HELP with showing!

[Jazzysmom]

SO! this boy is about 4 months out of auction, he came to us, unhandled, scrappy wormy and just...well....looking like an auction horse would!!

I am NOT a mini person, he is my first, and only (granted I want more!!!!) but I would love to get him out and showing, we have the idea of standing up correctly, but how do i get him to really rise up in his neck and get that more tense, archy look?? I know he isn't an "arenosa" type, lol, but I think I could get him to look more lively...... so how is it done??? ........I do know how to show, Currently own and show world champion halter horses, so I am familiar with the general idea of showing the Mini...

Also, I give permission for a Conformation Critque, while I realize he isn't going to be the next best thing in Minis, what makes him...or doesn't make in the ideal??? ......he is a Yearling. THANKS!!!

 

[Farina]

I am a newbie too and I have just read the book of Pat Elder "Showing your miniature halter horse" (or something like that was the title). It is really great and it answered a lot of my questions. (No - I unfortunately don't get paid for this statement...

)

I have also bought the DVD of Tim Curry "showing your miniature at halter" but this was more for the advanced viewer I feel.

Oh - I just wanted to add that I like his neck. Perhaps if he is from an auction he just needtime with a good deworming program and good nutrition to get his fire back.

I am sure you will have a lot of fun with him!

 

[kaykay]

Horses either have an archy neck or they dont. You cant get that look unless it is there

Your guy does not have that archy or hinged neck. Mainly because his throatlatch is a little wide and his neck ties in a bit low and is a bit short. Compare the length of his neck to the length of his head.

This is not at all a good picture to do a conformation critique as hes not standing square and his pasturns and hooves are covered by grass. The picture makes him look camped out but it could just be a bad picture.

I do like that he has a nice sized hip.

It all depends on what you want to show him in. I will be honest and say I do not think he would do well in halter at a rated show, but he could possibly do very well in performance, but hes pretty young yet.

 

[mydaddysjag]

I agree with kaykay, throat latch is a bit thick, neck is a bit short, and his head is long and not proportionate (he is much longer from muzzle to eyes than from eyes to ears). You might be able to sweat a little bit off of that throat latch. I think he would a lot better in a show halter with a flared noseband and nothing on the sides. The flared noseband is going to do a lot for making his head look a little more proportionate, and you don't want colors on it to call more attention to his head. At the most I would get gold piping on a black noseband, not a colored noseband. I like Victor or showtime halters. Prefer the victors, but showtime halters have a quicker turn around time.

I think he might do ok at halter, but you will have to work at disguising some of his flaws.

 

[Jazzysmom]

thanks guys! I might actually have a neck sweat small enough for him, or well, atleast for his throatlatch. in my book, compared to my halter horses, and my fitting program he is about 60% in his overall condition, I am really not trying to work him due to his age, but am just trying to get him out of the hole that we recieved him in from the auction, when we got him he was all toe, and NO heel, literally the corinary band was touching the ground, he had obviously never had his feet done, and now a few trims later, I would say he is has regular feet, comparable to our big-horses. finally has a healthy amount of heel, and a toe that is standing up underneath him correctly. ......I guess I will need to get an intertube small enough to fit on his shoulders! thanks guys!!

 

[Sandee]

I'm just going to throw in my 2 cents. First, since you aren't used to minis, it would help if you could get someone to work with you once or twice on setting him up and hiding the flaws. His hip is a bit high but he may grow into it since he's only a yearling. The way he's standing makes him look long in the body but both the hip and body "look" may be affected because it looks like you took the picture on a slope. He needs to be on level ground - especially in the arena if you can find that "perfect" spot. Some minis look better with their heads up and out while some (because of where their necks attach) will look better coming more straight toward you. (Hard to describe)

The hook is accomplished by getting them to fix on something intently (again hard to describe) but you want him to stick out his nose with ears forward without letting him lean too far forward over the front legs. I'm sure if you can find a mini club or someone that shows near you that they could demonstrate for you much easier than telling you.

Good luck. These little guys are loads of fun!

 

[Jazzysmom]

thanks Sandee! I get what you are talking about I show Halter horses at a world level in the Appaloosas, so am familiar with "tricks" haha!

sadly, I havent gotten a great response from local mini people interested in helping, so I am currently self teaching by doing online research.... hence why I am on this board!! so, considering one of his holes is that he is long, how could I help strengthen that? should I not park him out so much? should I be teaching him to lean more forward into his front legs, or further back?? thanks!

 

[Farina]

Give him time and proper work on the lunge line, maybe wait until next year. Lunge him with a surcingle and sidereins like a dressag horse and he will build up top-line. We have had some ugly dugling turned into a swan... It is the proper work too that makes a horse beautiful.

 

[Sandee]

thanks Sandee! I get what you are talking about I show Halter horses at a world level in the Appaloosas, so am familiar with "tricks" haha!

sadly, I havent gotten a great response from local mini people interested in helping, so I am currently self teaching by doing online research.... hence why I am on this board!! so, considering one of his holes is that he is long, how could I help strengthen that? should I not park him out so much? should I be teaching him to lean more forward into his front legs, or further back?? thanks!

The only advice I can think of now is exercise to build up the rest of his body. Work on a hill side or at least somewhat of an incline to build more muscles (Don't let him just run up and down. It's more work to walk or controled trot) And yes, don't "park him out". Minis aren't to be shown parked anyway. Get him to stand square and under himself. You want him to stretch his neck forward but not lean forward. Just have fun working with him. I enjoy the training because of the interaction with my horse almost as much as the showing.

 

[HGFarm]

Hi Jazzysmom - Good advice here. I also dont think he would do well at halter because of his low tied in neck and his head. I also like his hip. He is standing camped out behind and a little in front as well. He may not be a top halter prospect but he maybe might make a western pleasure driving horse or something later if his movement is not bad. Sounds like he has been a fun project for you and is certainly in a better place now than where he came from!

Also, yearlings just go through the most awful growth stages sometimes - I would prefer to hide them in the closet til they are two, LOL, but have fun with your little guy. (I too came from the big Appy world many years ago, so of course had to have the little guys with spots also)