Riding Club Pony

[gem]

I'm just wondering whether people think Saf would be suitable for this class? She's 14.2hh so wouldn't be big enough for the horse one. I want to get out with her as much as possible over the spring/summer so just looking at what showing classes I could do (if I can ever get her clean). Hopefully by then she'll be working more in an outline and I'd imagine her jumping will be a lot neater so the little jump shouldn't be a problem. I just wasn't sure if people could see her as a show pony? :lol: She wouldn't be plaited because I'm leaving her mane to grow so it's a nice thick natural mane at the moment. Her tail would be pulled at the bottom but left normal at the top. She doesn't have feathers really. For those that have been on another planet for the last 18months, this is what horseyface looks like (she'd be cleaner..obviously):
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h148/biteme86/DSCN2719.jpg

She'd have a hunter bridle on (only ever been used once!) and a plain black workers saddle (which I adore). Opinions please :D And any tips would be much appreciated.

[XenaWarriorPrincess]

I think you should go for it! Although not sure if there is sometimes an age limit on pony club pony classes, im pretty sure at 14.2 she could go in the riding club horse class although it probably depends on the schedule!
xx

[gem]

Yey :) I'm hoping she can go in the pony class because the jump would be easier for her at first :lol: Shrink saffy shrink!

[monty]

Most riding clubs the standers are getting higher..... and to go in a showing class you really need to pull and trim and plait your mane ...I dont want to sound rude but going in a showing class like that you will stand out like a sore finger..... and if the RC is not under the b.s.p.s rules than you can go in the 14.2 class .....do you hav a height cert ?? if not how do you know the height......... if your pony was trimed up she/he would look totaly diffrent .... if fetlocks match the mane and tail you may get away with going in a native class ..... and please dont take this the wrong way.......hope you hav fun in what ever you do .......:cool:

[amandaxx1]

I thought you had to be a member of a riding club to enter thoise classes? I might be wrong though

[CityLights]

Everything goes in the riding club pony/horse classes
there isnt a certain type at all, and there isnt really a certian tack or code of dress either you just wear what is appropraite and correct for that horse e.g M&M plain brown bridles and tweeds, ridning ponies velvet browband and blue jackets

I would pull her she isnt a type that you should or could show with a full mane, and trim her feathers and beard etc, you can show appalloosas pulled and un plaited platied (due to some having little to no manes) or natural but she isnt a proper appaloosa she is spotted but is not appaloosa breed

most show judges dont know about not having to plait appys so a showing judge would only end up telling you to pliait up at a show anyway and probably place you down for it even if you did perfectly well in the riding.

[gem]

Thanks for all the replies :)

It'd really just be a small local show. I'm not kidding myself and thinking she's a county level show pony :lol: Ideally I really don't want to pull her mane as I love the way it's grown out and if showing is not what we're focusing on then it seems a shame to pull it just for the odd class. I'll pull it to tidy it up definitely though. She is part appaloosa (breed not just colour) but god knows what the rest of her is. She doesn't have a typical appy mane so I'd imagine it's something cobby. We can always give it a go anyway even if it does nothing more than just get her exposed to something new.

[gem]

Thanks Soph, I'd definitely agree with that. Her mane is doing a great job keeping her neck warm in these horrible temperatures :) You're right though about taking the ends off in the summer. Her ex boyfriend managed to groom off a chunk at the bottom which is annoying. Her tail is pretty good, I'd just pull the ends to tidy it up but definitely not the top. She doesn't really have enough *feather* to pull anything so that'll be staying too. I can't wait to be able to bath her and get her gleaming!! I'm going to have to get her one of Freddie's spaceman outfits to keep her clean over night though :rolleyes:

Jane - I'd love to do WH classes. I'll have to see how well she's jumping by then. We haven't attempted a course yet but she's learning quickly. I'm sure I'll do some sort of in-hand class too, I always enjoy those. Just need to get her willingly trotting in-hand. Far too much like effort for her :lol:

[IcarusGirl]

Go for it! I do riding club horse classes with icarus, they're fun!

Saffy could do it easily. Just enter and see how well you do. If you dont want to pull and plait her then dont. You'll probably find that she's look really smart pulled and plaited, but it's entirely your choice!

[gem]

Sorrryyy :) She'll need a pink one to be the girl ranger won't she? Ohhh she'll hate me :devil:

Hmm..you've all got me thinking about pulling her now. I do love her mane, but if she's pulled and plaited it'll show off her neck which has matured quite nicely and once it's muscled up more then she'll look pretty good I reckon. Also if I pull it in spring then it'll have grown quite a bit by next winter so it'll keep her warm again. Decisions decisions...

[SmallHunter]

I prefer to see Appy's pulled and plaited especially if you aren't entering breed specific classes as it is what is expected.


ETA although even for breed classes I would plait my nan used to show her Appy (he was reserve national appaloosa champ 3 years running) and he was always plaited.

[IcarusGirl]

Do it!!!!!!!

[amandaxx1]

The novice ridden classes are really good ones aswell, as the title goes everyones a novice and so the pressure is less. I went in a class with only 3 of us in it, me, my friend and her gorgeous horse (much better than me and my beastie lol) and a tiny girl on her show pony. Was so funny cos I knew my mate would win but I just wanted to beat the girl, I couldnt bear losing to a 5 year old lol. Anyway when I did come second I felt awful cos she cried :-(

[easyrider]

if shes part anything she will need to be trimmed pulled and plaited, the feathers will need taking off and the tail banged off at the hocks, shes not 'show pony' type so try general riding pony, family pony, all rounder type classes, shes too heavy for show pony, working hunter if she jumps but she will need to be able to do a 'show' as well! but any class she does she will need turning out, part natives are not shown natural, i have had this discussion on another forum and someone said a native x native, classes as a native...it does not, i have a pb welsh and i have to plait and pull him , yours would look better tidied up and plaited to enhance her neck, my pony has an awful neck so i have to plait right just to make him look better

[Biddy]

Amanda - you should be ashamed of yourself, making a 5 year old cry!!!
I'd pull her mane - you don't have to pull that short to plait, just roll your plaits up a bit more, and make more plaits so they don't look like footballs - best to pull a bit, plait, see what she looks like, then pull more if necessary. Her mane doesn't look over thick, so shouldn't be a problem.
I've not heard of pulling the bottom of a tail - you can leave the tail unpulled and plait it - looks far nicer if you do a good job, and will keep her warm over winter! Personally a tail 'cut bang at the hocks' wouldn't do her any favours - I'd cut on an angle, and at least 2 or 3 inches below the hocks. You can always shorten it if you need to later, but if you take too much off, it takes a while to grow out.

[gem]

I think you lot have convinced me to pull. Grrrr!!! :lol:

Bought a tail bag today. I'm far too excited.

[amandaxx1]

I think you lot have convinced me to pull. Grrrr!!! :lol:

Bought a tail bag today. I'm far too excited.

When is your first show going to be? Cant wait to see this pics once you've been of her looking all posh :cheekywink:

[gem]

Haven't a clue! :lol: I'm just getting a bit ahead of myself. I know the first local one is 4th May or something but I'm aiming to do at least one clear round before then and I'm hoping to find a show in April so it'll prob be late Feb when I start the makeover :D

[gem]

Yep she's going to get the whole she-bang. I'll prob start with taking her mane upto her eye kind of level like you said and see how that is. Her mane's grown loads over the last year so hopefully it'll grow to a decent length for winter.

[Susan]

I think she'll look great pulled and trimmed! And if she is anything like Maguire (fastest growing mane in the country!) then you will have no worries about growing it back for winter warmth!

Gratuitous photos because I like to show him off, ha, but the difference a nice set of plaits makes -

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/susan_p/P1000383.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/susan_p/2007_0731Image0039.jpg

That is how short you need to keep his mane to get even half decent plaits in it, ha!

Good luck - I think your girl will look great all shiny and trimmed!

[amandaxx1]

Oh the joys of having a hogged baldy coblet, no worries about plaiting!!! :lol: