1st ever show looming help needed

samhall_ogden

New Member
May 15, 2009
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Bolsover , Derbyshire
Hi all

We are attempting our first ever show :eek: its a lead rein class my daughter is 7 and the pony is a New Forest 13 hh I've checked the rules and we are fine I have our clothes and tack sorted.

But I am at a loss as to how to get him all shiny and show like he is kept 24/7in a field no stable avaliable. Normally I just give him a going over with a curry comb and dandy brush to knock the mud off.

Should I bath him? Should I invest in all the sheens and special shampoos or can I use something else I might have around the house. I could bring him up to the house the day before and leave him in the orchard for the night but would that just upset him.

Also do we have to do a show?? If so what would be appropriate ? We are doing style and apperance, most appealing, mountain and moorland and first ridden. I have just realised I have no idea what we are doing PANIC!!!!!

Thanks in advance for your help Sam XX:):)
 
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Hi :)

I show my pony's that are field kept:) If possible I do bring them in the night before a show though or put a lightweight no fill turnout on them so they stay cleaner if out the night before.

Anyway I bath mine a day or so before I find that really helps, The colour based shampoo's are good but to be perfectly honest any shampoo works :)

I would groom as normal but also finish with a body brush. I also find taking a duster or tea towel with you to just rub over the pony before class makes a difference too. (Hubby moans the pony is the only thing that ever sees a duster near me:p)

If your daughter is on the lead rein for all the classes then they will probably walk and trot round, in the classes that arn't only lead rein you'll probably be asked to keep walking round while those off lead rein canter. You will probably have to do a invididual show but if on lead rein it should be just walk and trot (rising if poss). The first show I went to with my childrne on lead rein I didn't know what to do and was told to walk away from the judge and then walk a small figure of eight and then trot a figure of eight finishing with a walk and then halt in front of/near the judge and if possible child salute.

I do find mane and tail sheen is useful (can also use it on the body lightly but not under the saddle or you get slippy!) and vegetable oil is fine to paint on hooves just before class to make them look shiny.

Have fun!
 
Thanks Laceyfreckle

Do you know I hadn't even thought about a rug how dim am I :)

When you say any shampoo does it have to be a horse shampoo or would dog or human shampoo be ok?

Do they normally tell you what to do in these classes?

Can you tell panic has set in already god knows what we will be like on the actual day.:p:p
 
our WHITE pony coughs if you keep him in the stable cos although he is on flax and hayledge or soaked hay we have horses around us that are on straw and hay so he gets affected

so, we turn him out the night before shows!

We bath the day before using tesco cheapest shampoo and then a special shampoo for grays as the last coat

we always use warm (not hot!) water as I've found it shifts the dirt better

we trim him up where needed - even a native needs some tiding up!

once he is as clean as we can get him I put on a lightweight, a lycra hoody thing he has (we need to keep as much of him covered!!!!!) and turnout chaps (proper ones)

next morning we bring him in at some awful early hour (or it seems like it!) and just tart up where needed - and we have to plait ours as he isn't a pure native breed

so whilst I have a stable - I try not to use it!


as yours is a native I'd plait his tail like you would your daughters hair the night before so its is nice and wavey the next day

IF ours wasn't white, I'd just use a lightweight rug and expect to do some touching up the morning of the show - but ours is white so we do need to cover up as much as possible! we have a snuggy hood turnout and its a godsend!!!!



dunno about style and appearance I've not come across that class before!

most appealing sounds like a novalty class so normally you just walk around and then get pulled in any order, the judge walks along and chats to the kids and then pulls them out in some order and pops a rosette on as appropriate


M&M I assume you are doing on lead rein? You normally around here walk around till the judge tells you to halt Then each one trots to the back of the "ride" Lead rein MUST be attached to the noseband

Then u get pulled in a provisional order

Each one walks out in turn to judge, judge looks over pony and may chat to child - how old is pony, what do you do with it - some don't do this some do

then you do your show - normally walk away, trot figure of 8, stop salute and walk back into place


then when all our done, walk back around the ring as a "ride" and then the order is called



First Ridden - she will have to walk and trot around the arena as a ride - NO group canter

Then they get pulled in a provisional line up

Each does there show and if she doesn't show canter on each rein she will probably have to go back out and redo her show (we had this at one show - littly forgot to canter on one rein!)

show should be walk trot and canter on both reins but no gallop as its first ridden

once all done, line up moves out around arena and final placings are called



hth
 
I cant remeber which spray i use atm, but i always use some kind of show spray stuff on my bay newforest. it leaves her so shiny-shiny!!!:D
good luck, maybe you could try the special naf (i think) shampoo for bays? leaves them with a shiny finish too:)
 
hey wen i was little bout 10 years ago i did lead rein m and m county level, what we use for our m and ms mow is cowboy magic, as you are showing to type basically hairy u want shine but natrual shine, cowboy magic gives an oil free finish, simple thing is bath, when shampooin use a curry comb to reli get in deep to the hair and rinse, then condition mane and tail, or use coconut oil leave on for bout 5 mins and was off while, your pony is still wet spray on the coat shine, this stops the dirt getting back into the coat, as you are leaving the pony out, once dry brush with a body brush and metal curry comb, and they will gleam :) and then a little bit of baby oil o nose and eyes and over points and paint hooves clear if any white on any four or black if all hooves black.

as for what you have to do in lead rein they stop you in a corner after u have walked around a bit then, you trot to the back of the line, try not to hold on to the pony make it look like you are just an acsessary(sp) once you have done that you will be pulled in a ruff line up, then you walk out and do an individual show, easy walk out to the judge, then walk straight away turn left go into trot, trot a figure of 8 in trot back to walk and sault to the judge :), are you on the lead rein for all of them as lead rein off the lead..

you dont have to canter in first ridden, but some do, its like a normal riden class, but u dont canter round as a group onbli walk and tort, and you can do the same show. but in m and m classexs you will be asked to canter togeather and also in your show
 
yerr i would give them a bath, then put a shoer sheet on over them with a neck. in the morining you probablly have to was thier egs mind...
 
Thanks all for your replies and tips

Today as the sun was shinning I though that we would have a trial run bath good job I did :confused: as I don't think he has ever been done before. He let me soap him all over and quite enjoyed it, but when it came to his rinse he went beserk rearing and bucking and I only used a wet sponge.

Any luck if I keep grooming him well it might last till show day as I'm not looking forward to that again in a hurry.

He has a fantasticly shiny tail I used the conditioner, baby oil and water mix. He wasn't bothered about having that washed.

Thanks again Sam :D
 
My first ride show ever....and I'm nervous!!

Hi, just reading this and it's so reassuring to read that I'm not the only one to have decided to go to a show and then panic. I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing and am hoping that the tack my daughter and I normally ride in will be good enough.

We are not expecting anything for a first time - we just want to see what it's like. We've got all the kit, clothes wise but don't have a clue what the categories mean. Can anyone explain what an equitation class is and do I put saddles on for in hand stuff?

Please help. Stupid questions to ask you seasoned professionals I know....
 
No saddle for in-hand.

Equitation - no clue, sorry...

Shows should be fun - go and soak up the atmosphere, don't worry too much about whether you're correct. If your sprog is smiling and your pony behaves, you could well be in with a chance of a rosette.
 
You ill be fine this time of year producing a horse to show off the field, it is still quite warm and dry. I would bath and produce as normal but rug carefully and more than you would think once bathed, as you have stripped the coat of all oils that keep them warm and waterproof.
Its not impossible - a couple of weeks ago I showed a TB that was living out 24/7 and was turned out the night before the show (albeit caught in at 4am!) and qualified him for hickstead.
 
Have fun!! most important!!

Style and Appearence is usually used by riding clubs to describe a showing class where they will look at turnout and the way the pony goes.

Lead rein/MandM Lead rein as Snowbody said.

Most appealing will really depend on the judge maybe walk round possibly just stand still.

Equitation is normally a 'best rider' class, same as lead reins but they will look at the child and how they ride.

Be careful about entering your 7yo in a 'First Ridden' at club level as these are often open to people up to 12 and may be a bit scary for a first show for a seven year old.
 
Just wanted to say thank you for your support - we did quite well at our first show and my little girl was grinning from ear to ear!! I wondered if anyone could offer advice on what to do with my thoroughbred's tail. By all confessions I am cr4p at plaiting and wondered how the shaved look was achieved. I'm guessing I need a razor of some sort - please help.
 
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