yearling entered into Hunter class - help!

[SpottyTB]

Hi all,

I have just filled out the entry form for Hugo to go in a yearling hunter class at one of our biggest local shows..

how do i need to turn him out - the shows in July.. he currents is out un rugged and looks like a yak... - i'm worried! Should i pop a rug on him to encourage him to lose his current coat? or just trust that he'll have lost it by then?


I'm guessing he'll need to be plaited? and tail plaited/shaved? Do i clip away all his little hairy beard (if he has one by then - might come away with coat)? And fetlock hair?

Also, this is a question thats been playing on my mind all day - should i bit him? He's a big boy - 14hh and quite stocky.. he's fairly well behaved but if he decided to go - i doubt we could hold him.. do people usually bit yearlings for showing? or do they wait until 2?

Any advice is hugely welcomed!

Thank you

 

[Aredis]

Our yearlings will be bitted with a simple plastic straight bar snaffle to begin with and we use a 3 way coupling and take all the control on the noseband to start with and adjust through the year until they are fully on the bit.

Yes he will need to be plaited and trimmed, please do not shave the tail !!

 

[Clodagh]

I wouldn't rug him now, as he hasn't been rugged all winter he will hate it. July is ages away, he will be all sleek and beautfiul by then!

 

[CBFan]

Don't worry! He'll have lost all his winter floof by July! Particularly if you help things along with a rubber curry and or shedding blade... the same goes for his beard!

I personally like to plait up - I think they look smarter and it is more correct. Trim all his feathers up (if he has any).

Bit with a nice straightbar snaffle with a 3 way coupling.

Once it gets warmer it is worth getting him used to being bathed (particularly as he is already quite big) - it will save you lots of bother in the long run.

Maybe try and get him out to a smaller local show (just a youngstock class will do) to acclimatise him to the show atmosphere beforehand and enable you to judge how to handle him in a strange environment...

 

[SpottyTB]

Thank you all for your replies - really appreciate them, i am so excited!!

We've ear marked a few shows to take him to before hand, i'm not going to show him i'm letting my other half do it - he's a big strong farrier and will be able to handle him easier than i will if i decides to knoooob around.

Today i got the shedding blade out and curry comb and got to work.. he's looking a little sleeker - just so much hair to go and atm he looks awful because he has a thin neck and his body looks huge due to the hair! (i have pictures but feeling to embarrassed to post...)
I also quickly plaited him up, MIL said youngsters need lots more plaits then big horses... how many do you all think?

Was looking at his tail, it's a bit naff to be honest and not sure how well it'll plait up - i'll leave them right until just before the show and decide what to do then - could i get away with just trimming the sides so it looks narrower?

Thank you!!!!

 

[CBFan]

I've always done 11 or 13 plaits on my boy, whatever his size... yes, wait til nearer the time - I'm sure there will be something worth plaiting tail wise

 

[SpottyTB]

Ok... DON'T LAUGH !!! o)

He looks a lot prettier than the photo's show.. i swear!!

- thats what he looked like last summer!

 

[Hurricanelady]

Hugo is so cute!! Excellent plaits as well

Good luck with his first show, I want to take my two out a bit this summer as well, hopefully the baby will repeat his good behaviour from last year at Futurity, but we shall see (!)

 

[CBFan]

Awwww! bless him! Hopefully his withers will catch up with his bottom by July

I'd do more plaits than you have and put them as high up on his neck as you can to help make his neck look more developed.

If it is any reasurance this is my boy at 16 months old (in the february)

and this is him at his first show that June:

They scrub up pretty well once they lose that winter floof!

 

[SpottyTB]

Thank you everyone , CBFan - he's literally just gone really bum high!!! No idea why as he's just been cut (as you know) - i'd have thought he'd stay still but not hugo!

Your chappy is beautiful, i'll be chuffed if Hugo looks like that!!

STB x

 

[SpottyTB]

Ps) what would you all recommend my other half wear to show him?

He's 6'4, skinny and blonde.. if that's any help

 

[SpottyTB]

This is the bridle i have for showing him in, is it suitable? He's got quite delicate head and i feel anything wider will make his head look too small?

Thanks
STB

 

[kinskycookie]

Hugo looks lovely all plaited up! I'm sure most of his fluff will be gone by July, our babies have started to lose their coats this last couple of weeks. I love the comment about his 'beard'!

We have a few local shows planned, i'm bitting mine but using a three way coupling to keep the pressure on the noseband rather than the bit. I've been very brave and reluctantly trimmed the blonde baby fluff from his ears in preparation! Will need to have another proper go I think, and the mane may need taming a little for plaiting but i'm doing it in stages so that its less traumatic . . . . for me


Looking all grown up without ear fluff!

 

[kinskycookie]

Have a look on Google images 'in hand showing' . Gives you a really good idea of all the different outfits out there! Lovely bridle

 

[SpottyTB]

Kinskycookie - Thank you for your comment, yours is lovely - i have a real soft spot for spotties as my little mare

is a spotty
I really like the bridle too, i just bought it for £10 - it's brand new, so quite pleased really.

Thank you for complimenting my boy, i cannot wait until he loses his fluff and hopefully the ugly duckling look will go!!!!

Here's a photo of him wet from the rain - he looks much more in proportion!! (first time with a bit in - very pleased with how he coped with it!)

 

[kinskycookie]

She's gorgeous too yes there's definitely something special about spotties - I love the fact that they are unique, I know there isn't another with the same markings!

Hugo looks really settled with his bit in - tried Oreo with his but once he realised it wasn't edible he was far from impressed can't wait to get him out in the big wide world, its so exciting!

 

[SpottyTB]

Thank you, she's my real baby if I'm honest, she is very special to me, just something about her! I am yet to see anything like her!

Yes he was alright about it, mouthed it a lot but I just left him to it for 5 mins then took it off.. I'll do same tomorrow. He is fab, I am so pleased with him.. So easy going and chilled. Everything's taken in his stride, when he was worried about the bit all he did was shuffle near me so I could stroke his face and he relaxed! Can't wait to show him off, your right it is so exciting!!

 

[mynutmeg]

Plaits, both mane and tail or else pull the tail (please don't shave, they look awful with it shaved).
As he's a boy he should be bitted but just a nice simple mullen mouth rubber type thats soft and gentle on his mouth.

 

[CBFan]

Thank you! He's much bigger than that now! They do grow in funny phases - particularly in their first year!

The bridle looks lovely!

Re turnout, your OH should wear light coloured trousers (cords or chinos) with a shirt, tie and tweed jacket.

Make sure both you and your OH practice trotting up at home as some just don't like to move - mine didn't even after practice - so embarrasing!!

 

[SpottyTB]

Thanks all again for comments, picking bridle up tomorrow!

2nd day of biting went well, hardly any chewing and just accepted it - great .

CBFan - once it dries up, we'll be regularly practicing, however from what we've done (3/4 sessions) he already walks and trots lovely, now just learning to turn away and around smoothly .

Vet came today to sort MIL's youngster out and had a check of his wounds and is very pleased. She said he was amazingly well behaved as she was really touching the wound/area around and he didn't even fuss - makes me so proud!

STB x

 

[Clodagh]

He is saying 'Mum, you have made me look like a big girl's blouse...'.
So cute! He will transform in the next 6 months, not that I can say he will be level, Piper hasn't managed to match his front and his back end at the same time yet.

 

[SpottyTB]

Clodagh - he's got 4 months to hurry up and transform , no i think he'll be ok, i am just so proud of him all the time.. he's such a good boy! This is why i like geldings, so un complicated!! He is however definitely unimpressed with my "dolling up him" ..

 

[snowstormII]

Ok... DON'T LAUGH !!! o)

He looks a lot prettier than the photo's show.. i swear!!

- thats what he looked like last summer!

Oh my! These pictures could be my boy, but he is ginger! Thank you for posting as it and other people's encouragement gives me hope mine will turn out sleek one day! Right, must get on with bitting...and finding someone who will show him for me as my big horse has just broken my collarbone. There's a lot to be said for showing in-hand rather than hacking out spooky TB mares!!