Hey all,
I am planning on showing my two Welsh Ponies in hand at the end of the month. One is a stallion and one is a filly they are 1/2 siblings and about 10 months old. I was wondering about the fancy slip halter used. Of course I have looked on line and found sources for these expensive little halters but are there any options for used halters. I feel the ponies are still growing and that is a lot to spend on a piece of tack that will have to be replaced so soon… I will purchase new halters if needed but would love a less expensive option… Any ideas? Also any tips for showing in hand would be awesome. I’ve watched a bit and read a bit but would love any little tidbits… Thanks a bunch! MM
welsh can and are shown in every halter imaginable so long as they are clean no one really cares
don’t worry
Tamara
Thanks Tamara…That will make things much easier:)
I would love other advice as well if anybody wants to give it:)
The in hand bridles do seem to hold their value very well, so if you bought something now that you didn’t think you would use again, you could likely sell it very close to what you paid.
But that said, if you don’t want to go that direction, a nice leather halter would be an acceptable substitute for 10 month olds.
If you’d like to try and buy something, you can find less expensive options on Ebay sometimes. However, be warned that they will not be the same quality that you would pay more for, either here or in the UK.
Most people tend to hold on to their in hand tack because it’s usually very adjustable and can be used on a variety of sizes.
Agree with everything that has been mentioned regarding halters.
One tip I will give you, make sure you have practiced at home first and your ponies will trot out while you are running beside them. It makes it really tough to judge the youngsters sometimes when they won’t trot forward in the class, as then it is hard for us to properly assess movement. Remember, we don’t know your ponies…so can only judge what is in front of us on that day. 
The Welsh Ponies shows are a nice, relaxed atmosphere, so remember to stay relaxed and enjoy the day! And if you need help with anything while at the show, don’t hesitate to ask other competitors. I find the Welsh breeders are more than willing to help out a newbie!
[QUOTE=Daventry;6352539]
And if you need help with anything while at the show, don’t hesitate to ask other competitors. I find the Welsh breeders are more than willing to help out a newbie! ;)[/QUOTE]
I cannot agree with this statement more! Fabulous group of breeders!
Thank you!!! I totally got my months mixed up…sadly they seem to be going to fast:( My ponies will be a yr and a week short of a year when the show takes place…That probably means I need to get the show bridles anyway… I am going to look at nice leather halters as well just to see…I am working with my ponies everyday to get there trot going:) I am very excited and nervous. Thanks again it is nice to here that all the breeders are friendly and helpful …
[QUOTE=Marney;6352865]
Thank you!!! I totally got my months mixed up…sadly they seem to be going to fast:( My ponies will be a yr and a week short of a year when the show takes place…That probably means I need to get the show bridles anyway… I am going to look at nice leather halters as well just to see…I am working with my ponies everyday to get there trot going:) I am very excited and nervous. Thanks again it is nice to here that all the breeders are friendly and helpful …[/QUOTE]
Yes, as Daventry noted, the shows are a lot fun, pretty relaxed and a truly awesome group of people! You’ll have a good time! :yes:
If you are going to order in hand tack, and you have yearlings… call (or e-mail) Just For Ponies and explain that you want something that will fit them later also. I’ve gotten in hand tack for yearlings that adjusted to fit them as adult ponies. You just want it to fit on the smallest setting now, and then it can expand and fit them later also.
[QUOTE=rideagoldenpony;6352958]
Yes, as Daventry noted, the shows are a lot fun, pretty relaxed and a truly awesome group of people! You’ll have a good time! :yes:
If you are going to order in hand tack, and you have yearlings… call (or e-mail) Just For Ponies and explain that you want something that will fit them later also. I’ve gotten in hand tack for yearlings that adjusted to fit them as adult ponies. You just want it to fit on the smallest setting now, and then it can expand and fit them later also.[/QUOTE]
Just for Ponies is the BEST to work with…they really know ponies and how to fit them!! Good luck!
Well I just ordered my in hand bridle from Just for Ponies…very nice to work with. They were out of stock of the nylon bit so I still need to find that but otherwise I should be set:) I am so excited …
What size do you need? I can look and see if I have an extra. 
I need a 4.25…If I could borrow one that would rock:) I give you my word I would return it and I have references
I would buy it if need be as well:)
I’ll go paw through my show stuff today and see if I have one. When do you need it?
The show is on the 22nd so anytime before that…Thanks for checking:)
Good news! I have a spare I’d be happy to loan you. It is used of course, but should work fine. You’ll just need to polish the brass the night before, but you should be doing your whole bridle then anyway. I would polish it before I sent it, but it would just be tarnished by show time anyway!
Send me your mailing address to: gretchen.aitken@gmail.com and I’ll drop it in tomorrow’s mail.
It’s interesting how different places do different things. In the UK it is traditional to show Welsh ponies and cobs (all 4 sections of the studbook, from A to D) in a simple white rope or webbing halter. No yearlings are ever shown bitted, even colts are usually still shown in just a halter until they are 3. Are you sure you want to lead your yearling from a bit? It’s awfully young.
You can see examples of show ring turnout on this webpage. If you let the pictures scroll through you’ll see virtually all non-stallions are shown without a bit and without any leather on their heads. The horses and ponies in inhand bridles are not being shown in Welsh Breeding Classes. They will be in ‘type’ classes such as ‘show hunter pony’ and ‘show pony’ etc. The brass stallion bits are only ever used for stallions. It is possible to get straight nylon with just simple brass rings at either end but honestly I wouldn’t dream of putting a bit in the mouth of any horse or pony younger than 2.
Hope you have a great time at the show. It might be worth ringing the organisers and see if they have turnout rules. The bigger shows in the UK tend to so it might be true in the US too.
It is different over here in North America Both rideagoldenpony and myself are Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America judges and have shown on the circuit for years. The only rule on showing in hand over here is: “Animals may be shown in halter or bridle and stallion may be shown in tack”.
I personally find that most people over here will often show their Section A mares and foals and Section C/D mares and foals in white rope halters. Usually, the B’s and the stallions are often shown in leather halters or the leather Welsh bridles. Half Welsh tend be be shown in hunter bridles and I’ve rarely, rarely ever seen a stallion shown in stallion tack. (depending on the area of the U.S. I judge in, it’s sometimes rare to even see white rope halters period)
That being said, I personally don’t show any of my yearlings or two year olds in bitted bridles. But that’s just my personal preference. I don’t think rideagoldenpony tends to show yearlings and two year olds in bitted bridles either.
Stolensilver, I try and make it a policy not to argue with people online, but actually, over here, it would be extremely rare to see a Section B shown in a white web or rope halter, and would actually be considered improper turnout.
Since the Royal Welsh is the largest and most important Welsh show in the world, I’d like to suggest that anyone interested in knowing what sort of “head gear” ponies are usually shown with, look at the Royal Welsh photographs so kindly posted by Gail Thomson from Gayfields Welsh. You can access the various albums from here: http://www.gayfieldswelshponies.com/homeofthenews.html
American Welsh are shown much the same, but we do tend to pull our manes shorter on the B’s over there than they do in the UK.
We have shown 2 year olds in nylon bitted bridles in the past, and it is routinely done for both yearlings and two year olds in the UK, as you will see from the photos at the above link, though you will see some shown in a in hand slip, sometimes called a filly halter.
Edited to add: even when showing stallions, we almost always have the lead attached to the noseband, and not the bit.
