How many of you show by yourself?

[MiniHoofBeats]

Just wondering if i'll be the only one...lol...

How many of you show your horses by yourself, how many horses do you show, and what do you do if 2 of your horses are entered in the same class???

I have 3 horses I want to show this year and i'm so worried my girls are going to end up in the same classes together...i'm trying to set it up so they don't, but if their height changes or if the steward puts my one filly from solid class into color class, or something like that...eek!

=)

 

[billiethekid40]

I've always showed by myself, but I've also only ever had one horse to show. If you're worried about having them both in the same class then I'd be doing some networking at your first show to see if you can find somebody who would be able to take one in for you. Shows are full of pre-teen and teen aged kids who jump at this kind of opportunity. You shouldn't have too hard of a time finding somebody to take one in... and you'll probably end up with a horse loving kid who will run errands and hold horses for you all day long just to have some horses to pet and brush LOL

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

I showed by myself for years -- sometimes as many as 7 horses!! Yes, you've got to juggle what classes you enter because you certainly can't have a horse in each hand in the ring. Besides the ring-prep, the hardest part was having two classes back-to-back and my horses being kept what-seemed-to-be a million miles from the ring..........I'm still out of breath!!!

:

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]First off, your horse is either solid colored or it is a pinto or appaloosa which puts it into the multi colored class. That one is easy. There would never be a cause for a steward to put you from solid to multi or vice versa. Second even if your girls are in separate height classes, are they all JR or SR horses? IF they are all either 2 or under , or 3 and over you can still potentially have 3 in the same class IF they each place first or second in their height classes because then they have to go back in for the championships. It is usually easy enough to find catch handlers for you in these cases. I have never needed them because I would only show 1 JR and 1 Sr or 1 of each sex, mare gelding or stallion so that I didnt have that problem.My adice is not to take them all to the same show if you think that this will happen.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Jill]

My husband, Harvey, and I will be showing three horses by ourselves this year. We have Sunny (A Division Senior Gelding), Bacardi (B Division Junior Gelding) and DunIT (A Division Junior Stallion).

I plan to do all the showing but if we do color class, then Harvey will handle Sunny and I will handle DunIT. Harvey will help hold horses outside of the ring.

Harvey does the feeding at home (but I decide what and how much -- each show horse has a special food per-meal container) and I do the grooming and exercising. Also, he's in charge of poop patrol in the paddocks and stalls.

It works out pretty good. If I am around, Harvey acts like he's got no real at heart interest in "my" horses but when I am out of ear shot, my friends and family tell me he brags on "our" horses

 

[nootka]

When I've done it, I've only ever had one horse, so I can't really answer your questions, but Lyn has given some great advice and answers.

I think you can always skip one class with one horse if they truly did end up in the same class, you make a judgment call as to which one you think will do the best on that day under the judges that are there.

Happy showing!

Liz M.

 

[Cathy_H]

We've (Lee) has shown our horses by himself ever since we started in 1986 (except for the few shows that our kids showed at until they got married)......... When we did have two horses in the championship classes he would get a friend to show one for us. He has also shown horses for other exhibitors that ended up having two in the same class...... A couple of times he was handed the horse that he won with over the one the trainer showed themselves. Kinda funny at the time.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I showed by myself for years -- sometimes as many as 7 horses!! Yes, you've got to juggle what classes you enter because you certainly can't have a horse in each hand in the ring. Besides the ring-prep, the hardest part was having two classes back-to-back and my horses being kept what-seemed-to-be a million miles from the ring..........I'm still out of breath!!!

:

Boy can I relate especially to the "out of breath" part. I showed by myself for years and sometimes as many as 6 or 7 horses. Many shows I was literally running from trailer to ring and back again. I would arrange for people to take horses in the Champion classes for me right at the beginning of the day if I thought it was going to be necessary. That way you are covered and not having to rush around at the last minute trying to find someone. We have a great group of 4H kids that show in our area and I could always get one of them to take a horse for me. Now I have my sister showing with me which is awesome and alleviates some of the stress - HA who am I kidding??? If I didn't enjoy it I wouldn't do it! :lol:

 

[Millstone Farm]

We do all of our own showing, conditioning, grooming and training.

I have had as many as 8 showing, but that number usually gets wittled down as the season gets closer to Nationals. I think I've had as many as 6 at Nationals at one time (you wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere NEAR me on Amateur day -- or the day prior when I had to clip all those horses!!!!).

It's not easy and you need to be very organized with your time. You need to examine what classes are feasible to do, which ones won't overlap.

You also need a support system - friend or family -- to help you. I'm very lucky that my family is very supportive at shows. Even my husband and dad have happily shown.

We also have a support network at the shows, as there are some of our members in theNortheast Miniature Horse Club who show all by themselves, so we all pitch in and help out in the championship classes

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

Interesting stories everyone and thanks for the tips =)

This is my first year showing, i've been in a color class last year but that's it...lol...I already sent in for my ameteur card and someone said to show in ameteur AND regular classes to get my horses out there as much as possible...right!

First I have my 2yr snowcap appy stallion to go in:

Class #13 - Amateur Halter Stallion - Over

Class #16 - 2yr Old Stallion - Over 33"-37"

Class #74 - Stallion and gelding - Multi-Color - Over

Then my 2yr overoloosa filly in:

Class #26 - 2yr Old Mare - 33" & under

Class #35 - Mare - Multi-color - Under

And last is my yearling appy characteristic - looks like she'll clip out solid:

Class #25 - Yearling mare - 32" & Under

Class #34 - Mare - solid color - under

The classes I see as where I would like a helping hand would be Class #22 - Ametuer Halter Mare - Under since both my mares are under - and Class #34 - Mare - solid color - under. I was told by AMHR to put this filly in this class because she looks solid, but that the steward may put her in multi because her registration papers say appaloosa.

Anyone know if you can have a registered appaloosa but just characteristic, and put them in the solid class if they don't have any spots/blanket? Just a solid color?

I forgot to add that I don't know of anyone who could successfully help me...none of my family is interested in helping learn how to set up a horse or work with one, and my mini friends around here all have their own mini's to show so i'm pretty much stuck by myself! I only am going to 2 local sanction shows this year and I want to get my horses exposed so I don't want to leave any one of them behind. What a year!

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Ok, your mare is visually solid so she would never be told to go into a multicolored class. They go by what you see. For amateur only the person recorded as owner of the mare or someone in their immediate family can show in ammy. So you can only take in your own horse there and only 1 at a show. The other place you will run into a spot is if your 2 year old filly and your yearling filly both place in first or second in their classes. Then you would be required for them both to show in the Jr mares championship. If you dont show in that class and you are supposed to be there, you can lose any points you accumulated all day with your horse. Im sure someone at ringside will help you. As you go to shows you get to know people and everyone is willing to help. Good luck and have fun.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Erica]

For the ammy classes you would just need to pick which horse you would rather show...............as to show in ammy you have to own the horse (or at least family member) so you couldn't have anyone catch handle for that class.

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

Ooohhhh ok I didn't get it at first but now I get it that you HAVE to own the horse you're showing in ameteur so I can't have someone bring in one of my horses for me, unless they are a family member...well shucks lol. Maybe I can talk my step mom into helping out...maybe =)

I do own fully 2 of the three, I have one payment left going out in the next week for my youngest filly and then she is all mine =) Will definately be put in my name before the show so all three will be fully mine by the end of May.

I have been hoping for spots on this little filly but I do have a feeling she's going to clip out solid, and maybe have color next year. She has loooong white hairs coming in all over her rump and up her back (longer than her winter hairs) and i'm not sure if you'll see those hairs when she is clipped or not...i'll find out I guess!

Thanks for all your help, I hope to meet lots of new friends at my next couple of shows =) I really hope I find someone to at least come with me and be ready to help me just in case...!!!

 

[shane]

LAST YEAR I MOSTLY SHOWED BY MYSELF,I DIDNT MIND IT LET ME AND THE HORSE KEEP BUZY WITH OUT ASKING IF EVERYONE ELSE WAS,LOL, ACTUALLY EVERY TIME I WENT TO A SHOW BY MYSELF I USUALLY DID OKAY WITH BEING PLACED AND AS SOON AS MY HUBBY CAME ALONG I CAME LAST LOL, I DOESNT BOTHER ME,AS IT ALLOWS ME TO TALK TO MY FRIENDS,ALTHOUGH MY HUBBYS GREAT HE WOULD DO ALL THE DRIVING AND TAKES TWINKLETOES FROM ME AND WALK HIM AND LETS ME DO MY OWN THING, THAT IS UNTIL HE GOT HIS OWN THIS YEAR BUT IT MAKES IT FUN,EVEN MY DAUGHTERS MORE IN VOLVED

 

[KenBen]

My wife Maureen and I have always showing minnis together. We take 3 with us to the shows. With both of us working it is a lot of work getting the horses ready for a show. With us every show is at least 6 hours away. But we seem to manage to get it done. This year our granddaughter will be travelling with us so there will be 3 of us showing.

Ken

 

[Erica]

Too many...........anywhere from 6-8 is normal for me, then the babies are extra at nationals so usually looking at around 10 easy then.

I do all the conditioning, clipping, getting them ready, mucking stalls, feeding ext..........but I do have wonderful friends and family that really help out at the shows! I couldn't do it without them.

 

[wdancer777]

If you are afraid of both girls going into the same color class, I'm sure you could find anyone to bring them in, it's a simple class, not like a halter class, basicly walk in a circle 1 way then turn and walk the other way, they don't need to be set up.

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

I know, i'm happy about that at least that the color class is so simple I could really ask anyone to help out...I guess now that I look at it the only class i'm really worried about is the mare's ameteur class, thank you for sharing with me that it has to be me, or one of my family members who show my horses in that class...it pays to ask that's for sure!

My filly Delight does a great job setting up on her own so I would totally trust her with an inexperienced person (what am I saying, I'm an inexperienced person lol!) my 6 month old filly is just adorable but she has that baby spunk in her that refuses to do more than stand still lol!

Thanks everyone for sharing with me =)