[Alliekk]

As far as the stepping over, I (imo) believe she was talking about parking, or stretching him out. How does she get his feet to move forward to get more of a stretch?

[ArabianHaven]

Okay, I hopped on here (my mom knows and I just wanted to see if I could explain it better. EP is English Pleasure. Though I am not saying that and EP horse ca't do WP because he has also done a bit of that. I am showing at an open schooling show but they have a special halter class for Arabs as well. When I said to get him to step over with his front legs. I meant I set him up after our trot by shanking on the lead and they he sets up his legs. After that I will shank once again and say step. This is where I have been having problems but I have been practicing more and getting better. He is supposed to step to the side with only his fron legs to stretch out his back and show off his topline more. That I raise my whip and have him stretch out to it. I was hoping to find someone who show in Arab halter to help explain it to me a bit better. Thank you so much for the responses. I had not even thought of looking for some one to help me around here. My mom is not much better than I am so we have been working together and not making a whole lot of progress. I contacted the lady who sold him to me and she gave me some advice. Alliekk, thank you so much for your kind post.

[xlilxonex]

*gasp* DId people reply on your thread that have quarter horses?
Oh the horror!!!

Get a trainer, if your not doing it right then I highly doubt you'd be placing that high.. But i'd get a trainer or move to a different discipline...

[Jenje!]

Originally Posted by xlilxonex

*gasp* DId people reply on your thread that have quarter horses?
Oh the horror!!!

Having trouble letting it go, huh?

I don't think it's really necessary to continue to harp on this member for her previous posts. Her mother's been alerted to her postings here- why don't we give ArabianHaven a chance to redeem herself?

[doublebarr]

Originally Posted by ArabianHaven

Okay, I hopped on here (my mom knows and I just wanted to see if I could explain it better. EP is English Pleasure. Though I am not saying that and EP horse ca't do WP because he has also done a bit of that. I am showing at an open schooling show but they have a special halter class for Arabs as well. When I said to get him to step over with his front legs. I meant I set him up after our trot by shanking on the lead and they he sets up his legs. After that I will shank once again and say step. This is where I have been having problems but I have been practicing more and getting better. He is supposed to step to the side with only his fron legs to stretch out his back and show off his topline more. That I raise my whip and have him stretch out to it. I was hoping to find someone who show in Arab halter to help explain it to me a bit better. Thank you so much for the responses. I had not even thought of looking for some one to help me around here. My mom is not much better than I am so we have been working together and not making a whole lot of progress. I contacted the lady who sold him to me and she gave me some advice. Alliekk, thank you so much for your kind post.

Now this is a lovely post! I have never shown Arabians at halter, just QH's (though I had a dang fine little Crabbet bred mare that would run barrels like nobodys business and left a lot of my friends QH's eating dust and writing checks at the end of the night for our share of the pot at jackpots, LOL) but I do know there are members here who do show Arabians seriously who might be able to help and I will mention this post to them to see if they can help. However, there is nothing better than on the ground help with someone who is there. Are there any Arabian farms close to where you live? I would recommend looking some up in the area and asking to QUIETLY watch them train. If you approach them with respect, keep your thoughts to yourself and just watch and listen to them (even if you don't agree) then you will probably learn a lot.

And Jenje!: couldn't agree more

[Bratmare]

*I will say right now that you are not on my "nice list" for Christmas after the WP thread, however....



I don't know much about Arab halter, what I have learned has been from watching Hunseat show her Arab.

1. Since both you and your horse are new to eachother in halter don't be afraid to take you time setting up. If you can enter the class in a "whomever comes first" order put yourself in teh middle. This will give you time to set your horse up without the judge coming to you first, no matter which way she goes down the line.

2. Use treats. I think they are a brilliant way to gain attention, teach respect, and teach the movements positively. Trot your horse out like you would in a halter ring. When you stop, take your time breaking back down into a walk. Arabs trot hard and fast so its hard for them to just stop and set. When you "settle" have your horse stop.

I always work with the back feet first because there is always less immediate control. Make sure the back feet are set apart (for the best knowledge of how to set your hrose to show off his good attributes and hides his faults, consult someone who works with arabs whoo can help you.

When you have the back feet where you want them, pull out the treats. I would offer them to your horse with a lowered hand so he will inch his front feet out but remain with his back. Start small, just the ability to move the front without moving the back is good to start off with. After that you can work on stretching a little farther each time.

Next, associate the treats with the whip. Arab horses are supposed to stretch and look "toned". Use your chain to bring his head up and offer the butt of your whip. If he stretches for it give him the treat. If he doesn't have the treat right along side it. When he smells the treat he will prolly stretch to get it. Reward him with the treat. Soon he should associate the whip with the treat.

Biggest thing is just baby steps and taking your time wthout getting frustrated.

[Sandra-A1]

First off...Arabians do NOT "park" or "stretch out"....
A correctly posed/stood up Arabian for halter does neither with it's body.....

Here are 2 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 than the so-called "neck stretch"...showing halter is NOT about the neck...in fact some horses look better with out reaching out with 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! [/quote]
Here is a condensed version I found online.
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

Help with Arabian Halter Training

Young Arabians are a lot of fun to train as they are for the most part very intelligent and dying to please you. Remember to be patient , consistent and kind. Once you make a mistake or cause a bad experience they will never forget. It takes a lot of little steps to get the picture all there. Remember not to work on it for too long a period of time, ten to fifteen minutes at the most. Also, do not practice constantly doing the whole set up routine. Horses get bored of it very quickly, or if they figure they know exactly what you are going to ask, they'll try to anticipate and rush it. So just work on whatever bits you need to work on that day. I very rarely do the whole thing in practice sessions.
The very first thing the horse needs to learn is WHOA- no cheating, no scootching forward, resting a foot, nada! Whoa. Proceed no further until he/she has this step down. Practice by walking her with you backing away, he/she needs to not rush you and stay in THEIR space, and watching their hind feet. As the left hind starts to leave the ground, tell the horse "whoa." That will put his/her hind feet in the correct position.
You have to practice to get the timing. If it is not your fault that her feet are wrong, and he/she is just continuing after you said "whoa," then you need to reprimand her (I will shank, but I use a captive chain) and back the horse up as many steps as it took forward. Next, practice walking around the horse, having a conversation with a friend, doing aerobic exercises, whatever, and they need to stay where you put them. Play tricks.
He/she needs to know that unless you have given them the command to walk, those back feet do not budge. Again, whenever the horse moves, back them up the same number of steps.
When they have that step down, then you can move to the front feet. Tug the lead to the side, and I usually tell them "foot" or something similar so as not to confuse it with an O.K. to walk forward. The horse should move one front foot. Practice until you can do a one quarter circle to both sides without moving those back feet. That is how you inch the front feet up in to the correct position. Remember, one hind cannon bone must remain perpendicular to the ground.
For the neck, you can use carrots, treats, a hat, the shiny part of the whip, toy, or whatever to get the horse to reach. Don't forget whoa. Remember to ask the horse to show down some, too, or you get a really stiff-necked look.
Finally, to rock the horse back and forth, you have to teach it about your space. Where you stand is your space, then if you step forward or lean forward, it is now your space and she needs to move. I teach by first stepping toward them, and if they don't back up, telling them to back. If they still push into my space, I will either shank them once and repeat, or if really pushy, I will give them a tap with the whip. Praise the horse when it gives you what you asked for. Then practice to where if you take a step forward, then it takes a step back. It's like a dance, and the horse needs to learn to watch you for the lead. Then you can refine it to just leaning forward, while telling the horse "whoa." The horse should then rock back to move slightly out of your space.

Good luck and have fun!
Lori Savage
Head trainer for Champagne Royal Arabians
Floresville, TX.

First off I suggest you read and learn the rules: Arabian Rule Book.
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 Training - http://www.akfentertainment.com/akf/halter.htm

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!

[xlilxonex]

Sorry.... My bad.. I apologize...

None the less, your best bet would be to get with a trainer and have them teach you the ins and outs...

[Bratmare]

Originally Posted by Sandra-A1

First off...Arabians do NOT "park" or "stretch out"....
A correctly posed/stood up Arabian for halter does neither with it's body.....

Sorry, I was making a comparison between what I see in QH vs Arabs. QHs can be very camped underneath and square in the back where as arabs have 1 foot stretched farthur (sp?) back. Their posture is also much more "stretchy" whether it be neck stretched or neck up. Flat looking buttocks.... as I said, I'm a QH person so I can only tell ya what I see from the rail....

And arabs, as you said get "tense" or show off their muscle and posture almost like body builders do. Weird comparison cause QH look more like body builders than arabs.....

[Alliekk]

You are correct, it is not called parking or stretching, but to an untrained person, those terms seem to be easier to understand, and I don't think anywhere in my (or anyone elses) posts mention only arching the neck and keeping the body sloppy??