Hello! First time poster here. I’m taking my horse to a little local show next month that is put on by the local chapter of the Arabian horse association. I’ve shown before but never in an Arabian show, my horse is a warm blood but the show is open to all breeds. I was wondering how Arabian shows are judged compared to a hunter/jumper show? Is my horse expected to go like an Arabian? Thank you for any insite!
I would contact the show organizers and maybe ask folks who have gone before who typically shows up. The breed association might be sponsoring a true all breed schooling show for the general commuity or it might really be an Arab show with others allowed in to make up numbers. Impossible to tell without local knowledge.
Depends on the judge they hire - if an Arabian judge, yes, judging will likely be typical of what’s seen at the breed shows. Hopefully you’re just going for the experience of being in a show atmosphere?
Yep, just going for fun, would just rather not make a total fool of myself haha.
It depends, it depends, it depends! What classes are you planning to enter?
Better yet, do you have a link to the show bill? And then tell us what classes you plan to enter.
I doubt there’s any way you’d do that. You may not win anything if the judge is an Arabian breed judge and there is a robust Arabian show community in your area (so most of the people you are competing against compete predominantly in breed shows). Might have more of a shot if it’s a more general H/J judge and you don’t have a lot of Arabian shows in your area (so most of the Arabians and half-Arabs in your classes would mostly compete in open shows and cultivated a less typey look/movement themselves). But I don’t think anybody is going to be really annoyed or upset or anything.
Most local shows, you could show up riding a literal jackass and as long as you and he were turned out neatly, followed the rules, and he had nice manners, I think you would be viewed as an interesting conversation piece of the day. If you are just looking to get your guy “out there” and used to different places and show bustle, are respectful of the rules, and have a good humor about commentary you might get (I could see a “How’s the weather up there?” coming your way if your horse is much taller than an average Arab, for instance), go and have fun.
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It’s just a small local show, so the flyer just has a list of the classes, the location, and “all breeds are welcome!”, no other info. I’m entering English Pleasure, English Equitation, English Equitation Medal (pattern), Hunter Hack, and English Trail.
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Toblersmom that made me feel a lot better, thank you!!
I would probably get in touch with the show management and ask if the English Pleasure/Equitation/Equitation Medal classes are intended to be “hunt seat” or “saddleseat” classes, or if either is welcome. Hunter Hack should be hunt seat and I imagine English Trail wouldn’t care (but don’t know for sure). Just “English” in the Arabian breed world often means “saddleseat” (like what you see in Saddlebred rings).
We call those “local open shows” and I wouldn’t be surprised to see mules, minis, horses pulling carts, and an assortment of gaited breeds. Probably a few drafts.It will have plenty of arabians especially since the arab folks are probably organizing it but toss in some quarter horses for good measure. It’s an excellent and usually cheap venue to get a horse used to show chaos and flat classes without breaking the budget.
However, some of the classes can be LARGE depending on how popular the show is, my $7 a class open show can have 19 - 23 horses in the ring at a time and often runs from 8am until after 11pm!
They can also be pretty competitive!
Here’s a show bill from one
We have a similar local show circuit. When they say “English equitation” they mean all seats. So show the way your horse looks best and you will be judged accordingly. Same for English pleasure. You are not judged by whether the horse goes like an Arab - and quite frankly there is no one “Arab” way anyhow.
English trail: can be hunt, saddle seat, or dressage seat. I show English trail in Arabian rated shows under dressage tack. The most common turnout is hunt tack. So you are good there. Hope that they publish the pattern in advance - most of these local shows do - so you can be prepared.
I have to hand it to the folks that judge local shows - they usually are good all around horsemen/women and are quite fair when they judge. I go to the local show to practice trail and my 16 hand gray Arab under dressage tack looks not a bit like any of the QHs we usually compete against. But I think we have been judged well - no breed prejudice that I can tell.
Plus, local shows are a bunch of fun and you meet all kinds of nice people. Go and have a good time!
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Not sure how this show will do it or if they’ve published the trail info but be prepared to open gates, turns on the forehand/haunches, sidepass over rails, back through poles, walk over a bridge, walk through water, etc. Can be overwhelming if you’ve never practiced especially if they get more intense and you have to put on a rain slicker, drag a tarp, etc.
If you’re experienced at trail stuff forget all that and have fun!
Our area used to have an Arabian all breed show. We just entered the classes not specific to the Arabians which usually stated all breeds and I won with an Oldenburg. I think those shows are intended to be more of a schooling/fun/learning show. At least ours was. I also have Arabians and usually the Arabian specific shows don’t ever say open to all breeds, they usually want only Arabs. Have fun!
we used those types of fun shows as a fund raiser for the club and an avenue to exposed other horse owners to the bred…as well as your points of a schooling/fun/learning show.
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