Clipping - Yeah - Nay - or some?

[Dona]

I also like the sleek shiney color of a natural coat. Erica's example is a very good one, indeed!

As far as judges preferences go......they are all different. Some may actually knock points off if a horse comes into a class un-clipped (regardless of how good they look). While others will give both and unclipped horse and a clipped one the same consideration.

A good example of how silly some judges can be:

I once showed MayZ, a very flashy Frame/Sabino Overo filly, in a mult-color class under 3 judges.

Here is how she looked then.

She received FIRST under two judges....and the third judge gave her the gate.

I was OK with that, until I was talking with the show manager later who told me that she was so stunned that the third judge didn't even place my filly, that she asked him why. He told her he didn't place her because "who knows what she is going to look like in a few years." The show manager couldn't believe it & wanted me to know. I just shook my head. This judge evidently saw the Sabino roaning on the filly & thought she was graying out & would eventually lose her wild pattern. Well she didn't....but even if she had been a horse who was "graying out"....the judge is suppose to judge what is in front of them at the moment, and not base their decision on how they "may" look in the future! That is just ludicrous!

I just chalked it up to experience, and a good lesson to remember. When you show before a judge, you are only getting a person's "opinion" on that given day. Do not take it personally.

You have to take the good with the bad.

BTW.....this little filly went on to be unanimous Grand Champion Multi-Color Mare at the AMHA Eastern Championship Show as an adult!

 

[Tab]

I love those minis that have a perfect coat that needn't be clipped. I know it's much less convenient because you only have 2, maybe 3 months you can show this way, but a natural (large horse) coat with halter path and trimmed whiskers/feet is absolutely gorgeous. Clipped horses lose their luster and depth of coat.

I know why we clip, I just love the look of a glowing, Summer coat! Razoring? Blah!

 

[~Lisa~]

Erica your horses show the best of both worlds.. horses shown in a nice tight coat with sculpted faces to make that complete package.. which is of course why you do so well

 

[Sue_C.]

I once showed MayZ, a very flashy Frame/Sabino Overo filly, in a mult-color class under 3 judges

She received FIRST under two judges....and the third judge gave her the gate. I was OK with that, until I was talking with the show manager later who told me that she was so stunned that the third judge didn't even place my filly, that she asked him why. He told her he didn't place her because "who knows what she is going to look like in a few years."

In cases like this, that third judge has just TOTALLY shown and proved his ignorance. For one thing, "what she would be like in a few years" has absolutely no bearing in a "common" halter class. Had this been a halter FUTURITY...perhaps, but not to the extent of "giving her the gate", when the other two placed her first. IMHO, a judge that carries on like this, will soon be sitting home a lot.

 

[ruffian]

In cases like this, that third judge has just TOTALLY shown and proved his ignorance. For one thing, "what she would be like in a few years" has absolutely no bearing in a "common" halter class. Had this been a halter FUTURITY...perhaps, but not to the extent of "giving her the gate", when the other two placed her first. IMHO, a judge that carries on like this, will soon be sitting home a lot.

If this were the case, there would never be a champion weanling, yearling, or 2 yo! Guess this guy needed to rethink his judging style. IMO a class at a show is being judged at that instant, not what it will do or how it will perform in the future - either a minute or a year!!