Hunter EQ flat class questions?

[Crazy4aOTTB]

So I was at a show today and standing around watching a few friends ride. Im glad I was watching and paying attention. I learned something! The judge had asked the announcer for sitting trot and then asked riders to line up. The announcer asked before announcing, “do you want them to walk and line up or sitting trot into the line up? The Judge wanted sitting trot into the line up. The announcer then annuced “please line up”. She did not say Please line up continuing at the sitting trot”. The riders then proceeded to line up in sitting trot.

If I had not been standing there listing to the conversation between the announcer and judge I would probably not have noticed the difference. If I had of been in the class I would have waked into the line up.

So what other things should I be aware of in these EQ flat classes? What have you guys experienced? I feel like these are almost trick questions and will have to really be on my toes when I move up in levels. I am currently only doing long stirrup and haven’t come across classes like this.

[groomette]

It’s kind of like Simon Says. They didn’t say “Walk an Line up” so that means continue at whatever gait you are at and line up. It can be tricky.

[gottagrey]

i dont’ know why the judge would want anyone to trot up to the line up - seems odd to me

[woodhillsmanhattan]

Also, caution to horse show announcers…say exactly what the judge says! I was learner judging and a judge radioed to the announcer to “Line up” and the announcer said “Walk and line up”. Judge was annoyed as she wanted them to continue trotting into the line up.

[findeight]

[QUOTE=gottagrey;7826580]
i dont’ know why the judge would want anyone to trot up to the line up - seems odd to me[/QUOTE]

To break a tie with a few simple tests that do not take any additional time. Judge is only going to be watching his top riders and they will have to plan a track, execute it and halt. IMO that’s basic skills, not “tricky”.

I disagree there are always " tricks" in the Eq Flat. Usually not needed and just drag the class out and make the horses work harder. Normally W, T sitting and rising and canter, maybe a halt sort them pretty well. Most judges don’t want to lose their clear winners with additional, un needed " tricks". They leave that for the Medal classes.

[Dewey]

Sometimes a judge will ask for something a little out of the ordinary to help determine who is on their toes. A couple times I have seen a judge call for a halt and then a reverse. The winners did a turn on the forehand to a halt in the opposite direction. The others reversed and then walked off.

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=Crazy4aOTTB;7826547]
So what other things should I be aware of in these EQ flat classes? What have you guys experienced? I feel like these are almost trick questions and will have to really be on my toes when I move up in levels. I am currently only doing long stirrup and haven’t come across classes like this.[/QUOTE]

I don’t think that’s “tricky.” Trotting into the lineup is fairly common. Once my class was asked to line up from the canter.

Sometimes a judge will ask for something a little out of the ordinary to help determine who is on their toes. A couple times I have seen a judge call for a halt and then a reverse. The winners did a turn on the forehand to a halt in the opposite direction. The others reversed and then walked off.

[gottagrey]

I guess I’m going to all the wrong shows and granted most of the ones i volunteer at are schooling, not rated, so the judge would be asking for a disaster to happen if horses came trotting up, never mind, cantering up to a line up. Shoot the last show the kids couldn’t even line up LOL

[mroades]

Interesting gotta, that is pretty common even in our schooling shows down here. Jimmy Cantwell was notorious for having you line up at the canter.

[SCI]

At a show a couple of weeks ago riders were cantering and the judge asked them to change direction showing a simple change of lead. Luckily it was a small class because some of the kids didn’t plan their track very well and almost ran in to each other.

[ybiaw]

It’s alllll about seeing who’s paying attention. I love when judges do stuff like that.

[gottagrey]

Maybe I’m being dense but are you seriously talking about cantering right up to the line-up? Not cantering to a walk to line but cantering right into a line-up? What the heck level riders are you guys talking about. the last show i was at, it was all the judge could do to keep the kids from getting run away with much less line up at a trot or canter.

[Dewey]

Yes, we are talking about cantering right into the line-up and halting–no walk.

Obviously, a judge would not ask a WTC class to canter into a line-up. That would an invitation to disaster. However, I don’t consider cantering into the line-up to be a highly advanced skill. I was showing at a local unrated show in adult eq when I was asked to do this. Our height over fences was 2’6" if that gives you an idea of the skill level of the riders.

[GypsyQ]

In college, in an ISHA flat class, our judge asked for the two-point just prior to the canter in the first direction. He never asked us to resume a full three-point position. I did not sit until the line-up (I’m pretty sure they asked for it after we were in line) and I was one of only 3 riders who maintained the two-point through the whole class. We were the top three placings. I like simple tests to see who’s paying attention.

[Peggy]

Don’t do anything more or less that what’s required. Another example is if they have you drop your stirrups and never explicitly say to pick them up. Keep them dropped, even in the line up!

Sometimes it’s a bit confusing. I was in a flat class where we were counter cantering in one direction and were asked to “change direction maintaining the canter lead.” I was whether canter meant counter and we were supposed to switch to the new counter lead or that we were supposed to stay on the existing lead. I can’t remember what I did, but we won the class.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Peggy;7826881]
Don’t do anything more or less that what’s required. Another example is if they have you drop your stirrups and never explicitly say to pick them up. Keep them dropped, even in the line up!

Sometimes it’s a bit confusing. I was in a flat class where we were counter cantering in one direction and were asked to “change direction maintaining the canter lead.” I was whether canter meant counter and we were supposed to switch to the new counter lead or that we were supposed to stay on the existing lead. I can’t remember what I did, but we won the class.[/QUOTE]

Oh, these scenarios are fun!

In the situation you describe I would have held the same lead, thereby switching from counter canter to the correct lead in the reverse direction by default. But I would have agonized over it a little because it seems deceptively easy compared to the alternative (flying?? change to counter canter in new direction.)

[chunky_munky]

It is fairly commonplace to trot into a lineup. Most judges will not use it in a class where the riders are novices or appear to be at a lower level. Guess what? They can usually tell. You may think this is a test, and sometimes it is. But frankly from the time you say walk and line up it seems most riders will take FOREVER to get themselves into the line. Even though a judge most likely has already called in the results, the announcer will not announce the winners until the very last lazy meanderer has graced the class with their presence in the line up. This can often easily add about a half hour to the length of a show for no good reason. When we were kids showing back in the prehistoric age we were taught to get in line as soon as it was called for and if we were at the far end of the ring that meant trotting into line. People seem to prefer to take their time today which is a waste of time and somewhat disrespectful to your fellow exhibitors that are prompt. So it is not always a test-it is simple time management. It is not a trick.

[gottagrey]

I’m going to have to pay more attention now but I don’t see it often as a “command” from the judge as much as some riders at the far end trotting over and I’ve never seen it from a canter. But then few of the shows I go to have real medal classes anyway by that I mean that the judge does much in the way of testing unless it’s a finals /end of series class

[chunky_munky]

Its not about a medal. It is simply a flat class getting themselves into line in a prompt fashion. May be a hack, may be a pleasure class, may be a flat equitation. GET IN LINE! This has been a public service announcement.

[luckeys71]

I was in an Eq Over Fences class that had the option of a flat phase (which I did not realize) on Saturday that asked us to trot to the line up. I only went in the class as a warm up. I DON’T Eq on the flat, because I am old.