Pics of Showing Classic Shetlands

[Leeana]

I have my first shetland show with Royal June 10/11th. We're showing liberty and Halter sr gelding under 46in.

Physically he is were i want him, Mentally he is were i want him and i have trained him to stand/stretch ext. Kay showed me how you show a shetland, so i basically get it. But i have a few more questions.

1) Where do you want his head? He has a little bit of buldge on his neck (started him on a neck sweating last weekend) which i can hide the buldge pretty well if i stretch his neck upward and down, but where do you want the headset normally? I see pics like on the AMHR/ASPC/ASPR site where if you click on classic shetlands they show that bay showing with his head completely verticle almost and then other places i see them with there head horizontal and lower. Where do you generally want it? Pics?

2) How much stretch do you want? I can get Royal to stretch almost to any distance i want be it one hoof distance or 1.5ft stretched back. Generally where do you want it?

3) I was told it is frowed on to set up there feet with your hands. Here comes my problem. When i practice w/ royal i normally set up one of his back feet (normally the one farthest up) and put it square away from his other back foot, but i do this with my hand. I've tried hours and hours to get him to set up his back feet by himself but the only time he will do that is when i back him up, but then his back legs go cow hocked if i back him up. Then after the back feet are set apart straight i then bait him forward and he does the rest on his own and i dont even have to touch anything, he knows to stretch. So the problem is i have to set up one back hoof with my hand, will i get marked down for that in a show or can you not do this at all?

Thanks

I know that was allot but we're starting to add details right now.

Leeana

 

[txminipinto]

Leeana,

Welcome to the classics! I think you'll enjoy showing your boy. How you show your pony depends on what makes him look the best. It's become very common to see Classics with their noses up in the air during halter. Ideally, you would want a neck that is up and out but with the head flexed a bit at the poll to show off a clean throatlatch. As far as parking your boy out, again the distance that makes him looks his best. A flat topline is desired but if you have to park him completely out, then its too extreme for his conformation. My 3yr old classic mare I have to park out about 2 steps back but my yearling classic doesn't need to be parked at all she's so flat. I wish I could post pictures for you but unfortunately I can't. If you email me I could send you some. And finally, in halter competition, the judges do not care if you have to set your horse's feet as long as you do so quickly. Only in Showmanship are you not allowed to place your horse's feet.

Good luck and have fun!

:

 

[Leeana]

Hi txmini,

and thanks!

I took a look at your site and got a pretty good idea of what you we're talking about.

Okay, as long as i can move that one back hind hoof ....my stress it gone!

Thanks agian!