Duramax I completely agree. It’s when the inquiry process doesn’t result in a change when it should that makes me mad. Unfortunately that is also real life sometimes though isn’t it? My point is that I believe in the organization and their goals and for us this has been a factor that has caused our family to do less and less with pony club. High goals are good. We are slackers. I remember the first time I saw a HM judge going through a horses tail
(literally) with a fine toothed comb to look for dandruff. Really? The horse was beautifully turned out - a fine toothed comb?! I remember seeing a kid crying because their pony pooped between the trailer and formal inspections and they got points off for fresh poop around the anus.
Now come on…
.
The kids have to teach their ponies to use/ tolerate toilet paper? Does PC have the kids carry doggie waste bags as well for the TP? Seriously, is that standard showring protocol?
Where was this kids stable manager or other team members with the baby wipes to do a quick clean-up?
Formal inspection your horse and all your equipment is gone over with a fine tooth comb, literally.
So it is a five minute window of time. The rest of the day (while showing) your horse has to be clean and presentable but no one is going to be taking a comb to them or looking under their tail.
Which is fine, I guess. Knock yourself out. Your kid won’t learn what “Boffo” means, and may be less of a horseman because they aren’t being schooled and judged on it. Or maybe not. You pays your money and you takes your chances.
My point is that nobody enters the dressage arena with the notion of getting 100%. That would be — how to put this? — unrealistic. I consider it equally unrealistic to expect a 100% on horse management at a rally. Apparently many parents and kids don’t consider that unrealistic.
