I have a coming 3 year old APHA filly(she is a TB cross) who I would like to take to a few APHA shows in my area for experience. I plan on showing her in a few halter classes, but I have never done one before. I have someone who is experienced that will help teach me the basics and will attend the show with us. Does anyone have any tips or guidance for a first-timer? I couldn’t seem to find a thread that answered my questions, so I apologize if this has been asked before. Thanks!
I have a Paint gelding that I have shown in halter classes, mainly because it’s a requirement at my local shows if you want to go for the all-around awards. Mine is a performance gelding, but we usually place, depending on how many “true” halter horses show up. I have my horse stand and then basically just stay out of the judges’ way as they pass to inspect him. You’ll see people doing all sorts of contortions to “show” their horses. I don’t do that…but as I said, halter’s not my focus. An immaculately turned out horse with a leather, silver-trimmed halter that fits perfectly are very, very important. Those halters aren’t subject to rapidly changing trends, either, and good used ones are available all over the internet. I have a Harris halter I bought used on TackTrader for $300, and it’s completely acceptable, for example.
Clip your horse, band her mane. I rarely see hoof black anymore on horses at the Paint shows, but some still do it.
Go on the Equine Chronicle’s website and look through their online magazine pages at the halter horses pictured in the ads. That will give you an idea of how they’re turned out, both horses and handlers.
The APHA halter classes will have lots of showmanship exhibitors in there, in their show finery. Crystals, colors, etc. The halter people tend to dress much more conservatively. My friend shows her halter horses in tailored slacks, a navy blazer, and a white blouse with an interesting collar. Always a good hat that’s been recently cleaned and shaped to current trends. The hat’s a dead giveaway!
Your friend can give you more tips. Have fun with it. I’ve found the Paint people to be a fun and friendly group.
enjoy yourself. give yourself plenty of time. if this is her first show…be prepared to lunge her a bit WELL before the class.
ok…here’s a pet peeve of mine. Practice! practice jogging off, practice standing in line up (draft friends in your barn if you can) and practice getting her to stand squared. not just for 30 seconds! most breed shows are multi judged, so she’s not going to be looked at just once by the judge. it will be a few times <g>.
and most important, remember you are showing. don’t quit showing until you are out of the ring. in other words, do your best to keep her squared up and standing still. (this is actually harder than one would think at times!). UNTIL you are out of the ring.
and enjoy yourself! tell her what a good girl she is <g>
Paste on a smile!
Even though it’s not showmanship, show quarters (assuming this is still the thing to do). Basically, this is always keeping your eye on the judge, without ever being between the judge and the horse. (your friend should be able to explain this simply for you)
When asked to trot off, when the judge is standing in front of you, you want the HORSE to be in front of the judge, so YOU eyeball over the judge’s right shoulder (as though you and s/he were going to pass right shoulder to right shoulder). Stop about 4’ in front of the judge; your horse’s nose should be squarely in front of the judge.
Also, when trotting off, do NOT turn around and look at horsey every other step. Horse should be trained to trot right along with you. Pick your point (over the judge’s right shoulder) and, if you trot straight, your horse will trot straight and will end up directly in front of the judge. You can’t POSSIBLY trot a straight line if you’re turning around to look at dear old Spot every other stride.
Richard Shrake has some great videos on halter and showmanship. I imagine others do, too. I’m just showing my age - and partiality. Just LOVE RS!
with a leather, silver-trimmed halter that fits perfectly are very, very important.
Unless you’re showing at a breed level, you do not need a halter decked out in silver. A properly fitting, in good condition, leather halter with matching lead will be just fine for local shows.
When asked to trot off, when the judge is standing in front of you, you want the HORSE to be in front of the judge, so YOU eyeball over the judge’s right shoulder (as though you and s/he were going to pass right shoulder to right shoulder). Stop about 4’ in front of the judge; your horse’s nose should be squarely in front of the judge.
Also, when trotting off, do NOT turn around and look at horsey every other step. Horse should be trained to trot right along with you. Pick your point (over the judge’s right shoulder) and, if you trot straight, your horse will trot straight and will end up directly in front of the judge. You can’t POSSIBLY trot a straight line if you’re turning around to look at dear old Spot every other stride.
^ In a halter class, you don’t trot up to the judge and stop. As you enter the ring, the judge will be in front of you, yes, but as you approach them, they step out of the way (to your left) and you continue past, picking up the trot as you go by. You keep trotting straight, and then usually there is a cone on your left. Just after passing the cone, you turn to your left 90* and trot to the lineup (or wherever your ring steward might indicate you to stop). It’s important to trot all the way to the lineup in case the judge is still judging your horse’s movement from the side as you make that 90* turn and head to the lineup.
ETA again: once you are in the lineup, once the judge has seen all the horses in the class trot past and line up, THEN the judge will come around and individually inspect your horse, and that’s where you would be sure to stay out of the judge’s way.
Showmanship is where you would want to trot up and stop with your horse directly in front of the judge and then square the horse up.
ETA: this page has an easy to follow guide with a video: http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com/halter-horse.html
Thanks, Sucker. It’s been a while, so not sure of what the protocol is these days. I stand by the “don’t turn around every other step”! 
Pick a point and trot to[ward] it.
Even though it’s not showmanship, show quarters (assuming this is still the thing to do). Basically, this is always keeping your eye on the judge, without ever being between the judge and the horse. (your friend should be able to explain this simply for you)
We were at a local open show a few summers ago, and during the Quarter Horse Halter Geldings class, my friend was essentially doing the quarter-system while the judge inspected her horse. Because really, if you don’t, you don’t really get out of the judge’s way. It makes sense to just do it and give the judge the best view of your horse.
As the judge was finishing up inspection of her horse in the lineup as my friend moved back to the Off-side, the judge made the snarky comment “this is halter, not showmanship”
well no shit!
[QUOTE=ccoronios;7427657]
Thanks, Sucker. It’s been a while, so not sure of what the protocol is these days. I stand by the “don’t turn around every other step”! Pick a point and trot to[ward] it.[/QUOTE]
Yes, important to watch where you’re going, not where you’ve been 
One more thing:
Do not wait until the morning of the show to introduce your horse to the chain under the chin. START THE TRAINING NOW.
By the time you head to the show, your mare should know that increased chain pressure means to give, and should be trotting off next to you without any guidance other than a slight forward movement of your hand on the lead just before you step off into your jog.
A couple of articles to get you started:
http://americashorsedaily.com/halter-in-detail-2/#.UvwAsPldUxg
http://americashorsedaily.com/showing-your-horse-at-halter/#.UvwAsvldUxg
Doing the quarters-thing is distracting to some judges who are trying to look at the horse, honestly-it’s snappy and a little ‘gah!, just stop it’ , visually
I think hitting youtube for some halter videos would be a great idea, too.
The Equine Chronicle was mentioned above, I think…http://youtu.be/Fih8mIE30Rg
In Showmanship, you line your horse up straight to the judge, always. In halter, you walk toward the judge, and the judge gets out of YOUR way as you go by, then gets behind you to watch your horse track as you trot away - if straight legs are important to that particular judge.
I agree, Katarine. Quartering in a halter class is very distracting and blocks the judge’s whole view of the horse, as the handler would be on the same side as the judge when the judge is at the horse’s rear quarter. The handler’s job in a halter class is to make the horse look the best that they can, while being as unobtrusive as possible.
So then do a 1/2 system
