[bay_blnd jmpr07]

Originally Posted by ridegrrl

Are you gals not getting enough energy from Fiona and Sam at the trot? Or are they over-achievers and showing off with big extension?

Ever since Fiona was taught how to do an extended trot, any chance she gets she'll start extended...

But during warm-up I'll have her extend and in between classes(break)...It wakes her up so she covers ground, but sometimes she'll start to extend(and I can't post it that well LOL I do alright, but it prolly doesn't look too pretty all the time.)

Should I just not let her extend at all during the day of a show? I must say though...I like to show off her extended trot at shows...I'm such a show off LOL

Fiona's such a show off LOL She loves going to shows...she does everything perfect at a show...even stopping dead from a canter...it's awesome. haha

[ridegrrl]

Originally Posted by stephanie

This is an awesome post! Thanks so much for doing this!
When you judge jumping, do you like to see an automatic release? I have been working on mine for awhile, but I have had some judges tell me to use a crest release instead. What do you think, does it make a difference?
this is the best picture i have of one.
Thanks again for helping everyone!
~Stephanie

You're welcome! Good for you for working toward advanced techniques. Regarding the decision to use a crest release versus an automatic release... it's generally wisest (in any discipline) to use the method that you are confident with in the showring, rather than taking a risk trying a method that you're still perfecting at home. That's because at the show, there are always lots of distractions and butterflies, so it's not the best place to try something new. I would bet that the judges that have suggested using the crest release had this in mind as well.

As your auto release becomes steady and you're absolutely confident with it over every fence at home, then you can start using it in competition too, as it can be a mark of finesse when used properly!

[stephanie]

Thank you so much for the advise. I am pretty confident with it now, and am using it at all my jumps with out even thinking about it!

[ridegrrl]

Originally Posted by bay_blnd jmpr07

Ever since Fiona was taught how to do an extended trot, any chance she gets she'll start extended...

But during warm-up I'll have her extend and in between classes(break)...It wakes her up so she covers ground, but sometimes she'll start to extend(and I can't post it that well LOL I do alright, but it prolly doesn't look too pretty all the time.)

Should I just not let her extend at all during the day of a show? I must say though...I like to show off her extended trot at shows...I'm such a show off LOL

Fiona's such a show off LOL She loves going to shows...she does everything perfect at a show...even stopping dead from a canter...it's awesome. haha

Ha! Over-achiever. Should've guessed! When you extend her trot during warm-up, do you sit or post? I don't see anything wrong with doing some extensions, as long as it's at your request! Other exercises that can really get a horse paying attention and using herself is leg yielding or haunches in at the trot. I like to use those if a horse is getting flat or lazy.

When you're in the ring and being judged, if she starts to stretch out to the point that it's difficult to post and keep her together, try bending her just slightly to the inside (not enough that you come off the rail). I'd use just a little inside rein and inside leg, and then a very light check-and-release with your outside rein. We're not trying to impede her forward motion... just lift it up a little so it's rounder and not quite so stretched out. This whole process is subtle, so the judge won't see a bunch of obvious ajdustments!

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

I post. Her trot is already boundy enough with out her taking such long strides! LOL I'll try bringing her haunches in while extending. Thank you!

[SilentSpring]

Hehe...well, I don't really show anymore, but I've been reading this post incase anything uber interesting comes up (which there has been a lot of )...so why not? haha lo

In classes (english) with a lot of people in the ring at once, of course things happen that are hard to manage with sometimes. I'm not sure I'll even be showing in these classes (or at all) this year, but I have had to deal with the following situations quite a few times in the past...so I was wondering

- If a rider is circling because they got too close to the person in fromt of them and a new gait/instruction is called while their circling, would you rather see them wait until they reach the track to start doing the new gait, or pick it up on the circle first? I mean, I guess if there were a LOT of people in the rind picking it up on the circle could get kind of chaotic, but what would you rather see?

- For cantering, if your horse picks up the wrong lead and hasn't learnt flying lead changes, and you know might give you a rough simple change would you rather see a nice canter on the wrong lead or someone trying to get the right lead, and maybe not as nice of a canter when they finally do get it? Of course it'd be better for everyone to get the right lead, but what usually penalizes you more - wrong lead or taking a while to get your lead (coming back to trot a few times for a couple strides, etc)?

- What do you think of riders passing the rider in front of them if they are faster?

[DefinitelyADreamer]

Originally Posted by Thrills
What would a judge think about a 9 month pregnant lady in showing in halter and showmanship classes?

Would a judge frown upon it and not place the person?

I am due the first week of May, and our show season begins in April...I was thinking of doing some classes if i can waddle fast enought to keep up with the horse...just wondering from a judge's point of view if i would even place

Wow, that's a new one on me! And I thought showing with one leg in a cast was die hard! Very cool!

Well, I think there are only a couple considerations over and above showing under non-preggo circumstances. Any handler has to be fit to compete, so as long as you feel well enough and are comfortable to walk and trot the horse normally, then you're good to go. I also think safety should be foremost in mind, so while women over 18 are permitted to handle stallions in most shows, I'd think it'd be best to stick to handling well mannered mares/geldings.

So if your doctor gives you the go-ahead, find yourself a gorgeous maternity halter jacket and more power to ya!

Thanks!! I was going to ask the same!!

[Huntseat123]

In a hunter undersaddle class, what's the ideal for a head set?
In a hunter equitation class, do you prefer your riders tipped forward a bit, or sitting straight up?

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

Originally Posted by HuNTSeAT123

In a hunter undersaddle class, what's the ideal for a head set?
In a hunter equitation class, do you prefer your riders tipped forward a bit, or sitting straight up?

Oooh! I need this too!

[PhoenixChica]

When judging english classes, like equation to you judge on how the horse looks? Sometimes I used to feel like I did really good, but I was riding a little, fat paint gelding and the girl on the nice TB mare was always beating me...

And

What do you look for in a Hunter class? I show hunter U/S and O/F and I'm curious on what the judges look for. Do you judge on horses in this? [I don't ride the little fat paint gelding anymore though, so that's not why I'm curious ]