[GallopAway]

Alright, so. I really would love to do something with our Half Arab, Rumor. I was thinking for a while Endurance might be good, but now I'm re-thinking it. Where I live there aren't many Enurance rides. I'd probably have to drive 3-4 hours to get to the closest one, and my mom's not too hot about that idea, lol. So...

Can anyone tell me anything about Halter classes? What are the main difference between Arab and Half Arab Halter classes, if any? I'm more interested in Half Arab halter.

Like, how do you train a horse to "set up" (not sure of the correct term) like that? Does conformation play a HUGE rule in how the horse will be judged?

Does anyone have any picture of how the horse should stand? Is this how it should look? (just going by how I've seen alot of them):





Like, how do you get the horse to hold it's head/neck that way? How do you teach them to sort of, "park out" a bit like that? Is that the way it's supposed to be done?

Haha, I'm pretty clueless about it all.
Would this be a good way to introduce a young horse with no show experience to a show-type environment?

(Sorry if this is in the wrong place )

[Sandra-A1]

Here are several posts I have made previously about Arabian Halter that you might/hopefully find helpful:

Training an Arabian Horse to stand and present themselves for a Judge is a lot of work. Everyone works on getting the horse to stretch it's neck out. They fail to pay any attention to what the rest of the horse's body looks like and is doing!
There is a lot more involved that the neck stretch...showing halter is NOT about the neck...in fact some horses look better with out stretching their necks out and other do it wrong period.
If you can ever go to a show where Michael Byatt is competing watch his horses! They tighten and use their bodies! If you can ever attend a clinic where he is the instructor GO! You will learn so much more than you even thought about!
Watching a top Arabian Halter Trainer like Mr. Byatt doing is job in the ring during a halter class at a show is in itself a learning experience!

Plus, there are several instructional video tapes that have been made that beginners will find helpful. I suggest you find some of them as well. wink

Here is a condensed version of training and Arabian for showing in a halter class that I found online:

:First off I suggest you read and learn the rules: http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBo...4/Rule-XVI.pdf (yes, even if your just showing in the Half Arabian Halter Classes)

Also knowing what the Judge is looking for is a BIG help in preventing disappointments.
A lot of the crys about "politics" & "poor judging" is simply the result of people not educating themselves first. Usually the ones complaining about politics are the ones who come to a show with a horse that is not in good shape, neither horse nor rider are properly groomed, not as well trained, and in many cases, not as high quality of a horse for that show. When they get the gate, the poorly prepared exhibitors excuse is usually: it's all because the top trainer was there or because that Amateur had some "Big Name" Professional training their horse.


This site might help you out a bit....Halter and Showmanship Horse

The way the horse is being presented in the first photo is "the look" I would be going for until you have been able to attend a few Halter Showing Training Clinics and you are able to work with a professional.
I would NOT be trying to get my horse to raise it's head and stretch it's neck like in the second photo at the show!

Asking a horse to tighten it's back and use it's neck is most often misunderstood part of showing Arabian Horses.
Halter Classes are not about "stretching the neck."
They are about presenting your horse in a way that BEST shows off it's correct conformation and good qualities.
Just having the horse do it without any knowledge as to what will best show off your horse's neck can and often does cost people the class.
In fact some horses look best if they do not stretch their neck at all!
Yes, you see a lot of Arabians in halter classes and photos in the Arab Magazines using their necks...but the ones doing it and winning are horses with exceptional, long, well shaped, hookey necks and with handlers who know how to show their horses in their BEST, most flattering positions which will allow their excellent conformation and good qualities to be seen by the Judge/s.

A well groomed, well presented Arabian who is attentive to it's handler, moves out at a trot on command and will put it ears up and "look" on cue can beat an Arabian whose handler get's their horse to stretch it's neck out with no idea as to how to do it correctly and in a way that will make their horse look it's best!

First work on WHOA!
She has to learn that "whoa" means stop and do not continue to walk forward.
I would walk along side of her and work on stopping after you say "whoa."
Once she catches on.... you need to say whoa, she stops.... but you continue walking out to the end of your lead. If she moves give the lead a quick jerk and say whoa again. Keep working on this until you can walk away from her and to either side and she will stay where she is.

As for the "neck stretch"....quit thinking of it as a "neck stretch"...you do NOT want her to stretch her neck out.....what you DO want is for her to USE her neck in a way that BEST shows off it's shape!
Remember...Your not entering your horse a neck stretching contest!
You are entering your horse a Halter/Conformation Class.

To show an Arabian's neck off correctly.....The neck has to first go up and back toward the withers...then up and become tight so the muscles and shape have even more definition...once tight, you can ask the horse to reach forward with their head....not down...NEVER bring the "neck" down! The head can come down a little but NEVER the neck!
I use the handle end of the whip as the cue for the horse to show it's neck. I teach the horse to touch the end of the handle then slowly move the end to different positions and further and further away.
There are several great Arabian Halter training videos out there and I suggestion you get a hold of them! They are a BIG help when it comes to showing you what to do and when!

Also you should never back an Arabian into position because it causes the croup, hip and tail to drop...always move them forward into the stance.

You have to learn timing and develop an "eye" for when your horse is correct.
Some horses have a neck that looks best when it is tight and in use...some look best when left holding it natural. Just because others have their horse's reaching out with their noses does not mean you have to.
I have stood up a horse and got his body tight and left the neck alone...he looked a lot better that way....as long as the horse was alert and watching me I left him alone.
Everyone else had horse's that had longer necks than the horse I was showing. This horse happened to looked really great if I let it keep it's neck up and alone.
We won the class.
I had a professional trainer come to me as we were leaving the ring and tell me that he knew he had the class won until he turned and saw my horse standing there. He had counted on me asking my horse to use it's neck and that would have really messed up the horse's appearance.
He complemented me on my win AND my decision to leave my horse's neck alone!
So KNOW how you horse needs to stand to look it's very best and do not be afraid to sometimes be a little different!

If you can get a hold of the following videos ( I have them )
I think they will really help you out.
Some of the showing & grooming tips might be slightly different because of the new rule changes but they are still super educational & helpful!:

Gordon & Kim Potts:
Halter Is For Everyone

Bob Hart Jr :
Preparing the Arabian Halter Horse Physically and Mentally.
Conditioning and Grooming

Gene Reinhardt:
Advanced Halter

Ron Palelek:
Prepare Your Halter Horse For Show
Blue Ribbon Grooming

************
Here are 2 places where you can find most of the Arabian training videos I mentioned above...plus MORE! :

Training Tapes

Vallejoiii Arabian Horse Farm

[GallopAway]

Awesome! Thank you so much! =]

[Heavenly Jumper]

Originally Posted by GallopAway

Awesome! Thank you so much! =]

Isn't Sandra great!? She would be a great neighbor to have for a mentor...but I guess we'll all have to settle for 'virtual Sandra'

[GallopAway]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyJumper

Isn't Sandra great!? She would be a great neighbor to have for a mentor...but I guess we'll all have to settle for 'virtual Sandra'

Haha, yes. I guess vertual will have to do.

But one more question -

Can someone show me a picture of a horse standing correctly and one standing incorrectly?
Or a video of a Half Arab halter class and kind of explain to me what they're doing?

[Arabians4ME]

I have a picture of Kara our HA showing that would be a perfect, "HOW NOT to stand pic!" However it's decided that HGS and it do not get along and it will not load. Go Figure. I do have some of Kara that are not bad. Not good of her head set but feet are pretty decent. I also have a good one of her from a Spring show that if I can scan would work.

Howeve my advice is to make sure they are square and not 'parked' like a walking horse. That is a common mistake.



Some other pics are loading now.

[Arabians4ME]

Okey here's so not so hot snap shots of mine the bay is PB stallion and Chestnut is HA she is coming 3 in the pic.

In this pic what you don't know is I am standing on a very uphill slope.
She has hollowed her back and is too stretched also. However still very young. This is the same horse as in the first picture I posted on the other post 2 years before as a 5y/o.


This is Touch 'practicing' this winter. This is not a half bad stance here but I think we are moving.


Here's an oops on my behalf he's too stretched and I didn't notice it. That is one of my hardest flaw with him. He likes to move out.


Thisis Touch when I first got him in 03. He's also too strecthed in this pic also. He's so trained that he does this automatically without you knowing sometimes.


Hope those help!

[Heavenly Jumper]

*whispers*

Does all this apply to morgans too?

*continues lurking*

[Arabians4ME]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyJumper

*whispers*

Does all this apply to morgans too?

*continues lurking*

You know that's a good question?!

[GallopAway]

Thanks for showing me the pics and giving me and explanation! =].

Alright. So I know that confo probably plays a big rule.
And I've been told that Rumor might do better at SHIH?
What do you all think:
(These pics arn't the greatest, but they're the best I have right now.)











Feel free to give me honest opinions. I know he's not the most stunning horse you've ever seen, lol.