Why You're Not Winning - Showmanship

Showmanship is a popular class. It's also a class a lot of people think is easier than it really is. There are a lot of times exhibitors come out of a class without a ribbon and no idea why they didn't get one. I entitled this "Why You're Not Winning" because if you aren't doing most of these things, you are probably not in the ribbons.

How It's Scored:
Showmanship is scored on a 20 point basis.
Some judges score as 10 points for pattern and 10 points for turn out.
Other judges break it down by quality of run. 19-20 is Excellent, no faults, excellent presentation and pattern. And on down the line.
Most judges do NOT have a "points off" system that I hear so many people claim. "Oh you lost at least 2 points when you crossed over too slow!" No, it's all cumulative on the judges opinion of your run. Most judges (all the good ones) won't be seen writing anything down until the end of the run. If you look down while it's going on, you'll miss something.

At the Cone:
You really ought to be showing your horse before you even reach this marker. At the first marker of your pattern, you should have your horse set up correctly. Unlike halter, in showmanship your horse should have a level or nearly level head set throughout the pattern. You shouldn't pull his head down in front of the judge, as most judges frown on this. Also, be in the correct quarter at the very start of your pattern. Watch your judge for his nod. As soon as he tells you he's ready, get moving. If he's standing there waving at you for 30 seconds to get your attention, you're out. Every second counts in Showmanship. Your pattern should flow seamlessly from beginning to end. At the cone, be ready to go!

Setting Up and Inspection:
You've got about 4 seconds to get your horse set up for inspection. So, practice, practice, practice at home. Remember, you can not touch your horse, point at his feet (with your hand or your own feet), or be loud while telling him what to do. Practice, practice, practice. Haul your horse to different arenas and make him practice at places other than at home. When your horse is set up squarely, if you were to draw a line from his left front to left rear, right front to right rear, left front to right front, and left hind to right hind, you'd have a rectangle. Not a rhombus, trapezoid, etc.
You've got to teach your horse how to set up with minimal movement on your part. Most horses are trained to move their feet by the exhibitor lifting and lowering their hand. Find a way that works for you, and train yourself and your horse to do that.
When you have your horse set up, it is important that you are holding yourself correctly. Stand up tall. Have your right hand on the shank - never switch hands. Keep your elbow slightly bent. For your free arm, hold your free hand up, so your arm is at a right angle. Thumbs on top of your fist, wrists straight. Keep your toes pointing forward. Don't lock your knees. Look up. Keep an eye on the judge, but also check that your horse remains set up. Some judges will look to see you "address" your horse.


Something that seems to give newbies to Shomanship trouble is the Quarter System. The QS dictates where you should be while the judge is inspecting your horse. Here's a diagram (assume the weird brown blob is your horse...):



The lines go from your horses poll to his tail and across his withers. Basically, you should always be on the same side of the judge when he is a rear quarter. When he is in a front quarter, you should be opposite the judge. So, when he is in I you are in II. When he is in II you are in I. When he is in III, you are in II. When he is in IV, you are in I.

You should cross over quickly and effectively. Avoid bumping into your horse. You should point your toes towards the front hoof opposite from you to be in the correct position. Do not forget to address your horse. Take as many steps as you need to cross over cleanly and effortlessly, but don't scuttle across. Do not cross over until the judge has made his way COMPLETELY across the invisible line. The moment his second step is across the line, you should be in the correct quarter. Practice it at home with your trainer, parent, husband, or friend.

Walking:
When you are walking with your horse, most judges prefer to see the exhibitor walking even with the horse's throatlatch. Don't have your horse right on top of you. This is also refered to as the exhibitor being "tight" to the horse. You should be far enough away that the horse won't bump into you as you are traveling.
Walk with a purpose. Look where you are going. Don't look at your horse. Hold your arms in the same way as you would during inspection.

Trotting:
You have to run with the horse! I don't get the people who think that just because their horse will trot while they walk that it's acceptable in a showmanship class. You should be in the same position next to your horse. Practice at home to see what it takes to get your horse trotting from a stand still. A helpful hint: if your horse is a little bit slower to trot off, begin prepping him prior to the marker in order that you don't miss it.

Stopping:
Don't look at the horse. Don't look at the horse. Don't look at the horse. When you are stopping and look at your horse before he has stopped fully, he will swing his haunches out. To teach your horse to stop squarely, practice with the horse between you and the fence. Trot parallel to the fence and stop. The horse can't swing his hind end out because the fence is there to stop him. Once you've stopped, face your horse. If the pattern calls for going to a walk from the trot, you should not face your horse, but rather just transition down.
Do not run over the judge. Stop about 3-4 feet from the judge. It is important that whenever you are approaching a judge that you line your horse up with him, NOT yourself. Remember, showmanship is showing your HORSE. You will be slightly off to the judge's left.

Pivots:
Pivots seem to cause a lot of problems for people. It involves a lot of practice at home. Teach your horse to move his shoulders away and cross over when you walk at him. You should never, ever touch your horse to get him to turn. The horse should plant a pivot foot. A lot of judges don't mind which foot the horse plants, as long as he does it and keeps it planted through out the rotation. The horse should keep a straight line from poll to tail.
It's important that you don't push your horse backwards through a pivot because he is likely to step out and just back around his turn. Instead, focus on lateral forward movement.
Make sure you cue your horse to turn at the same time as you start moving towards him so you don't run into his face. Most exhibitors like to walk at the horse's nose as it leaves you in better position to leave the pivot.

Pull Turns:
Pull turns aren't quite as popular anymore as a lot of judges don't feel that they are very safe. And they aren't, really. When doing a pull turn, you need to face the horse and step backwards. The horse should plant and turn on the hindquarter.
Pull turns should never be bigger than 90 degrees. If a pattern calls for a larger one, contest it at the show office.

Backing:
When backing, face your horse. Do not stand directly in front of him. This is another thing to practice at home. When you walk at him, he goes backward quickly and in a straight line. Practice backing the same as practicing stopping - against the fence. This will get your horse backing straighter more easily.

Things to Avoid:

• Don't ever have your hand on the chain.
• Don't have more than one coil of "tail". One large loop is it. Do not have your loop tight around your hand.
• Don't touch your horse
• Don't ever stop showing.

Helpful Exercises:

• When practicing leading your horse to the judge, pick a tree or a fence post and practice taking your horse straight to it at both a walk and a trot. Some horses don't like going towards people straight on, so practice at home.
• Get a friend to video tape you. If you've got a trainer, have them tape you so that you can go over the footage together. Once you can see what you are doing, you'll know what's right, and what needs to be fixed.
• Smile, relax, and have fun with it. Showmanship can be a fun class if you do your homework and don't make it tougher than necessary. Judges love smiles!

The deal with showmanship is that it's something you can practice with your horse every single time you lead him. So, saying you don't ever get to practice is no excuse. Practice makes perfect!

On Finding a Trainer

There are those who go it alone and do well. There are those that go it alone and royally blow it. There are those with a trainer that gets them to World level. There are those with trainers that don't know jack. It's up to you to decide what route you are going to take with your horse. Are you skilled enough to produce an end product in 90 days or less that is ready to go into the pen and ride out with a ribbon? Are you competitive and dedicated enough to do it on your own? Or, are you willing to let another person coach you and your horse to accomplish your goals? Unless you yourself are a trainer with the belt buckle to prove it, chances are you should look into a trainer to help you advance your horse and your own riding to a level that is competitive and you're happy with it. At least invest in lessons either on a school horse or your own noble steed so you can troubleshoot any problems or bad habits you've picked up over the years.

Finding a trainer is a lot like finding a prospect. You need to find someone who you mesh with and can see yourself working with for the next several months (at least!). Sit down and figure it up. Get your handy dandy notebook ready and ask yourself:

• How much do I want to pay for lessons/training?
• How far am I willing to travel?
• Will I be leaving with my horse with my trainer?
• How experienced should my trainer be? At what level should they be competitive?
• Do they have experience in my event?

Too many times, people only pay attention to how much they are going to pay and how far they have to travel. You know what you end up with? Your kid taking Western Pleasure lessons from a barrel racer whose best advice is to ride every time in draw reins and go to a harder bit.

When you are considering a trainer, ask them if you can sit in on a lesson and watch. Most trainers and instructors are happy to let you. If a trainer says "No" thank them for their time and move on.

Now, some people want trainers that sugar coat things. And that's great. Some people want trainers that get them in the ribbons. That's great too. The most important thing is to be happy with the results.

For example, a cutting trainer yells at his youth riders when they mess up. He pushes them to the limit. Kids leave lessons crying. But, they win and that makes up for it, so they go back.

Another trainer's kids rarely break the top 3 of an average sized class. The trainer teaches with kindness and rarely corrects the kids. The kids come back because they are having fun.

To each their own, whatever makes you happy. Now, there are trainers that are kind and produce winners, and kudos to you if you find one that works for you! Keep going back and improving your own skills.

Remember, you want to do whatever it takes to make your horse more valuable and wanted by somebody else. That may include sending him to a trainer to get him going to the best of his abilities. Nobody wants an unbroke 12 year old. Nobody wants to buy a horse off of a video where his rider is flopping like a fish out of water. Get you and your horse some o' that thar fancy learnin' and you'll be just fine.

English Horses Need Lovin' Too!

There's a common misconception for hunter horses. That misconception is that you can throw an english saddle on his back, a browband bridle on his face and go show. But there is a lot more to finding tack for the show pen than just whatever you can find in the tack room of the barn. Believe it or not, there are styles and trends that go along with showing the hunters in the AQHA/APHA world.

Let's get it started with the bit:

English bits for the flat are pretty simple. While it's important that you use a bit that works for both you and your horse, majority of horses going into the pen are sporting D-Ring snaffles or Kimberwickes. Full cheek snaffles aren't used in flat classes very often. They give the horse a funny profile, a lot of extra silver around his face. Plus, the full cheek won't let the rein have the kind of slight, tiny, minimal little itty bitty drape that a lot of horses are traveling on these days. (This does NOT mean throwing away reins like you're on a western horse, it means not attempting to pull your horse into a frame and ripping off his lower jaw.) Some horses go in Kimberwickes. Kimberwickes are not a snaffle bit. They are curbs. They have leverage. Generally, you won't see just a ton of Kimberwickes in the flat hunter classes. No reason other than a lot of horses don't need them and the simple D-Ring looks so much nicer. O-Ring snaffles should not be used in English classes -- they are western bits.

The Bridle:

The bridle has to be a browband bridle with a noseband or cavesson. Flash nosebands are not permitted on the flat. The bridle should be well fitted, clean, and the leather color should match your saddle as much as possible. This is the type of bridle you need:

The Saddle:

Number one with the saddle, it has to fit both the horse and rider. Once you've got that in mind, think about what is hot to trot: lighter colored saddles with the same color leather over the padded flap. Padded flaps and knee blocks are not necessary for a rider with a strong, secure leg, but for a beginner rider or a looser legged individual, the knee blocks and padded flaps are very helpful for the rider to balance off of while posting. Flaps with the hideous light colored suede are very much out of style. Clean your saddle after each ride to prevent the build up of "jockeys" -- those annoying black or dark brown "film" that builds up from the stirrup leather. Also, keep your saddle covered when not in use. Remember that there are different types of seats for english saddles - all purpose or close contact are the most common used for flat classes. Jumping saddles give the rider a more forward seat and for a beginner rider, it is not a good choice. Synthetic saddles are not allowed in AQHA/APHA shows. In fact, a lot of shows are not allowing them anymore. They just look tacky, people.

The Saddle Pad:

Square quilted pads are fine for riding at home, but they are not for the show pen. In fact, the only time these pads are allowed are for Open Jumping classes. Instead, invest a pad especially for the showring. Most shows are encouraging riders to use pads that have special sleeves for the numbers. It is much easier on the judge to see your number if it's on the horse's profile.

The Girth:

English girths should be leather. Neoprene, felt, or nylon string (!) girths should not be used in the pen. The girth should be long enough that it fits the horse without the need of girth extenders. Girth extenders only add bulk beneath your leg and make it harder on you to maintain the proper amount of leg contact on your horse.

Things Not To Use:

Breastplates, cruppers, crops. Really? Does your horse REALLY need a crop on the flat? Are you afraid he'll refuse going in the gate? Seriously, you shouldn't need one, or carry one.

English Riders need Lovin' Too!

Hunter events are based in tradition. Therefore, the clothing style rarely changes other than color. The "rules" concerning what to wear in a Hunter type class (be it on the flat or over fences) are absolute. In this episode, we'll tell you what's acceptable and what's in style. Short and sweet, baby.

Helmets:
Helmets are required for any hunter type class. For fence classes, a chin strap is required and they should be SEI certified. For rail/flat classes, riders use what is known as a Hunt Cap. These caps are generally not approved, and they do not have a chin strap. The hunt cap gives a cleaner and neater appearance. They are also fairly inexpensive. Helmets for flat classes should be velvet. The plastic troxels are not appreciated because they look tacky. If you can't get a velvet cap, get a velvet or black cover for your plastic cap. Don't ever ride out to show in a white plastic helmet. Hunt caps should be black, navy, or gray only. Typically they are black.

Ratcatchers:
Ratcatchers are the shirts used for hunters. Most have a detachable collar that is put on to have a stand up appearance. It should connect (usually velcro) at the back of your neck. The front part is "solid" and you should use a pin with it to complete the look. The color of your shirt is really up to you. Popular colors include pink, blue, yellow, and purple. These are usually pastel-y colors. Outrageous lime green is not acceptable. Some shirts have small patterns (like checks or pinstripes) and these are perfectly fine and currently in style. Ratcatchers come in all sleeve lengths from no sleeves to long. As long as you have a hunt coat on, you can wear a shirt without sleeves, especially during those hot summer shows. Keep your color simple and make sure it goes well with your hunt coat.

Hunt Coats:
Hunt coats and the blazer you bought at JC Penny's are two different things. They are cut differently and you shouldn't ever go out showing in a blazer. Hunt coats should be black, blue, brown, or gray. Red or Burgundy are never acceptable in AQHA/APHA/NSBA/ApHC shows. So, don't try. Also, those hideous velvet collars of the 80s are gone. They aren't coming back either. Your hunt coat should be fairly fitted. Make sure the sleeves are long enough so that when you bend your elbow, it doesn't look like you are wearing a 3/4 sleeve jacket.

Breeches:
Breeches come in a lot of crazy colors. Unfortunately for those of you who love the bright pink breeches, they aren't acceptable. Colors for hunter classes are tan, olive, grey. Some people still insist on wearing those ugly rust colored breeches, but those went out with the velvet collars. The only color I would ever recommend wearing in any AQHA/APHA/ApHC show is tan. Some people call tan different things like "buff" or whatever, but the idea is that it's a sandy tan color. Grey and Olive are fine for weekend shows, but I wouldn't advise wearing them any where else. Breeches should be fairly tight. I know, you want to hide the thighs and bum (I do too!) but if you're breeches are baggy and loose it looks messy, messy, messy!

Boots:
To compete at the higher level, boots need to be black, leather, field type boots. Rubber boots (not the kind you'd use during a rainstorm....they make rubber "lookalike" boots) are only okay at an open show. The trained eye can spot a pair of rubber boots across the pen with a glare from the sun. While you could use brown boots, I don't think I ever have seen anyone do it. Black is the rage! Make sure your boots are tall enough that the tops hit right below your knee. Also, ride in them when practicing and not just when showing because you'll ride differently in them than you would half chaps or cowboy boots. In regards to half chaps and boots: this is only acceptable at open shows. You should only wear your half chaps with paddock boots if you are showing in them because with cowboy boots it looks weird. You'll look like you have clown feet. Trust me.

Spurs:
You know that thing on the back of your boot? It's called a spur rest. Your spur sits on top of it. Spurs for english are not like spurs for western. they sit up high versus the western spur on the heel. Also, the end should be blunt and short. Long spurs are not acceptable and some judges will throw you out because of it.

Earrings:
Earrings for hunter riders need to be minimal. Small studs, no dangles. Much more than that and you are toeing the tradition line. Think about foxhunting...that big hoop that could double as a bracelet getting ripped out on a tree branch......YEEEEOOOOOW!

Hair:
Hair goes up! Either in a net or pinned under your cap. Your hair shouldn't ever be in a long ponytail and definitely should never be loose with the exception of it being short enough that it can be left down without falling past the nape of your neck. If you have super thick hair, put the top half in a ponytail on the top of your head so it will be underneath your cap and put the lower part in a net. You'll look crazy when you don't have your cap on, but it will look fine once you get that cap on.

That about covers the wardrobe for the english rider. Happy showing!

Staying Fashionable - Western Show Tack

You know you've seen it: The person riding into the arena with the violent neon nylon tack....as Nancy Kerrigan says, "WHHHHHYYYYY??!!" If you are going to take the time to make your self look good, why not tidy up Spanky while you're at it? Spending money on your show clothes is pointless if you are not going to spend the money on your horse's tack. Properly adjusted and fitting tack is a must for the show ring. You look ridiculous without it, and chances are you're poorly fitting saddle is pinching your horse so he can't move correctly. Might as well of saved the entry fees.

The Rundown:
Bits:
Ah, yes, the bits are back! (Refer to "Leading Into Western Tack..." for more information on bits). Fads come and go, and we like to see our bridle horses (5 or over) in a shank bit with a bit of the fancy shmancy etching on the shank. Silver only.

Like the one seen at right. Don't worry, it's easy to find them in different mouth pieces.

Snaffle Bit horses are those 4 and under. But, snaffles are pretty out of style in the show ring. Bosals are all the rage, they look nice, your mecate drapes so nicely off so you can show your horse on a loose rein, but it's easy to pick up and fix the horse's face quickly if needed, without all the mouth opening and avoiding of the bit you would get in a snaffle. Bosals need to be legal. They have to be rawhide covered...no metal, no Quik Stops! Rope halters are not the same thing as a bosal. I understand that some people buy rope halters that have rawhide plaited around the noseband. These are not, not, not, not bosals and are completely unacceptable in showing! This is the type of bosal you need. These are 12-plait bosals, but you could also use an 8-plait at minimum.

Headstalls:

What's in is simple, two ear headstalls with silver. Browband are really, really, outdated now. Two ears are used with bosals and shanked bits, so if you're following the fashion rules, you should be okay. No worries. Two eared headstall with silver. They don't have to be top of the line, but they need to be clean and not have completely cheap silver plating that comes off the first time you try to clean it. Light oil is in. Dark oil and Black tack is completely out of style for AQHA and APHA classes. Like this one:

Saddles:

There are some people out there who think they will never win without a saddle covered in silver and get all sorts of butt hurt when their horse loses the class. More often than not, they are bouncing around on an old roping saddle and the horse is going to 90 to nothing.

For saddles, if you want to sit correctly for western performance classes, you need an equitation type saddle. These seats will put you in the correct position for horsemanship and all those "slow" classes. I also prefer to have my saddles with the "cut out" or "butterfly" skirt, depending on what you call it. This is where the skirt is cut out from where your leg goes and gives you better contact with the horse. It also won't push your thighs away from the saddle and lets you keep a better leg position.

Your saddle doesn't have to be coated in silver, but there are some rules you should stand by. Square skirts only. Round skirted saddles are for trail riders and barrel racers. If you don't want to look like Billy Bob come to show, get a square skirt saddle. Also, your saddle needs to be a light oil. Like I said, dark oil and black are pretty out of style. If that's all you have to work with, that's okay, just make sure no matter what color your saddle is, it is clean. This is the kind of saddle that a lot of people are afraid to invest in:

This particular saddle retails for under $5000.00 which is pretty darn good for the quality! However, if you are afraid of a lot of silver or are going to be doing a lot of other riding in your show saddle you may want to invest in a saddle like this:This is actually a reining saddle, but it would work for all around events provided you have the lower leg strength to keep your legs in position.

No matter what kind of saddle you get, it is important that it fits both you and your horse.

Back cinches are not to be used in showing western performance classes. Neither are those super long tie strings that people put on their saddle to.....tie themselves in? I don't really know what those are for.

What we didn't mention: Breastcollars.

Why we didn't mention them: They are so far out of style it isn't even funny. I cringe when I see someone showing in one.