I have an 8 yr old mini gelding I drive. He was shown in hand a couple of times by the previous owner, 6 years ago. I would like to show him but I am totally clueless. How do I start? What do I need? He has a harness which needs to be replaced - what should I look for in a new one? We have an easy entry cart that we never use. I prefer my hyperbike. Do we need a different cart? I know how to find shows via the new england mini assoc but what kinds of classes should I enter? What would be expected in the class? What would I wear? Ring etiquette? Thanks!
How To Start Showing
- Thread starter lucyem
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Well to start how about you practice getting your gelding to square all four feet parrell basically though you may want ot add a little bit of a stretch
Its always nice for their neck to be a bit stretched not too much though! You should wear a nice blouse and nice pants defintly not jeans. Your outfit should contrast with your horse. Driving is a differant story have oyu driven him before?? There are many differant gaits they will ask you for at the show and you should become knowledged in all then around the farm you can practice them sucha pleasure trot which is a slow relaxed pleasureable trot. Remeber there is never cantering so dont practice that ever!
I would also consider buying anice show halter or if you arnt as serious about the halter classes how about a nice leather halter?? There are also jumping classes but if your mini doesnt know how to do this tak eit slow and start very low never go over the jump with him. Showmanship is on your cleanliness and your ability to show oyur horse there a few oatterns but you do onot have to enter the class though if you do find out the patterns Shows are really fun and dont be so worried itll all work out!!
Here is a picture of our 4h club after showmanship class this is perfect example of some of the clothing.
Its always nice for their neck to be a bit stretched not too much though! You should wear a nice blouse and nice pants defintly not jeans. Your outfit should contrast with your horse. Driving is a differant story have oyu driven him before?? There are many differant gaits they will ask you for at the show and you should become knowledged in all then around the farm you can practice them sucha pleasure trot which is a slow relaxed pleasureable trot. Remeber there is never cantering so dont practice that ever!
Shows are really fun and dont be so worried itll all work out!!Here is a picture of our 4h club after showmanship class this is perfect example of some of the clothing.
rabbitsfizz
Well-Known Member
You cannot show in a Hyperbyke, fun as they are!!! I would suggest you start by looking at CDE driving- whereabouts are you and where is Breanne?? She will fill you in on CDE when she turns up- I'll se if I can find her
lyn_j
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[SIZE=14pt]Join your local mini club. Attend some clinics and watch some shows and then just start going. You can show in the easy entry locally if it is in good condition. Hyper bikes are not allowed. Have fun![/SIZE]
Lyn
Lyn
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Jane pushed me in the direction of this thread....
So anyway,
do you want to do breed ring driving or CDE?
Breed show driving is usually done with AMHA or AMHR. Harness is fine harness, check, blinders, 'fancy'. Usually with no breeching, though I do not recommend getting a harness without it. Cart is usually a show cart--Jerald, Houghton, etc...single seat and painted.
CDE driving is done with all breeds and sizes of horses. To enter a CDE with a mini division(properly called a VSE--very small equine--division), your horse has to be under 39" at the withers(or else its a pony and can enter in ponies). There are four levels of driving in the sport--Training, Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced(though minis/VSEs can only do Training, Prelim, and Int right now).
A CDE is a Combined Driving Event. It consists of three events: dressage, marathon, and cones. Dressage: obedience, harmony, memorization, training; Marathon is a distance course(4-10k for minis) at a constant rate(come in at a certain time) with hazards throughout. A hazard is a timed(except at Training) obstacle with lettered gates and sometimes 'scary stuff'. Cones is a short timed course where you drive through numbered sets of traffic cones with tennis balls on top. You can have 'balls down' or time penalties(too slow).
It is a lot of fun! For a CDE harness, it must be functional, safe, fit well, have breeching, no overcheck(preferably no sidecheck, which are only allowed at Training), have a noseband. The bit is not allowed to be twisted, wire, or a chain bit. No hackmores or bitless bridles. You may have blinders or not. The cart should be functional, safe, balanced properly, fit your horse, and have a basket(unlike the Hyperbike) for Dressage and Cones. You might be able to(depending on who is judging) do marathon with the Hyberbike. It is preferable to use metal wheels(ie steel/aluminum) or wood wheels--the pnematic tires are usually spoked, and so, are easy to bend or break if you aren't careful. Plus, they can go flat. Dressage and Cones(has to be the same vehicle here), you usually use the dressy vehicle, and Marathon you use a less dressy cart(ie one that can get dirty).
A good site for minis in CDEs:
Mini Horses in CDEs
So anyway,
do you want to do breed ring driving or CDE?
Breed show driving is usually done with AMHA or AMHR. Harness is fine harness, check, blinders, 'fancy'. Usually with no breeching, though I do not recommend getting a harness without it. Cart is usually a show cart--Jerald, Houghton, etc...single seat and painted.
CDE driving is done with all breeds and sizes of horses. To enter a CDE with a mini division(properly called a VSE--very small equine--division), your horse has to be under 39" at the withers(or else its a pony and can enter in ponies). There are four levels of driving in the sport--Training, Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced(though minis/VSEs can only do Training, Prelim, and Int right now).
A CDE is a Combined Driving Event. It consists of three events: dressage, marathon, and cones. Dressage: obedience, harmony, memorization, training; Marathon is a distance course(4-10k for minis) at a constant rate(come in at a certain time) with hazards throughout. A hazard is a timed(except at Training) obstacle with lettered gates and sometimes 'scary stuff'. Cones is a short timed course where you drive through numbered sets of traffic cones with tennis balls on top. You can have 'balls down' or time penalties(too slow).
It is a lot of fun! For a CDE harness, it must be functional, safe, fit well, have breeching, no overcheck(preferably no sidecheck, which are only allowed at Training), have a noseband. The bit is not allowed to be twisted, wire, or a chain bit. No hackmores or bitless bridles. You may have blinders or not. The cart should be functional, safe, balanced properly, fit your horse, and have a basket(unlike the Hyperbike) for Dressage and Cones. You might be able to(depending on who is judging) do marathon with the Hyberbike. It is preferable to use metal wheels(ie steel/aluminum) or wood wheels--the pnematic tires are usually spoked, and so, are easy to bend or break if you aren't careful. Plus, they can go flat. Dressage and Cones(has to be the same vehicle here), you usually use the dressy vehicle, and Marathon you use a less dressy cart(ie one that can get dirty).
A good site for minis in CDEs:
Mini Horses in CDEs
Oh, you are going to have a blast! There are so many things you can show him in -- with both a cart or not!
I ditto Lyn. Join a local club, attend some seminars, go to some shows in your region, take lots of notes.....then have fun!
MA
I ditto Lyn. Join a local club, attend some seminars, go to some shows in your region, take lots of notes.....then have fun!
MA
how did the person with the hyperbike for roadster do at nationals? I've been curious if it's very faux pas to stray from the normal "fads" that most people do of like jeralds with no baskets! LOL I have a little tiny metal SULKY. looks just like a little version of a big horse racing sulky (made in the U pattern) with the stirrups. I've been using it locally for roadster.but darn it..it's so light and easy to transport and it fits in the trailer and the cars well.. I'm tempted to say to heck with whats "normal" and see how well i do with it showing at A/R show's! lol I figure either it will give me attention by being differnt which COULD be a good thing.. or it could be frowned on and be a bad thing..lol but either way they'll probably notice! Anyone else have any thoughts on that? would i be way out in left feild by using it and wasting my money by showing in it?
Hello alll,
As to competeing with the HyperBike, we are in the process of challenging FEI rules #915; 3-2. This is the ONLY rule that MIGHT (very subjective) rule out the use of the 'Bike.
In speaking with Hardy Zantke this was his opinion and he encouraged me to challenge the rule as it is senseless.
Additionally he clearly stated that ANY judge eliminating the 'Bike from competition on "looks" was WAY out of bounds and should focus on the job of judging the horse.
I am in the process of gathering experiances and judges names to present to both Hardy and Tom Knicker when they meet in Feb.
Lord willing we're gonna put a stop to this kind of discriminitory behavior.
If you have any of these types of experiances, please contact us.
Thanks,
Robert Graham
Graham Carriage Works
[email protected]
As to competeing with the HyperBike, we are in the process of challenging FEI rules #915; 3-2. This is the ONLY rule that MIGHT (very subjective) rule out the use of the 'Bike.
In speaking with Hardy Zantke this was his opinion and he encouraged me to challenge the rule as it is senseless.
Additionally he clearly stated that ANY judge eliminating the 'Bike from competition on "looks" was WAY out of bounds and should focus on the job of judging the horse.
I am in the process of gathering experiances and judges names to present to both Hardy and Tom Knicker when they meet in Feb.
Lord willing we're gonna put a stop to this kind of discriminitory behavior.
If you have any of these types of experiances, please contact us.
Thanks,
Robert Graham
Graham Carriage Works
[email protected]
I'm a bit unsure of the looks of a hyperbike but I believe in AMHA orR, they now require the sulky to have an outside bar over the wheels referring to it as "covered" wheels. Read the rule book on the AMHA.com or for R it's shetlandminiature.com. It describes what is required on each cart for the class - like basket, whip etc.Boinky said:
Good luck and have fun. Driving is a blast!
I'm a bit unsure of the looks of a hyperbike but I believe in AMHA orR, they now require the sulky to have an outside bar over the wheels referring to it as "covered" wheels. Read the rule book on the AMHA.com or for R it's shetlandminiature.com. It describes what is required on each cart for the class - like basket, whip etc.
Good luck and have fun. Driving is a blast!
Hello,
The nature of the challenge is only related to FEI rules as it applies to combined driving as ordained by the American Driving Society. This pertains more to real world driving vs the VERY rarified world of AMHA/R shows.
Our rigs, from day one, have been built for this vs. "showing"
I guess wheel hoops should be used in the AMHA/R shows for new or less capable drivers just to keep folks and horses safe. But I always believed in driving around objects rather than into them....... Still I do agree with you that it is a good idea after seeing the helter skelter method of reversing course during AMHA roadster class. I was always somewhat amazed that this huricane approach was even tolerated much less condoned.
There's still a piece of me though that finds it curious about this specific rule (and others that seem to only apply to us......hmmm....) that tells me, it is better to make a rule excluding us rather than promote orderly driving that seeks to move around objects. Once we get our wheel solution for the pleasure rig we will indeed go do battle with AMHA/R if needs be over the "looks" issue. Well, I mean unless some new rule pops up aimed only at us which has happened with annoying frequency over the years. First and foremost we will focus on what we do best and that is tough, comfortable and capable everyday pleasure driving rigs.
Thank you for the feedback.
Good luck and have fun. Driving is a blast!
Hello,
The nature of the challenge is only related to FEI rules as it applies to combined driving as ordained by the American Driving Society. This pertains more to real world driving vs the VERY rarified world of AMHA/R shows.
Our rigs, from day one, have been built for this vs. "showing"
I guess wheel hoops should be used in the AMHA/R shows for new or less capable drivers just to keep folks and horses safe. But I always believed in driving around objects rather than into them....... Still I do agree with you that it is a good idea after seeing the helter skelter method of reversing course during AMHA roadster class. I was always somewhat amazed that this huricane approach was even tolerated much less condoned.
There's still a piece of me though that finds it curious about this specific rule (and others that seem to only apply to us......hmmm....) that tells me, it is better to make a rule excluding us rather than promote orderly driving that seeks to move around objects. Once we get our wheel solution for the pleasure rig we will indeed go do battle with AMHA/R if needs be over the "looks" issue. Well, I mean unless some new rule pops up aimed only at us which has happened with annoying frequency over the years. First and foremost we will focus on what we do best and that is tough, comfortable and capable everyday pleasure driving rigs.
Thank you for the feedback.
HJF
Well-Known Member
You can find a local trainer to help and go to some shows and watch!! They can help you out alot.
