Devon Hunter Breeding advice please

[QM2]

Help me give my horse the best 1st away horse show experience.
Devon is 2 weeks away and I wanted to see if I could get some tips and tricks to help make my horse comfortable at his 1st away horse show.
We will get there the day before and he will spend the night, his 1st time sleeping away from home since I got him.
I plan on hand walking him that evening and the morning of in and around the ring.
He’s used to going out the night before a show and coming in and getting cleaned up before heading out. So, the days before going to Devon, he will be getting as much turnout as possible.
Also, I’ll be giving him Ulcergard the day before, the day of and the day after to help prevent and stomach issues.

Any other thoughts, suggests? I’m just trying to avoid pitfalls that I haven’t thought of to set him up for his future show career.
Thoughts?

[MHM]

Has he been braided for his previous shows? If not, that would be a good thing to practice so he knows the routine.

Has he worn ear plugs? If not, that might be another option that would be good to practice before the show.

In addition to hand walking, there is a small stretch of grass along the side of the Wheeler ring, or at least there always has been in the past. If you get a chance to let him hand graze there, or anywhere else you can find some grass, it might make him more relaxed and happy about the whole environment.

There is a lot of atmosphere there for a young horse, so it might be a good idea to keep mints or whatever in your pocket at all times in case you need a distraction for him.

I always tell people that you can never predict how a horse will react to the setting at Devon, and to just enjoy the whole experience, however things go. That goes triple for a youngster.

Good luck and have fun!

[QM2]

Hi, thanks for your reply, yes he was braided last year for St Christopher’s and was totally fine with it. I also do practice braiding with him while he eats his dinner so it becomes a non event.

I will definitely take your advice and let him graze. Thanks for that.

As far as mints, I’m always packing. Totally not above bribing my way to good behavior.

My goal for Devon is just to give him a good solid experience and get great professional photo and any ribbons are bonus.

[jvanrens]

@QM2

So, the days before going to Devon, he will be getting as much turnout as possible.
Also, I’ll be giving him Ulcergard the day before, the day of and the day after to help prevent and stomach issues.

Personally, I’d be giving him as much outside time as possible, but keeping him inside for some time, increasing it a bit each day so he gets used to being inside as well so it’s not a total shock for him to be inside overnight when you take him to the show.

[QM2]

He goes out at night and comes in from 8-6:30 or so. He’s very used to being in but I see your point. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Tini_Sea_Soldier1]

I realize we’re very close to the actual show now, but could you practice a “sleepover” somewhere? Just a new setting where he has to hang out and then come out to a ring and do some stuff. It’s going to be a lot of stimulation there, but if he’s at least been through the basics, it will hopefully be fine.

[ZuzusPetals]

Here’s some advice: Don’t out-ribbon my coach’s gang. Tee hee hee.

Congrats on going and have a blast. Let us know how you do.

[QM2]

I was thinking I could bring him to my friends house but they are all on night turn out too right now and I’d hate to have him stay in and get hurt or go out and get hurt. I did think of that too but I think I don’t want to chance it so close.

[QM2]

@ZuzusPetals

Here’s some advice: Don’t out-ribbon my coach’s gang. Tee hee hee.

Congrats on going and have a blast. Let us know how you do.

Is your trainer going too?

[jvanrens]

Even going during the day when your friends horses are in, if there is a spare stall to hang out in with a bunch of strangers, might be something to do.

[Pokerface]

I wouldn’t change his turn out schedule, I’d try not to stress him out leading up to the show. Are you bringing a buddy for him to travel with? When I took my horse as a 2 year old. we trailered in in the middle of the night (no joke, I think we got there at 3:30 AM), I took my small pony who was thrilled to be on the trailer with hay in front of her for the whole thing. I pulled my horse out of the field around 1:00 am, loaded him (completely covered in mud) and washed him when we got there, in the dark and rain. I realize that you are stabling overnight, so bringing a buddy may not be possible, but it really really helped my horse to have a calm friend to assure him that life was alright.

The biggest thing for us was getting into the ring and being able to see the rides/lights/flags. Once he got over all the hoopla, he had a marvelous time. We hand-walked him basically the whole time we weren’t washing or braiding. Hand-walk as much as humanly possible.

Good luck! Devon is a lot of fun, and I hope it’s a great experience for you!

[QM2]

That’s the plan. Walk, walk and more walking. At his previous shows (the first maybe 3), the longest it has taken him to settle was an hour. So, we will moving into his stall in the evening and walk and check things out for a couple hours. Go get comfortable in his stall while I’m there. Then maybe walk some more.
I’ll get there the next morning around 5 and we will walk until we get kicked out so they can drag the ring then Braider will get there.
It will be fun once we are finished. Lol

[MHM]

The good news is that at least now Sunday is just for the hunter breeding classes.

That division used to take place during the week with a million other things going on, so there was a lot more for the young horses to take in back in the day.

[bingbingbing]

How did it go?

[axl]

Update please!

[QM2]

Hi, he did great! was a little undone by the schooling ring in the morning but did great in the show ring!
He was 3rd in both of his large and very competitive classes and was a complete professional in the show ring!

I practice braid him a lot while he eats dinner so fed him breakfast while he got braided and he did great!

The one thing out of many that I think Devon could easily change is the unloading of the babies in the afternoon on Saturday.
They had in the prize list that hunter breeding could not check into their stalls until 5 PM on Saturday.
At 4/4:30 they stopped letting horses be unloaded/loaded because the Budweiser Clydesdales were being walked into the showgrounds, hitched up to do their exhibition, then unhitching and walking back to their tent.
So, three or four semis and dozens of truck and trailers of baby horses had to line the streets of Devon waiting to be unloaded anywhere from 1 1/2 hrs to 3 hrs extra on the trailers. They definitely could have done that better.

All in all we had a great but LONG day. Here are some photos that friends took. I’ll be buying professional photos as well.

[QM2]

IMG_9831

[MHM]

That’s wonderful! Huge congrats!!

[QM2]

Thanks! Now, we have to find a saddle to fit that top line!

[vxf111]

Congrats! Loading and unloading was a mess this year. I’ve never seen it be as bad as that! And holy cow did we go LATE. I was a chairman for 15 or so years and always worked Sunday and the latest I recall it ever wrapping up was 3pm. They had the lights on for YHUS!!!

I saw your horse and thought he was terrific. I had a really good show too with my baby. He has grown up so much since I got him, I truly can’t believe it. This was a really rewarding experience for me and I’m so glad I did the amateur handler class in addition to sending him in with the pro.