HOW MUCH MAKE-UP IS TOO MUCH IN THE SHOW RING?

On the horses that is! Make-up on riders is an entirely different story....

When is enough enough when it comes to the products we use on our show horses and ponies? We have so many choices now: black and clear make-up for the eyes, muzzle and ears, sparkle spray for the body, black hoof cream and varnish, dye for the body and tail. If you wanted to, you could transform your show animal into something barely resembling the equine that emerged from his stable earlier that morning.

My own personal opinion is that 'enhancement' should be the key word here. Use a tiny bit of product around the eyes and nose to enhance a pretty head and to bring attention to quality features. If it is blindingly obvious that your horse is wearing make-up, you've gone too far. Also bear in mind that the judge will occasionally want to give your horse a pat when handing out ribbons etc. No judge will thank you if she walks out of the ring with a nose shaped black mark on her sleeve or the back of her jacket!

One final point. I do not like make-up on hunters. Simply because I have never seen anyone following hounds plastering their mount with product before heading off to a hunt meet. What would it be for? Mesmerising the hare with your horse's beautifully made up face, thus giving the hounds a chance to catch up with it? We have established in a previous post that many show/saddle hunter riders are wary of hunting, for various reasons, but come on people- at least pretend that you're sticking with traditional turnout!

Comments welcome. What do you think about make-up in the show ring? Are people getting too carried away with it or do most of us strike a good balance?

If you want to learn more about turnout, there are some great articles on the Supreme Products website. A quick Google search will also throw up some decent guides.

ROYAL EASTER SHOW- AUCKLAND

Well, I went to my last show of the season on Friday, The Royal Easter Show in Auckland, and had a fabulous time. I was very impressed with the grounds at the ASB Showgrounds. They were probably the most professionally maintained that I have seen in my first short show season in New Zealand. It's always nice to not have to battle knee high grass when you're applying your black hoof gloss!

My yearling filly, 'Graemar Replique', was impeccably well behaved, as she has been at every one of her three outings this year. She trotted up faultlessly, stood like a statue in the line up and loaded/unloaded well. We ended up placing second in the Yearling Sporthorse class behind a very upstanding and charismatic young colt. So, not as great a result as we achieved at Kumeu A&P but still something to be proud of. Despite being heart-breakingly pretty, she still looks quite immature compared to some of the others that are out at the moment so I'm looking forward to seeing how she looks with another winter/spring behind her.

Despite fairly low entries, the standards were very high at this year's Royal Easter. A number of well known showies did very well, including Anne Hjorth who scooped Champion Saddle Hunter on the stunning 'Savile Row' and Champion Hack/Supreme Horse on 'Acquisition.' What an amazing result!

The only teeny tiny downside of the day was still seeing a couple of riders, both children and adults, abusing draw reins, double bridles and side reins (and sometimes a combo of these!) when working in their horses. I especially dislike seeing horses being yanked down in front while being booted in the ribs, leaving it with absolutely nowhere to go. Also, if you need to turn your black horse white in order for it to be rideable in a show class, you really need to reevaluate your training techniques and/or whether said horse is suitable for the show ring, and whether a different discipline would be better...

Thankfully, I also saw a large number of beautiful riders who were actually having a conversation with their mounts rather than screaming at it with a megaphone. Always a pleasure to see :)

I hope everyone had a great show season. Roll on the next one.

HOW MANY SADDLE/SHOW HUNTERS ACTUALLY GO HUNTING?

This might sound like a funny question but when you're watching the saddle hunters (show hunters in the UK) parading around the show ring, immaculately groomed and covered in show sheen, it's kind of hard to imagine them flying over fences and galloping over muddy fields on a hunt meet. How many riders actually take their hunters out hunting?

Part of me thinks it would be ridiculous to have a horse you are presenting to judges as the perfect hunter type, and only compete in the show ring with it....It would be a bit like owning a shiny, brand new Aston Martin and only using it to drive down to the bottom of your drive to pick up the post. Surely, if you have the perfect hunter, he should be out doing what he was bred to do. Hunting, cross country, jumping, plus a million other things a horse like that is built to do.

But then another part of me does understand that these animals are show horses and, even though we often won't admit it, a scar or a lump, will have an impact on the judge's decision if they are faced with two horses of equal type, quality and performance.....

If you're a show rider and you actually take your saddle/show hunter out hunting over winter, let us know! If you keep your hunter wrapped up in cotton wool, tell us about that as well. I would love to hear both sides of the story on this one.

UPDATE: Comment from succesful NZ saddle hunter competitor, Anne Hjorth, owner of 'Savile Row':-

'I would hunt my saddle hunter, however, a couple of things stop me from doing this:

1. the cost to join the hunt club - i have no funds left after a show season for this lump sum of nearly $400. (Waikato Hunt)
2. I work full time and would not be able to keep him fit enough for it once daylight savings ends.
3. last few times I hunted (rode huntsman spare horses) couple years ago, it put me off as there are some riders and horses totally uneducated that are down right dangerous and I would hate to put my good show horse in a situation which might cause injury to himself.

Otherwise, love the sport and if there were smaller fields or if I didn't work I certainly would be hunting each winter.'

SADDLE HUNTERS- KINGS OF THE SHOW RING

I love most- if not all- types of show horses and ponies. However, an excellent Saddle Hunter (Show Hunter in the UK and Australia) has to be one of my favourites.

Is this the class for you?

If your horse is a handsome, substantial type then this could be the show class for you. Saddle Hunters are big, strong and good looking with plenty of sparkle and a cracking gallop. They originate from the long-standing sport of fox-hunting so they have to look like they could cope with a tough day out with the hounds. The heavier type of thoroughbred, Irish Draughts (both part and purebred) and horses with Cleveland Bay blood have always excelled in Hunter classes.
If you only intend on going to small, local shows then the Saddle Hunter horses will probably all be lumped into a single class. At the larger shows, the Saddle Hunters may well be divided into three classes: Lightweight Hunters, Middleweight Hunters and Heavyweight Hunters.

Weights:

The one thing that distinguishes the different Saddle Hunter types is how much physical weight they can carry. A good Lightweight should be able to carry up to 12 stone 7lb (about 80kg); Middleweights should be able to cope with up to 14 stone (88kg) and Heavyweights should be able to carry well over 14 stone (88kg+) without any problems.

Judges will assess how much weight a horse can carry by looking at the amount of bone below the knee. You can measure your own horse’s bone by placing a tape measure around the part of the leg that is just below the knee. As a rule, Lightweight Hunters should have 8.5” (roughly 22cm) of bone below the knee, Middleweights should have 8.5” to 9” (22cm to about 23cm) and the Heavyweights should have 9” (23cm+) and over.

Presentation:

The Sadde Hunter type of equine should be presented in a much more understated and subtle way than the Hacks and Riding Horses of the showing world. Equipment should be well looked after, and good quality if you can afford it, but there is no need for the flashy trappings that are expected with other types of show animals.

The Bridle

The bridle will usually be made out of brown leather, although black is perfectly acceptable if you own a black or grey horse. Hunter bridles are usually heavier than the ones worn by Hacks and Riding Ponies (3/4” (1.9cm) cheek pieces rather than the 1/2” (1.3cm) cheek pieces worn by hacks). This is because the head of the Saddle Hunter is generally larger and nobler looking than the elegant and dainty little heads of the Show Hack. If you are confused about different bridle weights then simply ask your friendly local saddlery store who will, no doubt, be happy to point you in the right direction. A double bridle or a pelham bit is suitable for most Hunter classes but a snaffle is correct for the four year old or novice classes.

The Saddle

The ideal saddle for the Hunter classes should be straight cut, to show off your horse’s shoulder.

Turnout Tips

Plaits should be less dainty than those worn by the Show Hack or Riding Pony but should still be neat and sewn with thread which is the same colour as the mane.
On arrival at the showground, give him another quick brush over and apply a shine-enhancing spray, a variety of which can be purchased at most saddlery stores. Make-up, although popular in many show classes, should be kept to a minimum with Hunters. If you can’t resist the urge to apply some products then make sure you don’t add more than a touch of petroleum jelly to the muzzle, legs and dock (behind the tail.) The idea is to present your horse as an attractive working animal, not as an overly made-up floozy!

What You Should Wear:

Most Saddle Hunter riders, both male and female, choose to wear yellow or beige coloured breeches, a plain shirt, a stock and stock pin in a colour that matches the rest of the outfit and a tweed hacking jacket, topped off with a navy, velvet riding hat, long black boots and fawn coloured, leather gloves. Spurs can also be worn, to add authenticity. ‘Dummy’ spurs can be purchased from most equine stores, should you not wish to wear real ones.

What to Expect from the Class:

The one, vital thing that really sets the Hunter class apart from the other disciplines is the gallop. The Saddle Hunter is expected to show that it can perform a proper gallop, at full pelt, both in company and within its own individual presentation. If your horse really comes into his own at this pace then make the most out of it, get up out of the saddle, and show the judge what your horse can do. However, do remember that you must be able to pull your horse up easily and smoothly as well....!

Check out this Australian article for more tips and advice

There are also a few videos of British Show/Saddle Hunters at the Horse of the Year Show on YouTube: Heavyweight Hunters HOYS 2008, Lightweight Hunters HOYS 2008, Hunter of the Year HOYS 2007 and Intermediate Small Hunter HOYS 2008. Happy viewing!

SHOULD BRITISH JUDGES BE INVITED TO HORSE OF THE YEAR NZ?

I follow the Showring Online forum, a message board which gives New Zealanders the opportunity to discuss everything from upcoming shows to which jacket to wear in a particular class.

Anyway, I was reading a thread about the new Show Riding Horse section and an interesting point was raised. Should British judges be invited to assess horses at the New Zealand Horse of the Year Show? According to the poster:

'It is funny that we want to model our showing classes on what UK does, as there are many people out there that don't want UK judges to judge here!! They feel that we base ourselves on what happens in Australia, not the UK, so we should be getting Australian judges to judge at HOYS here. Interesting concept, when the English can judge conformation as good as anyone else and have less idea about any of our competitors.'

An interesting opinion isn't it? I can kind of see where they are coming from as there are certain key differences between the UK and NZ when it comes to the show ring. For example, turnout of both horse and rider is very different so I would certainly not expect a British judge to be able to properly judge a turnout class in New Zealand.

I am also of the opinion that hacks in Australia and New Zealand are streets ahead of the UK, as far as quality, type, conformation and performace go. So perhaps it wouldn't be particularly useful to fly a British judge in for those classes

However, I do think it would be a mistake to exclude British judges from the Show Pony classes. The classes are judged exactly the same in both countries (60% suitablity and safeness, 40% conformation and paces- check the British Show Pony Society rules out here). The only difference is that, in the UK, riders are asked for a freestyle individual performance whereas NZ judges usually insist on a set workout. Plus, although Show Pony breeding, presentation and performace in both NZ and Australia has come along in leaps and bounds, with ponies now even being exported from this side of the world to England (e.g. Willowcroft Regal Bronze), I still think an awful lot can be learned from the British judges. It would be a shame to shut NZ off from that valuable chance to further improve and learn.

I think that the hunter classes still have a looooong way to go in the Southern Hemisphere as well. I think the occasional visit from an iconic British hunter judge, such as Richard Ramsey, could be really useful in further improving the quality and performance of saddle hunters in this country.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the mattter. I do believe that we can learn from any other country that is breeding, producing and competing show horses and ponies, be it the UK, Australia, South Africa or any others that I have missed out! No country is going to show their horses in exactly the same way- just as no country is going to train/produce/present their dressage or eventing horses in the same way. But it doesn't mean that we can't pick up some valuable tips and advice from them to further improve the sport in our own country