A few questions.....

[topnotchminis]

Hi everyone!

I have a few questions for those of you who show.Can you give me some tips on how you train your horses to " park out"? I have my first shows comming up this spring, and want to prepare now. Any grooming tips? What classes do you enjoy? Thanks!

 

[Leeana]

Mine i normally set their back feet and then make changes that i need to on their back legs with my hands and place them how i want and where i want, i do have one gelding that will set his hind feet perfect just by touching his chest, i was not the one that trained him though

. Then i show them my hand / treat and a gentle bump up on the lead and they take a step or two up and then i hadset the front legs to how i want them. Then another gentle yank to tell them "dont move" and to now show their neck. My shetlands, i can set their front legs / park them by placing my hand on their withers and placing their feet with my feet.

 

[Coventry Lane Farm]

I really don't know how Scott trains ours for halter but he can set them up without setting feet or touching them and all done off of moving the lead from side to side to move feet, all body language and we do not use a trainer, we do our own training. Its really neat watch and not too many people can make a horse set up like that and not move. At Nationals this year he had our appaloosa yearling filly in the Futurity class set up three times for the eliminations of the class which lasted at least 45 minutes to an hour and once he had Diva set up, she never moved until he gave her the signal to move and she was done showing. I can't do halter like that... I know that, so he shows them and I groom them ....

I will have to pay more attention when he starts working the horses this spring since we have a miniature filly to train and two shetlands, one being a classic foundation and a modern shetland, its gonna be a interesting & fun show season with learning about showing a modern.

As far as the grooming part, get a good set of clippers is the main thing. I use the Double K clippers and shampoo for horses with white and horses that are black, the shampoo really washes out nice and has a conditioner in it and it keeps the white..white ...and keeps the tail nice. Keep your horses tail braided up all of the time other than showing, makes the tail full from the top to bottom.

Feeding program is very important as well and use black oiled sunflower seeds and ground flax in with your grain that you use. We use three kinds of grain here along with flax, sunflower seeds and shredded beet pulp, and soaked alfalfa cubes and some good hay.

Having fun is the main thing while showing also

 

[topnotchminis]

Thanks everyone! I can't wait till Spring! Im so excited.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I don't show halter but I did showmanship in 4-H for years (I hated it, but I did it *LOL*) and we taught our horses to set up off body language and verbal cues since handsetting was not allowed. I start by teaching the horse that when I assume a certain body posture they are going to be expected to Assume The Position, then using very gentle tugs on the lead and soft chirps at first I encourage the horse to move their front feet where I want them. I use the word "set" to mean "square your front hooves please" and I keep rocking the horse softly forward and back until they place the hooves parallel. Then I praise enthusiastically and repeat. They learn quite quickly to get into a show stance when I assume that posture, glance at their front feet while holding my hand up in a formal position and say "set."

Teach the horse an unimpeachable "Whoa" (aka "move without permission and die"

), to move one foot at a time at your direction, and how to shift their weight off your body language without moving their feet. With those basic skills you should be able to halt the horse, shift into your Show Posture (involving turning to stand facing their shoulder from slightly off to the side), back the horse's hind feet into position, ask them to step their front feet forward into position, then tell them to Whoa and ask them to rock lightly backwards and forwards and give their necks for the judge. This should be one smooth motion that takes no more than a few moments and leaves you that much more time to show your horse while everyone else is still handsetting.

Leia

 

[kaykay]

We also train ours to set themselves up. I will only hand set legs if I absolutely have to. Its very hard to describe in type. My best advice is to get with someone in your area and have them show you. It mostly has to do with pressure on the lead. You start by always whoaing them when the back legs are in position and then all you have to do is set the front with pressure. If a horse moves out of position back them up so they know not to do that.

Pammy is the ultimate groomer. Im going to bribe her to groom mine at congress next year LOL

Grooming---my best advice is feed your horse really well and then grooming is a breeze. A well fed de wormed horse shines without any thing added.

 

[Keri]

I teach my horses that when I ask them to set, they will square up their back feet. Then with their front feet, I ask them to step. Most of mine will sqaure up all 4s after I ask them these two commands. Takes a lot of patience and repitition, but your horse will get it. Then if you want them to "park out", ask them to continue stepping with their front legs until you have them in the desired position. Just pull your horse out 5 minutes a day and practice. Give them lots or praise and they'll pick up on it in no time. I wanted to add, that I don't touch my horses legs unless they are being a bum and won't quite square up in front. I won't touch their backs at all. It may take a couple times in the show ring to get them to work it right, but I always position myself 2nd or last so that I have enough time to get them set up like I want them.