23/09/2025
Show Prep Masterclass farm livery stables - Saturday 20th September
The main thing is going to do your first show is to be clean & tidy as you the rider, the pony/horse & your tack. The best tip when any showing class is to smile when riding to show off your pony/horse. This def helps the judge think you’re enjoying yourself.
Pony/Horse Prep
Pull mane so it’s neat & tidy so if you’re going to plait the name it’s not too short or long, a thickness is good for your plaits. The plaits for showing should be sewing in with blunt needle & thread - colour of thread match pony/horses colour or as close as possible. It’s good idea to have the bridle path cut to width of your bridle head piece. Plaits should be width of metal mane comb & 9x on the neck & the forelock too. If mane really thick you might need to make width a bit smaller than metal mane comb width.
Tail can be plaited or have a pulled look effect. I like to use the Smart tail take down the sides of the tail to give the pulled tail look which is less evasively for the pony/horse. Once done & before a lesson or show put a damp tail bandage on the top half of the tail & this will dampen it down & make it look smooth. The tail length should not too long or too short & consider that the pony/horse may carry it tail high when being ridden.
Usually with showing your tack saddle & bridle should be brown English leather but if you have black tack that suits your pony & it’s clean this is the main thing. For tack cleaning for a show make sure the bit & stirrup irons are clean & washed separately. The leather should be cleaned with damp cloth - warm water does help take the grease off the leather & then you want to use a small sponge with saddle soap - use can use saddle soap bar or spray. Whatever you find best or used to using that will make your tack look clean & shining but also nutritious the leather to keep it soft.
I also suggest not for show but every few months to oil your tack with neatsfoot oil this helps protect the leather if you tack gets wet when riding. I wouldn’t do this before a show as this may tarnish the colour of your beige or canary jodphurs/breeches.
Show hunter/Working hunter bridle should be plain brown leather with flat noseband & brow band & rider wearing hacking jacket. Where as a Show pony class you would use a coloured browband which would match your tie & hair scrunchie, would also wear a navy show jacket rather than a hacking jacket. Footwear either being short jodphur boots brown or black long leather boots. Boots should be polished so nice, clean & shining.
Judge will get all riders to ride around together on the right rein show walk, trot & canter & the steward then may ask you to all change the rein on to the left & do the same. If able they may ask you to gallop. For Working hunter classes the first part is to jump course of rustic/natural coloured jumps & then if a clear round they ask you back to do the show/flat section of the class.
In a showing classes the judge may ask you to stripe the ponies & show them in hand. This means the groom would come into the ring with grooming kit & the saddle would be removed from the pony/horse. When asked each rider would present their pony/horse to stand square in front of the judge, the judge looks at the confirmation, may pick its feet up & lift the tail. Then the judge will ask you to walk away in straight light with your pony/horse & turn at end then trot in straight line back towards & passed the judge, keep trotting & then rejoin the line up of ponies/horses. Your groom with help put the saddle back on & rider get back on the pony/horse.
Grooming kit for groom, usually as wicker basket with body brush, stable rubber/cloth, hoof oil. Possibly a drink for the rider. Groom should be smart & tidy wearing a hat.
There lots of information to take in - so if you have any questions please get in touch. Equally if you want a yard visit to get a few ponies/horses tidied up or clipped please get in touch. Thanks Pamela
