jumping course should be ridden at a hunting pace and NOT as a show-jump course....so crack on! :)
PPS Just had a look at Louise's website and she has changed it since I last looked; there is only the first photo in her gallery now that gives you any idea of the jumps involved. Sorry. :(
 
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gunnergundog said:
I don't think anyone else has answered the above part of your post......so, you will need to complete a course of jumps - these will be knock-down show jumps but of a VERY rustic nature! Think cross country, in olden times! They are supposed to be the sort of thing you would genuinely meet crossing the country, rather than the modern type questions you see on the XC phase of a ODE.

Have a look on Louise Bells website for some examples of the types of things you may have to jump.

Also, you need to be happy in walk, trot, canter and gallop on the go-round in the group.

Am not really a show person, so unsure if at an unaffiliated show you would be required to do an individual show or there is any requirement to strip the horse.

PS The jumping course should be ridden at a hunting pace and NOT as a show-jump course....so crack on! :)
PPS Just had a look at Louise's website and she has changed it since I last looked; there is only the first photo in her gallery now that gives you any idea of the jumps involved. Sorry. :(
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Be aware though that many working hunter classes now throw in water trays, white gates and even fillers with brightly painted animals on (countryside live at the Yorkshire show's winter event had a pig fence, a sheep fence, a cow fence and bright gates out of a total of about seven fences!very spooky and far from what I think of as working hunter).

If it's a relatively novice un affiliated class it should be fairly straightforward fences.
 
If it is an unaffiliated class you will have to check with the show secretary but I would show as M&M, even if he is overheight. The judge will be judging as a WH, not as a Connie. IMO your horse would be at a disadvantage, plaited and trimmed.
You can use any tack you feel appropriate, some judges like to see a running martingale or a hunting breastplate, others don't mind. You can put boots on for the jumping phase but must take them off for the showing phase, in affiliated classes, also your stick should be short not a schooling whip.
The rustic fences will fall if you knock them, just like show-jumps but should be jumped in a flowing hunting style, this does not mean rushing at them. You may find that the ground undulates more than you would expect in a SJ class. You will be asked to join the other competitors in the ring for the showing phase. You will be asked to show extension (gallop) in the individual show, so try to pick a slightly uphill stretch for that, to show your horse to best advantage. Keep your individual show short, there is nothing worse, as a judge, than standing there wondering what on earth the rider is doing, going round and round the ring. Walk away from the judge, trot a figure of eight, canter a figure of eight and then extend up the long side, walk back to salute the judge. The jumping phase counts for 50% of the marks, including style and manners, it is unlikely, especially unaffiliated, that the judge will ride the horses.
Good luck!
 
Thanks for all the help everyone!
Cleared up a few bits I was unsure of!
Is there a preference for glove colour?
Also he normally has a hunter breastplate on, so would i keep that on for the showing phase?
 
I've only done WH at one place and it was unaffiliated. The judges didn't require a show, it was all done together in the go-round, but one of the judges did ride the horses. They were also stripped off and walked and trotted in hand individually. I guess it all depends on the judges on the day.
 
If not specifically stated then WH classes are plaited, pulled, trimmed ponies

M&M WH is always specified as such and ponies are natural state

If pony was 148cm when graded I don't think he needs to be re classified or surely they wouldn't be grading them as young as two or three with a rule that they must fall under 148cm at that point
 
As the others said for regular workers his mane should be pulled and plaited. For M&M he should be shown in a natual state so full mane, tail and feathers. Re Grading if he is registered with CPBS (Irish Connemara Studbook) then grading is for life regardless of height. Geldings unlike stallions and mares are not insepected as they cannot breed. Their classifaction is based on the classification of both parents With class one being the best. Height is seperate altogether well with CPBS anyway. Clasifiaction usually doesnt matter for competing in the sense that there arent seperate clasess for each of the classifiations though obviously there may be some differences with the Brittish connemara socitey. I think with CPBS overheight ponies can still be class 1 but im not 100% sure
 
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Show him as M&M

You can use gag for jumping but ideally he would be in a pelham / snaffle for the showing part imo..

Whoever said keep breastplate on for the showing part... nooo, not for me, everything except bridle and saddle comes off in the showing part.. I may be doing it wrong but it's what i've also seen at County.
 
Tern said:
Show him as M&M

You can use gag for jumping but ideally he would be in a pelham / snaffle for the showing part imo..

Whoever said keep breastplate on for the showing part... nooo, not for me, everything except bridle and saddle comes off in the showing part.. I may be doing it wrong but it's what i've also seen at County.
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The only tack that can be taken off or changed after jumping are the boots, if worn, nothing else may be changed, if you have seen it at County level it is against the rules, if you look at the photos of the workers at HOYS you will see all manner of equipment on the horses for the flat section, nothing taken off after jumping.

As he is not eligible to be shown as an M&M at shows, due to being over 148cm then to show him in an open class as an M&M seems pointless and unlikely to make a good impression on the judge as it is incorrect.
 
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