First showmanship class--any tips and tricks?

[dungrulla]

So I decided to take the leap and take my awesome but currently unrideable thoroughbred to an in-hand schooling show. In the showmanship division. Because he’s a huge ham. We are going to do the beginner division and not worry about how well we do because there’s every possible that all those other ponies will be a little too exciting.

I’ve never done this before. He DOES know all the stuff he needs to do (walk, trot, back up, pivot) and does them all on the ground super well.

Is there anything I should know? Braids? No braids? Should I clip? What do I wear?! My head is spinning from the options!

This is a minor schooling show. Show clothing is not required. I just want it to be fun for both of us.

[Kyzteke]

There was a whole thread on this very subject not too long ago on the Sport Horse breeding forum.

I’m sure a search will bring it up.

Is this dressage or hunter?

[dungrulla]

AQHA rules, say the flyer, but it also says english or western for all classes. I don’t think this is a super high-league show–it’s a fundraiser for the local high school’s equestrian club and from what I remember they are a LOT of fun (since I actually went there!)

I have contact info for both the judge (who boards at my barn) and the teacher running it (who I had for a bunch of classes) so I can always ask.

[dungrulla]

New problem–I seem to have misplaced my horse’s coggins test paperwork I’ll have to call the vet and ask for a copy.

[sabinomare]

Showmanship is very fun! I would suggest editing the title, however. As seen earlier, another post got it confused for in-hand sport horse judging.

Since it is a schooling show, you can get away with not braiding or banding, but I would suggest doing it anyway. If he has any white on his legs, get those suckers WHITE! And you should definitely clip.

If you’re doing English, wear the hunt outfit with the cap. If you’re doing Western, you can either wear rail shirts and pants, a showmanship outfit, or a nice button up top tucked into boot cut jeans.

Personally, I just wear a vest and long sleeved top with breeches and tall boots. Put hair back into a nice bun. Good enough for me and a schooling show

Make sure you smile! Genuinely, of course. Work on getting him to stand square every time. Make sure you follow the quartering system, too! There are some excellent YouTube videos that will help you out immensely.

Good luck, dungrulla. Have fun!

[dungrulla]

Thank you!

Has anyone else lost a coggins before? I know it’s a little off topic but I just realized it’s NOT where I put it! Grr…

[ilmjumper]

quarter system, confidence, and keeping showing until the class is called. Best advice I’ve ever gotten about showmanship was if you mess up, mess so well that you make the judge doubt their own pattern. In other words, even if you mess up, smile and keep showing never admit defeat! Also, you’re allowed (or at least, should be) to ask questions before the class starts, so if there’s anything not clear about the pattern or where/how to go after you finish the pattern ask away. Good luck and have fun!

[netg]

Yes to the confidence - I have WON a class in which I messed up the pattern.

Walk with PURPOSE. Shoulders square, good posture, chin up. Don’t run like you are in a race, leaning forward and losing posture - think of gliding with a book on your head as you move forward. Keep your horse correctly located so you’re around the middle of his neck.

Always turn away from you for a turn of 1/2 or less, though if the pattern calls for a full turn and continue straight that also means turn away from you. The horse should pivot on the outside hind hoof, but at this point you won’t be there. If you think it’s something you want to do more in the future, using an in-hand whip can really help teach the horse to pick up the other legs when he’d want to pick up the pivot hoof, and therefore to keep that pivot hoof in place.

Practive getting square and the quarter system. Most horses want to move when you switch sides at first and take practice to learn better. The switch from one side to the other should be three steps - if going left side to right side, you’re facing toward your horse, step the right foot even with your horse’s nose, left foot in place, right foot in place. The first few times you do this you won’t be far enough in front of your horse and will almost fall over your own feet. That’s a hint you’re not standing in the right place.

The advice from above is fine for dress. If you have a leather halter, use that - even for a schooling show, though eventually it’ll be halters with silver on them if you keep at it.

I used to win showmanship a lot - unless one of my trainer’s other students beat me. Your horse should be spotless and impeccably groomed, mane pulled to an even thickness all around, etc. Boots should shine, and you’re attitude should say “I AM a winner!” We actually used to tell each other to imitate the snottiest-seeming (but nice) girl we knew, to get her look of thinking she was best when we went in the ring. As you walk in, the judge will likely be watching most people walk in - make eye contact, smile and say “good morning/afternoon, sir/ma’am” then look forward and continue walking with a purpose without a break in your rhythm. After you’ve done your pattern and set up for the judge’s inspection, say “thank you, sir/ma’am” before you return to line.

Mostly, have fun. It’s the closest we get to dog shows with our horses, except it can be won by the ugliest horse out there if the horse is handled and prepared well. I used to beat some expensive horses with my grade and somewhat homely first horse because she was so good at it.

[JumpQH]

My tip - watch the mouth! I can’t tell you how many bored horses decided my hand was a playtoy during the class!

[Highflyer]

[QUOTE=dungrulla;8102920]
Thank you!

Has anyone else lost a coggins before? I know it’s a little off topic but I just realized it’s NOT where I put it! Grr…[/QUOTE]

Oh, all the time. It shouldn’t be a huge problem for your vet to mail it or if you are lucky, email it.

[CHT]

Depending on how complicated the patterns are, make sure you know how much room your horse needs to pivot. I made a pattern for an advanced showmanship class where they had to pivot 180, then back, then pivot 180 and present. The idea was that they had to finish in the correct spot for me to judge. Almost nobody stopped in the right place and rather stopped too soon.

There are some good diagrams of possible showmanship patterns if you look up images on google.

[PrimoAmor]

Know the parts of the horse! A lot of showmanship judges will ask a question like ‘where is the poll of your horse?’

At most shows you will ‘pre-load’ meaning you will walk up to cone A and set up, wait while someone is finishing their pattern. Make sure to watch and be ready before the judge!

Use a leather lead with chain and leather halter. Even if they aren’t perfect or new.

[RhythmNCruise]

Usually when I’ve seen hunter/English folks in showmanship, they show their horses in bridles. That’s how we did it when I showed hunter showmanship a few times, and how the folks on the open circuit where I show now do it. Western folks do the halters with the chains from the leads run under the chin. I always preferred doing showmanship in western attire and tack because the horses seem to “get it” better with a halter and chain than a bridle when working on things like squaring up and pivots. At least mine did/do.

Confidence is definitely key. Some people (and horses) are just awesome at it, and if they happen to go before you, it can be intimidating. Might not be the case at a local open show where everyone is just having fun and learning though. I showed showmanship at AQHA shows and a very tough/huge open circuit years ago and I don’t think I ever had enough confidence even though I practiced my butt off at home and my horse was pretty awesome. I won ONE class out of all those I entered, and I felt like I had just won the lottery because of my love-hate relationship with showmanship. It is a perfectionist’s dream class, one that demands total focus, attention to detail, practice, and poise. It’s one of those classes that you can always strive to improve in. It’s hard, competitive, challenging, and when it all comes together…pretty fun.

Clean the horse like you’ve never cleaned one before. Clip him really well, including ears and legs, make sure his tail is washed, conditioned, and tangle-free, polish his hooves, slick him up with show sheen of some kind so he is soft and shiny, and wipe a little baby oil over his eyes and muzzle to make his face pretty. As for his mane, do whatever is neatest. If you’re good at braiding, and going to show him turned out as a hunter, do that. If you’re not good at braiding, but think you can band better, do that (even if you’re doing hunter turn-out). Neat bands are better than sloppy braids. If you’re not good at either, and your horse’s mane is fairly tame, just neaten it up a little with a pull or trim, maybe put a slinky on to help it lay flat, and let him go natural. At open shows you’ll see everything from horses turned out to AQHA breed show standards to backyard ponies that haven’t seen a set of clippers in their lives. Turn-out is part of showmanship though, so do the best you can manage.
Practice the usual elements, make up patterns at home, get a helper to “judge” you so that you can practice the quarters. Every day do a few minutes of setting up, backing, trotting off, stopping, and pivoting. And don’t be afraid to have high expectations that your horse must meet. Obviously be patient if teaching him the elements, but he’s got to know that practicing showmanship is business/work, not play. A lot of horses don’t equate being led around with “work”, but showmanship takes a good bit of effort, attentiveness, and manners from the horses. It’s not physically hard for them, but it should really get their brains engaged.
Dangit. Now I want to go out and practice with my horse!

[poltroon]

My daughter wants to do showmanship this year, and I’m wondering if anyone has some videos or other material to recommend to help her with getting her horse to stand square. He’s an Arabian, and possibly showed at halter back in the Dark Ages, but of course Arabians are not shown square.

[sahqueen]

Practice walking and trotting up to a “judge” at home…for many horses that can be an issue as they want to slow down approaching a person. Doesn’t hurt to have a person or two sit or stand behind the judge while practicing in case at the show the judge decided to stand back and let the ring steward do the walk arounds…at the multi judged breed shows the group behind the judge/steward can be pretty big and catches some horses off guard.