LLOC & DISTRICT RIDING CLUB

show ground, pydew farm, meliden, prestatyn

what to do in the ring

THIS IS PROVIDED AS A GUIDE ONLY

Best Turned Out is open to any horse or pony. As the name suggests, the emphasis is on the appearance and tidiness of the horse and rider, not on conformation or type. It's a useful class to take a young show horse into if they are not sufficiently schooled yet to do a breed or type class, to give them ring experience with less pressure.

  • Clean the underside of saddle flaps, girth straps and girth guards.
  • Girth guards must be worn.
  • Holes in straps - poke the saddle soap out with a matchstick so holes are clear and clean.
  • Underside of rider's boots - clean after mounting.
  • Underside of bridle - noseband and browband; and inside of reins.
  • Under the horse's tail, and make sure the tail is clean and tangle free.
  • Don't use a lot of baby oil, as the judge will stroke the horse; run hands down its legs and possibly through the tail, so you don't want her coming away with an oily hand. Likewise, be careful with using chalk on white legs.
  • Rider's hair must be in a hairnet if it's long enough (and the rider is female!) and very tidy.
  • Sheath or udders must be cleaned.
  • Hooves oiled and picked out. If your horse has white legs, be very careful not to get oil on the hair. Oil inside the feet as well.
  • Plaits should be sewn rather than banded.
  • Numnahs, if used, must be non-hairy and clean. No numnah is preferable, but if used it must be as discreet as possible. This is more important than for a 'performance' class.
  • Shoes must have been recently done - no risen clenches or slipped shoes.
  • Children wear jodhpur boots with clips, adults must wear long boots with spurs if appropriate for the type of horse. Garter straps on long boots are a must if they don't have zips.
  • No jewellery.
  • Show cane is essential.
  • Makeup or boot polish can be used on chestnuts to make them blend in with the leg colour.
  • Eyes, ears and nostrils must be clean - do this last minute before entering the ring, at the same time as cleaning the rider's boots and picking out the feet.
  • Ensure the string or elastic attaching your number is the same colour as your jacket, and round off the corners of the number so it's oval rather than rectangular.
  • Make sure your tie pin is attached to your shirt.
  • All straps on the bridle must be in their keepers, and the keepers the same length away from the end of the strap.

     

    Ridden Showing

  • Entering the ring

  • When you go into the ring, try to position yourself well. Don't go in behind the horse who's won every class it's entered all season, as you'll highlight any weaknesses yours has in comparison. Also try to go in behind one of a different colour, so you stand out a bit.

    Going round with the others

    In trot, make sure you're on the right diagonal so your horse doesn't look stiff through corners, and don't cut anyone up. If you're getting crowded, circle away to another part of the ring. Keep an eye on when the judge is looking in your direction, and make sure you're smiling, shoulders back and head up - it does make a difference.

    Keep an eye out for the steward's instructions - it doesn't look very good if they are signalling to you to canter and you're in a world of your own! Don't think you need to trot or canter immediately - you can wait for a corner to canter and that's fine.

    Being pulled in

    When you're being asked to come in for the first time, make sure you keep an eye on the steward. You don't want to miss your placing, and other competitors may pretend they thought they were being pulled in when you were - so if you think you've been nodded at and the person behind you zooms in, don't be afraid to ask the steward to clarify. It's bad manners to do this, and if it's noticed it won't be in the interloper's favour

    The individual show

    When you do your show, do keep thinking and be prepared to change it. If your horse strikes off early into canter, adapt it, stay in canter and do a longer trot at the end to compensate. Remember the judge doesn't know what you had in mind, so keep your cool if it goes a bit wrong.

    In the lineup, keep paying attention. Don't let your horse rest a hindleg, try to keep him stood up well and not falling asleep. Wake him up while the previous competitor is doing their show, so you don't have to drag him out of the lineup while the judge is looking. Practice this at home, as it's common for a horse to be reluctant to come out of the line.

    The inhand section

    When the steward asks you to run the pony up inhand, have your groom come in to help. the groom should take the saddle off and put it behind the lineup (somewhere where it won't get trodden on), then groom the pony. Get any sweat marks off, comb the mane and tail, clean and mud or dust off the legs, get foam off the bit, all the finishing touches that help to improve the overall picture.  When you've done the inhand, have the groom get the saddle ready to go straight back on and get you on as soon as possible. This is most important if you're near the bottom of the line, so you aren't holding the class up as you get back on.

    The final walkround

    When you all go out again and walk round, don't give up and just sit there. really ride, get the best walk you possibly can - even if you are at the bottom of the lineup. Judges do sometimes have a real swap round - the top placed horses may have misbehaved in their shows, the judge may have seen things he or she didn't like in the inhand section, or your horse may have given them a super ride. Don't give up until you're out of the ring!

    Just as in the first pulling-in, keep a close eye on the steward and come in smartly and quickly when you are called. Nod to acknowledge you've been pulled in, then get into your place in the lineup.

    Inhand Classes

    Inhand classes will all follow the same format, apart from some Sports Horse or Sports Pony classes

    You start off going into the ring and walking round on the right rein. You are on the horse's left hand side, so you're on the outside so the judge can see the horse. You need to be walking at the horse's shoulder, not at the head. It's worth investing some time into teaching the horse to walk forward like this so you don't have to drag it.

    When you've walked round for a while and the judge has had time to start assessing the class, the steward will pick a pony and ask them to stand in a corner. The rest of the class stands behind them. One by one, they will trot round to the rear of the line. Practice this as well, making sure that your horse goes off smoothly and also stops easily.

    When you've all trotted round, you will walk on again and the judge and steward will start pulling you in. It's normally in a provisional order at this point, but in a small class you might come in in any order.

    When everyone has been pulled in, you'll all do an individual show. You come out and stand in front of the lineup, and stand the pony up for the judge. The steward will tell you where to stand and where to face - but keep an eye on earlier competitors as well. When the judge has had a good look at the horse, she will tell you to go on. You walk away, turn round, making sure you stay on the outside - so turn to the right - and trot back

    Trot straight towards the judge, then go past her and round the back of the lineup and back to your place.

    When everyone has done their individual bit, the judge will often go down the lineup again for a last look. If she's changed her mind about placings, she may want to compare the ponies again, so will have a good look.

    When the judge is happy, the steward will ask you all to walk on round again - on the right rein as before. Keep an eye on the steward for being pulled in - even if you're at the bottom of the line. Don't assume you'll stay there.

    When you've been pulled in and the rosette giving has been done, the first six do a lap of honour. Trot on round the ring once, on the right rein as before.