Good for you! I LOVE pleasure shows! If you screw up one class, you can always come back next time and "fix" it!
Is this an ADS show? I have been corrected by the ADS "powers that be" that ADS doesn't
sanction shows. Shows can be ADS "recognized" but not sanctioned. I don't know the difference, but it has some sort of legal ramifications.
By all means you can use your deep V breastcollar, especially if it "matches" the rest of your harness! You don't want to "mix your metals", but I use my Freedom collar everywhere, including at Walnut Hill this year. (BTW, I haven't taken the time to upload photos yet from there, but I will soon.)
The Cross Country courses that I have done have been "pace" classes, meaning that low faults are placed 1st, and then closest time to the ideal time (based on a KPH for the size of horse) wins. So you want to go clean first, and then come in at the right time. Now I'm not sure that is the case with a
Fault Obstacle course. You will want to consult the ADS rulebook on that one, and my current one is in the trailer, and I am in my jammies already!
The obstacles can be fairly simple, like driving through marked trees in a certain order, to more complex like bridges and water crossings. ALWAYS walk your course if they allow it!!! (I have heard that some courses are to be driven "blind", though). We made that mistake our first year showing in CC, didn't walk it and relied on the map, got lost, made a circle and eliminated ourselves right there. Duh! Some shows allow you to school in the water hazard so do that if allowed. Don't just assume that your horse will go. Take every legal advantage allowed to you.
Take a stopwatch, even if it is not a pace class. You never know when the horse in front of you on course will have a problem and you get held up by the officials. Then you can keep track of how long you were held up. It happened in my class at Walnut Hill. It isn't a whole lot different than a CDE marathon course, but LOTS shorter and judged differently.
We didn't know what Fault and Out was until we went to Walnut Hill. I read the rulebook, but it didn't make much sense, so it was good to
see it. Basically, it's how many sets of cones you can drive clean in 90 seconds (at least at WH). If you get through all ten sets of obstacles before 90 seconds, then you keep going through the sets again until the time expires or you dislodge a ball. For time scoring purposes, the driver drives through the next set after the whistle blows at 90 seconds. The greatest number of points (sets of cones driven clean) in the least amount of time wins. I didn't have to show in that course, but my suggestion would be to drive fast until you hear the whistle and don't look back! Keep track of where you are in the course and don't get lost! Since faults can basically drop you from the running, take the obstacles square. Don't "cheat" through them sideways.
You've done CDE cones. Pleasure show obstacles aren't really much different in the driving, mostly in the scoring. NO CANTERING!!! It is the judge's call if you are "caught" cantering. No more than 3 strides if an advantage has been gained, 6 if no advantage has been gained. Get your horse down ASAP! If your horse is used to cantering cones for CDEs, this can be a challenge!
Super clean matters for Turnout, a little less for Reinsmanship and Working Pleasure, but it still doesn't hurt to be clean. It doesn't matter at all for obstacles. Make sure that your turnout is complete for each class. You need a whip, gloves, and apron for EVERY class, obstacles too.
In judged classes, make sure that your gaits are distinctive. The judge shouldn't have to guess what gait you are doing. The Slow trot should be markedly slower and collected than the Working, and the Strong trot markedly faster without losing frame. Pass if you have to, especially if your horse is a big mover. Use your rail to get a really good pass in front of the judge. Don't get yourself "pinched" in the crowd. Find your own spot on the rail, even if it means crossing the arena, but avoid "breezing" the judge. Hold yourself at "attention" during the line up. You don't have to be stiff, but "ready" for anything. Don't put your hands in your lap when in the line up. You are still being judged. NEVER put your whip down, even in the holding area! If your horse is put to the cart, a body needs to be in the cart with the whip in hand. Putting your whip down is giving up your gas pedal!
Let us know how your show goes! Good Luck!
Myrna
