Showmanship - is a Chain Mandatory?

[Ceylon_Star]

I’ve decided to dip my toes into the Western show world, starting with using Showmanship classes at local open breed (hosted by breed clubs) shows just to get my gelding out to “real” shows. Problem is, bringing a chain NEAR him (even curb chains on bits) sends him into a panic, and if they make contact with him he’ll rear and flip himself over. He was pretty badly abused, and chains are one battle I don’t particularly want to deal with, I’d rather avoid using them period. He’s super responsive on a flat halter without one.

But I’ve heard mixed responses when I’ve asked local folk about the use of chains in the showmanship ring. Some say they’re mandatory because they’re traditional, others say they’re not required. I found nothing in the rules about the use of the chains, only notes about how far your hands need to be from the base of the chain. Even members of the board of directors for the clubs can’t give me a straight answer.

Because these are open breed shows, rather than points-accumulating ones, would it be acceptible for me to use a leather lead shank that does NOT have a chain? I know someone who uses a normal lead rope, but I think it looks a bit tacky so would rather go with plain leather.

[csaper58]

No chains are not manditory. Use a lead that looks good with your halter, and feels good in your hand, and gets the job done.
Then start de-sensitizing your horse to chains, since there will be some in the ring with you.

[aqhadreamer]

Go with plain leather, hopefully the same colour as your halter… Chains are normally put into the side ring of the halter closest to you, under the chin then up to the ring in the halter near the horses eye. The leather only lead should be clipped to the side ring of the halter closest to you, as if there were a chain attached.

[sahqueen]

No chain is fine…have earned many an AQHA Ammy and Novice point without one! Most of the western catalogs carry show leads with just a snap and no chain links to match show halters.

If you go with no chain, attach to the bottom center ring NOT the side ring of the halter. You will show with a little more ‘slack’ in the lead so that your hand is in the proper spot up by the side of the horses face.

Attaching to the side ring will encourage your horse to track crooked as it will tend to pull his face towards you and swing his hip out, and make backing straight more difficult as you will again be pulling his head crooked and then swinging his hip. When you have a chain coming out of the side ring it helps distrbute the pressure evenly so that it is easier to keep your horse straight…having just the snap on the side concentrates all of the pressure on one side.

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=sahqueen;7203560]
No chain is fine…have earned many an AQHA Ammy and Novice point without one! Most of the western catalogs carry show leads with just a snap and no chain links to match show halters.

If you go with no chain, attach to the bottom center ring NOT the side ring of the halter. You will show with a little more ‘slack’ in the lead so that your hand is in the proper spot up by the side of the horses face.

Attaching to the side ring will encourage your horse to track crooked as it will tend to pull his face towards you and swing his hip out, and make backing straight more difficult as you will again be pulling his head crooked and then swinging his hip. When you have a chain coming out of the side ring it helps distrbute the pressure evenly so that it is easier to keep your horse straight…having just the snap on the side concentrates all of the pressure on one side.[/QUOTE]

Definitely do not hook the lead to the side ring.

This topic actually came up on a trainer & judge’s facebook page recently. Basically, she said that if she were judging two horses who were otherwise equal in their performance, she would place the one with the chain higher as using the chain is the preferred way to present in showmanship. She discouraged the use of the chain over the nose and said she would rather see no chain in that case.

[MyssMyst]

[QUOTE=sahqueen;7203560]

If you go with no chain, attach to the bottom center ring NOT the side ring of the halter. You will show with a little more ‘slack’ in the lead so that your hand is in the proper spot up by the side of the horses face.

Attaching to the side ring will encourage your horse to track crooked as it will tend to pull his face towards you and swing his hip out, and make backing straight more difficult as you will again be pulling his head crooked and then swinging his hip. When you have a chain coming out of the side ring it helps distrbute the pressure evenly so that it is easier to keep your horse straight…having just the snap on the side concentrates all of the pressure on one side.[/QUOTE]

Exactly this.

[sahqueen]

[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;7203604]
Definitely do not hook the lead to the side ring.

This topic actually came up on a trainer & judge’s facebook page recently. Basically, she said that if she were judging two horses who were otherwise equal in their performance, she would place the one with the chain higher as using the chain is the preferred way to present in showmanship. She discouraged the use of the chain over the nose and said she would rather see no chain in that case.[/QUOTE]

And there are other judges who will give more credit for showing without a chain as it is ‘harder’ and you have to rely on body language more than just showing off the chain…I manage 8-12 open and AQHA shows a year, so talk with a lot of judges and this topic usually comes up.

Best bet is to go with what works for your horse and put down the best pattern you can…if that means using no chain than go for it.

Personally with my gelding the chain/no chain configuration depends on the complexity of the pattern, how we warm up and his general mood…even if I use the chain sometimes it gets run thru the center bottom ring, sometimes not if I need a little more ‘bite’…know your horse and know what he needs on a given day!

[Ceylon_Star]

Thanks guys!

Having horses nearby with chains on doesn’t bother him much since they don’t make the same “jingle” that a loose chain (or one looped through the chin loop and clipped back onto itself like someone at my old barn always did) makes, so it’s not an issue as long as I can keep his focus. Should be interesting at the bigger shows, so far he’s only ever been in two little schooling shows at our new barn, with classes of (on average) 5 horses. He did showmanship in English gear (bridle and reins) with his leaser at the last two shows, since she does dressage with him mostly.

I’m really excited, we have our first Western Pleasure lesson tomorrow!