working hunter classes?

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wilsha

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what d you have to do in workng hunter
also what can you/cant you wear

p.s sorry if this has been posted before
thanks x
 
In WH classes, you go in and jump round a course of rustic style fences, then after most will only call the clears back, althogh at smaller shows they may call all back, you then all ride round together at walk trot canter gallop. And then usally the judge would ride, again may vary at smaller shows. If the judge doesnt ride you would do an invidioul show.
Correct attire:
Brown tack, no numnah or discreet brown one.
Pref a double bridle/pelham, a martinggale is accepttable in the jumping phase as is boots for the horse.
Your attire:
Tweed jacket, velvet hat to complement the type of tweed your wearing.
Plain shirt, tie or stock, coloured accepted but not bright so green, dark blue(if matches your tweed)
Brown gloves (leather looks best and Professional)
Beige/cream jod/breeches, not white.
Leather boots, in a more traditonal cut rather than dreassage show jusdges dont like dreassgae cut. A d spurs and brown cane.
They also prefer no jewellary.
Your horse should be plaited, or hogged if a cob, better to plait with thread. Trimmed feathers,face ect.
You can also put on quarter markers, but not the type you do off the plastic markers, do sharks teeth as this gives the appearce of a nice rounded bum!
Hope this helps cant think of anything else let me know if theres something ive missed. :)
 
First you'll jump a course of rustic/natural type fences at a good hunting pace rather than showjumping style. Refusals and knockdowns are penalised.

Then you'll be asked to do a short individual show to demonstrate that your horse is well schooled and obedient on the flat. There will also be some assessment of conformation.

Your horse may wear boots for the jumping phase but not on the flat. Some novice classes may specify snaffle bridle but generally the tack rules are a little more relaxed than in flat showing classes.

Correct dress is ratcatcher i.e. tweed and a tie or coloured stock, however at local level I don't think anyone will really be that bothered if you are wearing a black or navy jacket if you want to have a go at it.
 
I'm no expert, but usually a course of small jumps first (rustic type, rather than coloured poles) and if you get a clear round, you then come back into the ring for the show part. In the show programme it should say how high the jumps will be. The show part I'm not so sure of, as we never got that far :D but guess it's the usual group ride around at walk/trot/canter with a short gallop, and then an individual show..... For local classes I think that's it, for bigger shows the judge rides I think.
But then I've only done little local shows, and my perfectly capable pony who jumps everything at home always had a stop at a show, so we never got very far!
 
You enter the ring and say 'Good morning/afternoon to the judge. Then you jump an individual round over rustic jumps say 'thank you' and leave the ring. If you have gone clear (or done the same as the rest of the entrants, depending on their standard) you will be called back into the ring for the showing phase of the class. You will all be asked to walk/trot/canter round the ring, line up and then do an individual show, which should be short and show a gallop/extension. You should wear the same tack for both phases, except that your horse is allowed to wear boots for the jumping phase only. You should wear 'ratcatcher'. Juniors should not wear long boots or spurs.
Hope this helps.
By the way I'm sure I've posted on your threads before;).
 
Thanks everyone you have all been really helpful, do you think that i would be expected to gallop at local level in novice class?
Pearlsasinger-mostly people like you are lovely and post on my threads but some I have put up about a day before someone else has done the same one nobody posted and loads posted on hers not fair!
 
I think you would be expected to gallop at even local level in a working hunter, a good gallop is one of the things they like to see in working hunter.:)
 
Yes you will be excpected to gallop, even in a local novice class :D. You will only be expected to gallop in your individual show, not all of you at once, (the judge and steward would have heart attacks at the carnage :D) Please can I stress the importance of saying good morning/ good afternoon to the judge. I judged a class where only the pony club children did this and was fairly peeved with the ones who didn't! Also don't know your age, but juniors should wear jhod boots and NO SPURS please :)

And please, please wear your hair in a net if it shows below your hat! (this is one of my other pet peeves) No flowing hair and no big bows. :)
 
yorksG said:
Yes you will be excpected to gallop, even in a local novice class :D. You will only be expected to gallop in your individual show, not all of you at once, (the judge and steward would have heart attacks at the carnage :D) Please can I stress the importance of saying good morning/ good afternoon to the judge. I judged a class where only the pony club children did this and was fairly peeved with the ones who didn't! Also don't know your age, but juniors should wear jhod boots and NO SPURS please :)

And please, please wear your hair in a net if it shows below your hat! (this is one of my other pet peeves) No flowing hair and no big bows. :)
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I always get my 6year old to bow at the start and end of her individual show, and im quite often the only one, i take it this is why shes always very well recieved?!!:D
Also i put two plaits and small bows matching her tie (she competes in LR) and soon to be first ridden is this OK?
Sorry for the hijack, Ive done the adult hunter type showing but am new with the kiddies, and there seems to lots of politics!!;)
 
I always get my 6year old to bow at the start and end of her individual show, and im quite often the only one, i take it this is why shes always very well recieved?!!
Also i put two plaits and small bows matching her tie (she competes in LR) and soon to be first ridden is this OK?
Sorry for the hijack, Ive done the adult hunter type showing but am new with the kiddies, and there seems to lots of politics!!
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Absolutely fine :) Bet she looks lovely, I just loathe the over done ones, and teenagers with loose hair, much prefer plaits or nets. I was recently told of lead rein mums at a VERY small local show turning up in full matching tweed suits to go with childs jackets, a bit OTT if you ask me :D
 
Forgot to say, all judges and stewards are very pleased when competitors say thank you at the end of the class, whether they have won or not, goes a long way to making the day worthwhile :)
 
LOL i know im tryiing to get hr to do first ridden before we go to the bigger shows as i dont want to get into all that matching tweed stuff, i go for the smart black trousers and keepers tweed and a riding hat (i actually thing that is far more important to be honest than a fancy hat that would be better suited at ascot).;)
 
Good luck with it all to both wilsha and zoeluisem :) :) :) I am sure that you will all do well :) (and remember your good mornings, bows and thank you's :p )
 
Oh well maybe i will take a miss on the working hunter my pony wont gallop on demand lol and when he does hes either bolting or following his mate thats cantering (hes a massive racer) my pony has trouble keeping up
 
hey
if its only a local show what i wear ( iv just started to after showjumping for most of my riding )
i have a tweed jacket (brown)
cream jods
black long boots that are more jumper cut
like a goldish tie not mettalic :L
hairnet and scrunchie
brown gloves
and for my horse
he has black tack
his saddle is working hunter cut though
and black boots for jumping
he also has a martingale =]

i was always told to trot in to begin your round and trot up to the judge say good morning / afternoon and then begin and dont worry if your pony knocks a pole just make sure your balanced and working correctly
you could beat someone who gets clear but goes round like a bat out of hell =]
in the show just walk around and trot canter again make sure your pony is showing of so no bucking ect hahaa then in your show try to make it so you show of your ponys good points eg the trot and coming up to the gallop no neeed to turn into race horse more just a nice controled extension but if you feel this is too much just keep the canted salut at the judge and say thank you :)
also in the line up i always like to ask for crit and even if your not placed or dont come first say thank you and leave with a smile :)
x
 
Thanks for all the tips guys i think i will wait a while until my pony will gallop in control lol Also i am a junior and wouldnt wear spurs anyway dont need them on my pony:) also i always wear my hair in a net for any shows it looks messy if you dont
 
wilsha said:
Thanks for all the tips guys i think i will wait a while until my pony will gallop in control lol Also i am a junior and wouldnt wear spurs anyway dont need them on my pony:) also i always wear my hair in a net for any shows it looks messy if you dont
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They don't need to be real spurs. You can buy dummy spurs, which are basically the metal bit which goes around the boot, but without a jabby-in bit, if you see what I mean. You'd need something on your boots if you were to look the part.
 
Just two tips from me really.

Make sure when you are jumping you do keep a pace all the way round, dont go into trot between fences.

And make sure your pony is in fit condition. The pony should be ready to do a days hunting.
 
HAha youve got no chance of jack going steady paces lol you shoukd have seen him at pony club he was cantering at the smallest ever jump and trotting at this massive spread !!! Hes a nutter lol
 
Juniors DO NOT wear spurs or dummy spurs and if under BSPS rules will be eliminated if they do, and a lot of smaller shows follow those rules too.
 
i was always told to trot in to begin your round and trot up to the judge say good morning / afternoon and then begin and dont worry if your pony knocks a pole just make sure your balanced and working correctly
you could beat someone who gets clear but goes round like a bat out of hell [/QUOTE]

Sorry but that really is extremely unlikely. If the class is run under BSPS rules (and most are even at local shows) the jumping phase carries 60% of the marks, with 50 marks for a clear round and marks out of 10 for jumping style. A knock-down loses 10 points, so you can see that it would be impossible for someone with a pole down to beat a clear round in that phase. In most classes only those with clear rounds will be invited back into the ring for the showing phase. Some local shows will invite as many people back as they have rosettes, even if they did not go clear, if they can sort that out by the points (if you see what I mean) but you would struggle to beat a good jumper because the next phase is judged on confo & manners. You are quite right thought that a fluent style, rather than a SJ style will get higher marks for the style points.
 
All sounds good advice - the gallop is a good part of your show and a good gallop can help you win!

Just one other bit of advice - no quarter marks or fancy tack, most bridles and bits are acceptable.
Turnout should be as for hunting, in winter shows hunt coat and stock is acceptable as is a clipped pony/horse.

Happy Workers!
 
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