Going to my first show on Saturday. It’s a ranch horse open show. I’m going to enter the halter/conformation class and the ranch horse trail show. Are there any tips you guys can give the first time showman?
First and foremost, have fun!!
Even though it’s a halter class, still make sure your horse is standing squarely and showcasing them the best you can. Most halter classes for ranch horse you will show with a rope halter, rather than a silver one (since silver is discouraged for most of the ranch horse classes).
For trail, pay close attention to the pattern and execute it exactly as written. Those who pay every close attention to the pattern are the ones who score higher. That means if the pattern shows you being on the left side of a cone, then make sure you are on the left side!!
If you are dragging an object in the pattern, make sure to watch the object. Also, don’t dally it too long or too short, and you should be able to dally without looking. I was told the proper way to “stop” dragging an object is to turn your horse to face it and then walk forward to put slack in the rope. I can’t say if that truly is the “correct” way to do it.
Thank you!
Breathe!
For the trail class, take a beat between maneuvers. A little pause to gather your thoughts and your horse before moving on.
Read the rule book --then read it again. Look on YouTube for successful exhibitors. Then read the rule book. Never go on what someone tells you is a rule. People guess, remember incorrectly, or have out-dated information. Know the rule book.
Beau has good advice as well Foxglove, read your rules.
Just to verify what beau said if you are not familiar with roping but have to drag, dally counter clockwise. Practice and don’t look at your horn. Not too long, not too short, seen wrecks from the drag object t hitting the horse on the back of the legs. If you have to drag around an object like a barrel. Almost always your rope to your drag is on your off side so drag clockwise around the barrel. Sometimes you have to a figure 8 and I pull my rope behind my cantle and slide a little rope when I’m headed counter clockwise.
When you complete the drag face up to the object. Ride towards while popping your dallies. Do not undally by unwrapping clockwise (opposite of dallying) pull straight up towards the sky with your right hand to pop them off the horn.
Good luck, ranch horse shows are fun!
Thank you. I know I will have to do a figure 8 drag. That’s one of the only things I’ve seen on the list of possible obstacles that my mare hasn’t done. End of day yesterday she was comfortably dragging a large bucket off either side in the figure 8 pattern, so I think we might be okay doing that at show… Switching to a log tomorrow.
Good to know that it should be done off my off side and how to dally.
Are we allowed to switch rein hand or does it need to be the same all the way through?
[QUOTE=Dani;8824910]
Are we allowed to switch rein hand or does it need to be the same all the way through?[/QUOTE]
Maybe. Depends on the pattern.
If all the obstacles on the pattern are to be completed by your right hand, then I was start the pattern with the reins in your left hand so that they stay in your left hand the whole time.
But I’ve seen some patterns where you may need to (for example) rope a dummy, which I am going to do with my right hand because I am right handed. But maybe else where in the pattern it calls for a left-handed push gate. So for the gate obstacle, I would switch rein hands, do the obstacle (the gate) and then switch back and continue on with the rest of the pattern.
So it just really depends on how the course is set up. But to my knowledge, you should not get “dinged” if you switch rein hands to complete a single obstacle on the course. But if you can keep the same rein hand throughout the pattern, then do it. So if you are right handed, plan on holding your reins in your left hand!
Show was a lot of fun! Got 7th in halter due to incomplete topline development (expected that, she’s still building it). She picked up a limp of unknown origins between that class and trail at the end of the day. Only physical thing that I could see was a small cut on the front of her leg, cold hosed it for a while and gave her the remaining time off. My friend took her green 4 year old for the halter class, but wasn’t going to ride her for the trail class, so took her through the trail class. Placed 5th on her! There ended up not being a drag and the only thing that the green filly didn’t do well on was the side pass log, but she doesn’t know how to sidepass yet, so I’ll call that a win! Thank you all for helping me out on preparing for my first show, hopefully I’ll get to take my mare through it next time!
[QUOTE=Dani;8829692]
Show was a lot of fun! Got 7th in halter due to incomplete topline development (expected that, she’s still building it). She picked up a limp of unknown origins between that class and trail at the end of the day. Only physical thing that I could see was a small cut on the front of her leg, cold hosed it for a while and gave her the remaining time off. My friend took her green 4 year old for the halter class, but wasn’t going to ride her for the trail class, so took her through the trail class. Placed 5th on her! There ended up not being a drag and the only thing that the green filly didn’t do well on was the side pass log, but she doesn’t know how to sidepass yet, so I’ll call that a win! Thank you all for helping me out on preparing for my first show, hopefully I’ll get to take my mare through it next time![/QUOTE]
Now you will know what to expect, makes it much easier.
Hope your horse is sound now.
She has a minor limp while walking in the pasture, no heat to the injury site or anywhere else on the leg. No swelling either. A vet will be at my place on Thursday and I plan to have her looked at just to be on the safe side, but I don’t think she’s going to have any lasting damage, infections, or even more than a day or two of discomfort. She deserves a few days off anyways.
Go through the rule book and give your best. Good luck.
FranklinFulcher - The show wasn’t nearly what I was building it up to be in my head! Very comfortable and non-intimidating. Rules were fairly simple. Thank you!
Update on Dani - By that Thursday she had been limp free for a couple of days, didn’t need her looked at. She’s not off under saddle at all now and I’ve been on her many times since.
