[JumpingBean]

For HUS I would take an inside track around the arena (when possible). At many of our shows the judge was right next to the fence, so the only time s/he could get a good look at your horse was when you were on the opposite side of the arena. By moving 10-12 feet in, the judge can get a better look at how your horse moves when you're on BOTH sides of the arena. Plus, because I was riding in child/amateur classes, most of the horses stayed on the rail and left the inside track free for me. The few who took the inside track were easy to avoid.

When the inside track wasn't available (jumps in the way), I had problems because my little horse had a big step and overtook the shorter strided horses. I would find a big, nice-moving horse and get behind it. (This is only a good idea if you're confident that your own horse is one of the best movers and will compare favorably. Otherwise it will make you look worse ). I would follow that horse and let it clear the way -- and it emphasized what a nice mover my little horse was.

We won every hack, even in big classes and good company, so we must have done something right.

[royalrox]

it depends...if there are a lot of horses circling will just get you stuck you won't be able to get back out to the rail, if its smaller and it makes sense than yes, but usually I just stick to passing with lots of room when it's possible

[Huntseat]

I've never circled, I always pass on the inside.

[canadianlover]

well I would pass on the inside my mare however prefers to rear at the judge

[idlewild]

When I rode Western and English pleasure at the welsh shows if I needed to pass a horse I would pass on the inside on the short side of the arena, so I would cut off one end by about 15 feet, let the horse I was passing stay on the rail and I'd take the inside track so that by the time we were turning to go down the long side of the arena I was back on the rail.

If I absolutely had to, I'd made a big circle at one end, but for the most part, I would simply pass.

[18thTomorrow]

Originally Posted by tbtrainer

I If you have to do this more than once, you need to slow your horse down!

not necessarily. At the open shows I go to, if I take a saddleseat horse in the English Pleasure class with the stock horses, there's definitely a different way of going, and I end up passing people more often than not.

[Madamoiselle]

What everybody else said. I was always taught to choose passing over circling but take what you can get.

[Quick2Skip01]

just wanted to clarify that I meant to pass on the inside. =)

[Ashleyn]

thanks everyone