# Horse Show Etiquette



## MiniNHF (May 28, 2014)

This discussion is for all types of horse shows you have experienced things at, Miniature, QH, Dressage, Jumping, Eventing, Driving etc.... biggest thing to me and what I have been taught is Horse Show Etiqutte and where do you draw the line.

I was taught to be polite to judges, even if you have an experience with a judge that does particularly likes your horse (in halter, dressage etc), you still acknowledge them, say hello etc. My horse never did well in Dressage but I always told the judge good morning etc when I went by their booth, even if they are writting something; they appreciate the courtesy and will most likely forgive a small mistake.

Something I have seen in local shows, be it big horse or miniature shows is holding a class for someone who is late... not the ones who have multiple horses and have to swap out because they dont have any one to help but people who are just not paying attention sitting around and just mosey on into the class when they get there... when is enough is enough and a judge should just close the class or move on to the next rider? Ive seen classes etc get held up for 15 mins or more; to me that breaks the concentration/mind set of the horse and exhibitor/rider because of the delay and can cause a bad showing. Its rude to the other competitors and the judges.

So go ahead and put up your experiences, opinions even if they are rants


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## lucky seven (May 28, 2014)

I don't show and the only shows I get to is the local county fair once in awhile. My comment is about the people that always show up late, there always seems to be one, they do it and get away with it because they know they can. They may be doing this because IT DOES break the concentration of the horses and exhibitors, theirs is calm while yours is getting antsy. Or, they just don't care.


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## MiniNHF (May 28, 2014)

lucky seven said:


> I don't show and the only shows I get to is the local county fair once in awhile. My comment is about the people that always show up late, there always seems to be one, they do it and get away with it because they know they can. They may be doing this because IT DOES break the concentration of the horses and exhibitors, theirs is calm while yours is getting antsy. Or, they just don't care.


Another thing I hate is they will still place high or even win after doing something like this... if I was judging I know I would be docking points no matter how good their horse is. Ive seen in a dressage test when I scribed (sp?) one time, where a rider was just plain late and you could tell there was no sense of urgency or any comment of apology when they went by the box; obviously they just didnt care and was taking their own good time. The horse was fabulous but the judge scored them low for their rudeness with the whole situation.


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (May 28, 2014)

I have a problem with green handlers and stallions at shows. This is at miniature shows where a handler must be an 'adult' in age but may still have little or no experience with a stallion. I have seen stallions in the holding area that are allowed to interact with other horses (not politely I might add) while the handler chats with bystanders or watches the class in the ring never noticing what her horse is up to. It is bad enough when it is a gelding or mare but stallions, even minis, can be bad news if the handler is lax. I've seen others horses bit, passers by caught in a aggressive grab at another horse and people kicked. I've seen a stallion in a driving class lined up so close to another horse and so clearly trying to intimidate it that the other driver had to ask to be excused because their horse was so upset.


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## Performancemini (May 28, 2014)

I applaud the judge at a Shetland show that excused a stallion and handler. It was a halter class of aged stallions. The stallion just got more and more obnoxious as the class went on. He had his "equipment" out and ready and finally mounted his handler from the rear. It took the ring steward and judge to help get him off and under control! (The handler WAS experienced and not unknown). The judge disqualified and excused that stallion from not only the class, but from the rest of the show. My husband and I decided the stallion not only needed to be gelded but have a lobotomy!


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## MiniNHF (May 28, 2014)

Reignmaker Miniatures said:


> I have a problem with green handlers and stallions at shows. This is at miniature shows where a handler must be an 'adult' in age but may still have little or no experience with a stallion. I have seen stallions in the holding area that are allowed to interact with other horses (not politely I might add) while the handler chats with bystanders or watches the class in the ring never noticing what her horse is up to. It is bad enough when it is a gelding or mare but stallions, even minis, can be bad news if the handler is lax. I've seen others horses bit, passers by caught in a aggressive grab at another horse and people kicked. I've seen a stallion in a driving class lined up so close to another horse and so clearly trying to intimidate it that the other driver had to ask to be excused because their horse was so upset.





Performancemini said:


> I applaud the judge at a Shetland show that excused a stallion and handler. It was a halter class of aged stallions. The stallion just got more and more obnoxious as the class went on. He had his "equipment" out and ready and finally mounted his handler from the rear. It took the ring steward and judge to help get him off and under control! (The handler WAS experienced and not unknown). The judge disqualified and excused that stallion from not only the class, but from the rest of the show. My husband and I decided the stallion not only needed to be gelded but have a lobotomy!


Ive seen even non-green handlers not make their stallions behave at shows. I was told to stay away from one if I was stuck in a class with them because their stallion had no manners and would kick and strike out so to give them plenty of room if they were in front of me so not to disrupt my boy.

My boy is pretty quiet and well behaved in the ring and in general. But I cant believe someone would not correct their stallion to put up his "equipment" before they went into the ring. Im constantly watching my stallion for that especially when I know my class is coming up because he loves to talk to mares, I guess he thinks hes young and hot stuff lol.


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## fourluckyhorseshoes (May 29, 2014)

Just a note that it's not just stallions--I was standing in line behind a mare at a show, must have been a little too close and she kicked out at me and my mare. Yikes !


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## Performancemini (May 30, 2014)

You never know what a horse will do. Kind of scary. Especially with the kids. Had a class my little niece was in where a horse backed up and kicked at the horse behind it. Just missed horse and child. And the child handler just looked confused. And at our county fair, where the child halter classes are a mixture of minis, shetlands, welsh and haflingers it's really nerve racking as there are usually 15-20 in the class and lined up side by side with only a horse width between.

The other child thing I saw and didn't like is a child in a class they don't belong in-also as in, not ready for. My mother was driving in an "Open" western country pleasure class and a child of about 8 or 9 (had shown some before) was in the class. Not too many entries. But the child was all over the place. Didn't stay on the rail well and did a lousy job of reversing, not looking well, etc. This wasn't the horse the child usually drove and I think it was too much for her. I can see an older child driving in Open that is better able to handle a horse or if the child is driving a steady horse they are well used to-but this was annoying, unwise and unsafe. The judge placed her accordingly. (P.S. I'm not against youth-love working with and helping them).


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## MiniNHF (Jun 2, 2014)

I think if a horse is agressive and kicks they need to have a red ribbon in their tail. That is what they do in the equitation classes, so that makes the person behind you aware to give that horse plenty of space. Doesnt have to be anything huge, I have seen as simple as some red yarn before.


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## FurstPlaceMiniatures (Jun 3, 2014)

I have a HUGE problem with DOGS at shows. Mine is well behaved and I keep him leashed, we bring his crate and put it on the trailer if we can't be right with him. Other people that let them off leash? what are they thinking?

Had one red heeler (loose) try to nip at my 32" mini's heels while at a show - I have never hit anything so hard with my lunge whip in my life! Owner got peeved and went and complained to show office - they fined her for it, wouldn't let her show any of her or her clients horses that day until it was paid, and had NO sympathy! Thank God, because if they had sided with her it would've been our last ever show on that circuit.

Moral of the story - it's a horse show not a dog show. Leave Fido at home if possible!


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## Field-of-Dreams (Jun 4, 2014)

FurstPlaceMiniatures said:


> I have a HUGE problem with DOGS at shows. Mine is well behaved and I keep him leashed, we bring his crate and put it on the trailer if we can't be right with him. Other people that let them off leash? what are they thinking?
> 
> Had one red heeler (loose) try to nip at my 32" mini's heels while at a show - I have never hit anything so hard with my lunge whip in my life! Owner got peeved and went and complained to show office - they fined her for it, wouldn't let her show any of her or her clients horses that day until it was paid, and had NO sympathy! Thank God, because if they had sided with her it would've been our last ever show on that circuit.
> 
> Moral of the story - it's a horse show not a dog show. Leave Fido at home if possible!


We were at a parade in March, and there was this Schnauzer that just wouldn't leave us alone as were were driving around. His owner didn't tie him, called him off twice. The third time I cracked him with my whip- hard. He then left.... ya gotta do what ya gotta do.


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## MiniNHF (Jun 4, 2014)

I dont take my little dog to shows because I just dont have the time to tend to her when I have the horse to worry about. As of right now she has never been around or seen a horse so I have no idea how she will act until I teach her about them. She is not a mean dog but she is a rescue and every and anything scares her so at this point she stays home.


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## Minimor (Jun 22, 2014)

pet peeves about horse shows....

Well, I have no patience for those exhibitors who are late for their classes. Worst case I have seen, I think, was at a fair years ago. One particular breed class was being called to the ring. After several calls, still no ponies--so the next class (mine) was directed to go into the ring. We went in--the whole class was in, and then here came the missing entries from the previous class. If I were running the show they would have been told to wait until the class now in the ring was finished (it's not like they didn't have plenty of calls, and plenty of time before that to get ready!) but no--that particular show management directed us out of the ring so that the latecomers could come in for their class.

now--I would have to say that I think every exhibitor should have to, at least once, take entries for a horse show. Maybe.....MAYBE...some people would then have a better appreciation for how much work is involved with taking and processing entries, and for how much time that takes....and MAYBE they would then understand why there are entry deadlines and why it is important for exhibitors to meet those deadlines. If an exhibitor is late with their entries it is, frankly, rude and inconsiderate--even disrespectful to the show secretary. the more horses you have, the more classes you enter, the more work it is and the more time it takes to process your entries. Bringing more horses to a show does not make you more special nor more important than anyone else, and you should still be courteous and follow the rules and adhere to deadlines.

Another pet peeve I have--sore losers. I have seen exhibitors be downright ignorant to the judge, right in the ring, after he didn't place that exhibitor well. I have seen exhibitors get very angry after losing a class--they blame the judge, they blame show management for hiring a bad judge (their opinion) they blame other exhibitors for cheating in some way, they complain of politics. I do not deny that politics exists in horse showing--I know that it does--but I also know that it is not as rampant as some people claim. I know there are incompetent judges...but I also know that many times it is the exhibitor himself who is to blame for not placing higher than he/she did. I have seen someone lose a grooming class (4-H) because their horse was FILTHY. The judge ran a white gloved finger down the horse's back and the glove finger came away dark with dirt. exhibitor patted the horse on the shoulder and a cloud of dust rose from under her hand. That kind of grooming does not deserve to win a grooming class. Yet still that exhibitor complained that the kids placing above her had cheated. I have seen someone place lower than she thought she deserved--she was furious with the judge because her horse had won big elsewhere with a former owner...she apparently was not considering that with the former owner the horse was very, very fit. When she showed the horse he was fat and not in condition. Sometimes a very nice horse gets presented poorly and so loses the class. Sometimes owners do not see any conformation flaws in their horses, even if there is a glaring fault in the horse--and they believe the judging is unfair if they don't win. Maybe their horse stood still while the winning horse moved a few times....maybe even though the winning horse did not stand perfectly still the judge could still tell that he was a better individual than the one that stood completely still...

Another peeve--poorly run shows. I have been to shows that were an hour or more late in starting. No apparent reason for being late, just nothing happening--no real interest in trying to run their show on schedule. Hate that!

Once went to a fair that was a disaster. There was a new show manager and he was creating difficulties where there should not have been difficulties. The rest of the show committee were very annoyed, the exhibitors were more than annoyed...I thought they were going to form a lynch mob that morning and eliminate the guy. He was a family friend at the time and I liked him--but that morning I would have happily joined in with the lynch mob!! LOL


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## MiniNHF (Jun 23, 2014)

Minimor said:


> pet peeves about horse shows....
> 
> Well, I have no patience for those exhibitors who are late for their classes. Worst case I have seen, I think, was at a fair years ago. One particular breed class was being called to the ring. After several calls, still no ponies--so the next class (mine) was directed to go into the ring. We went in--the whole class was in, and then here came the missing entries from the previous class. If I were running the show they would have been told to wait until the class now in the ring was finished (it's not like they didn't have plenty of calls, and plenty of time before that to get ready!) but no--that particular show management directed us out of the ring so that the latecomers could come in for their class.
> 
> ...


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## Riverrose28 (Jun 25, 2014)

One thing that bothers me is other exhibitors that use my stuff. For example, I'm sorry you forgot your water bucket if you ask I'll loan you one, but don't take mine without permission. If you sit in my lawn chair, that's OK, but when I come back from the ring and want to sit down, please get up. Oh and tie your water bucket up so your horse doesn't spill water into my horses stall, bedding is expensive. For heaven sakes when spending a week or more at Nationals please pick out your stall, the odor is getting to be a bit much. Sweep up your mess out of the aisle, I sweep up mine and I expect the same curtesy. When my coffee pot is plugged in at my tack stall, please don't unplug it so you can plug in your computer, don't you have your own outlet at your stalls, I don't want to hear your excuse that you can't get wi-fi at your stall, I want my coffee! Done ranting for now!


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## MiniNHF (Jul 14, 2014)

Here is another one for ya: walking up to someone you dont know and their horse you know nothing about and making a rude remark... ive had that happen not just on the miniature front but the riding front as well.


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## MiniNHF (Jul 21, 2014)

Just to bank off of the last post I made, had a woman this past weekend at the big horse show I was at, say as loud as she could to her daughter on her small horse/large pony mare to "stay away from that little pony because he is a stud colt" in a tone that made it sound like because my horse was a stallion he is unruly or something. I think it was uncalled for to announce that statement to the world and should have just walked up to her daughter and stated that.

I dont like someone putting a "label" on my horse because he is a stallion; was he screaming a lot yes, but he was VERY nervous because he had never been around that many big horses in his life and I think there was 2 other minis there. But when this statement was made when he was grazing very quietly with me near the show ring. But I know one thing, when he got into that ring he was all business and made some of their horses look bad that couldnt stand well or circling the entire time in the halter class.

I forgot how ignorant "show moms" can be in the riding world, but that reminded me real quick.


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## Performancemini (Jul 22, 2014)

MiniNHF: Your comments in your first post above about the rude comments within your hearing reminded me of an incident when I was a girl. I was about 11 or 12 and had only had our pony for a year or two. She was a very lovely grade Shetland. She could probably have done very well in the show ring today in the Foundation classes. Had a head lovely enough for a Classic. Very good confirmation and movement ( took my Dad forever to find us our first pony-guess that was why)-Anyway- my first year in 4-H I was won the pony mare class and went on to take Grand Champion Pony. My Dad, Mom, little sister and I were standing at her stall when another exhibitor's father came up and asked a little about her and then said "Well, your pony was placed too high. My daughter's pony is a registered Welsh and has many wins at the Welsh shows." My Dad politely replied that he might want to downgrade a child's pony when the child was not standing right there in the future. Yea Dad!!! I was so thrilled with my pony's win luckily that the comment flew right over my head. I do look back on it now as a reminder of what my Dad said though.


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## MiniNHF (Jul 22, 2014)

Performancemini said:


> MiniNHF: Your comments in your first post above about the rude comments within your hearing reminded me of an incident when I was a girl. I was about 11 or 12 and had only had our pony for a year or two. She was a very lovely grade Shetland. She could probably have done very well in the show ring today in the Foundation classes. Had a head lovely enough for a Classic. Very good confirmation and movement ( took my Dad forever to find us our first pony-guess that was why)-Anyway- my first year in 4-H I was won the pony mare class and went on to take Grand Champion Pony. My Dad, Mom, little sister and I were standing at her stall when another exhibitor's father came up and asked a little about her and then said "Well, your pony was placed too high. My daughter's pony is a registered Welsh and has many wins at the Welsh shows." My Dad politely replied that he might want to downgrade a child's pony when the child was not standing right there in the future. Yea Dad!!! I was so thrilled with my pony's win luckily that the comment flew right over my head. I do look back on it now as a reminder of what my Dad said though.


My trainer one time had to stand up for me in the middle of the warm up ring when my 4 yr old little mare ( I was only 10) was refusing over and over again because of the deep mud and a young guy came up and said obviously my mare and I were out of our league. I guess he didnt see my trainer with me and boy did he lay into him and when that guy came out of the show ring my dad laid into him haha. He was a rude @hole.


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## poniesrule (Jul 22, 2014)

Ok, so the stud comment... I would be guilty of saying something like that to my daughter. Mostly because she's 7 & usually has her head in the clouds and isn't paying attention to what she's doing & is lagging behind me. Like at our first mini show this month, she was dinking around and I was trying to walk to the bathroom with my toddler who was doing the pee dance, my 7 year old was watching what was going on in the arena and wasn't paying attention to the stallion that was throwing a fit ahead of her. I had to say loudly, but not quite shouting, "watch out, that horse is a little stud and he needs room. Pay attention!" I didn't mean it as a negative comment toward the horse or the handler, I wanted my daughter to pay attention. And I always try to make sure my girls understand that there are certain horses that are going to act a little different based on their gender... stallions can be "study" & mares who are in heat can be "mareish" heck, our gelding is a grumpus half the time. In your case I think it was absolutely uncalled for because your little man was chillaxing at the time. But as a mom with kids who are just getting around horses, I tend to be a little over protective while being understanding. And show-mom... I really really try hard not to be like that, but failed miserably at our show because I was so nervous. Guess who brought home a bunch of 1st place ribbons & who didn't! My kids beat me soundly all the way around, thank you nerves. It was my first time at an actual show rather than a pay day/gymkhana. We learned a lot, and I read this whole thread several times before going


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## Performancemini (Jul 22, 2014)

Not to make excuses for myself; I have a low serotonin level and an anxious personality. If it's too warm for me I tend to go off the deep end too easily. Or the perfectionist in me kicks in and I don't control it. So I embarrass myself and my husband or Mom (she's still showing at 84). Last year I was the horrid show ring etiquette person at a show. My husband and I were showing in Liberty and the plan was I was on the entrance/exit end and he was to cover the middle/far end. Well, he basically covered the middle and part of my end, so the horse stopped to sniff around several times at the far end. I was yelling at him to get down to the other end and when we got out of the ring I proceeded to "ream" him out about it all the way back to the stalls. I am SO ASHAMED of myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Jul 22, 2014)

Performancemini, the trick I think is not to be perfect and never do anything you regret in life or in the ring, but rather to acknowledge your mistakes and try hard to improve. We have all done things, whether while showing or just in every day life that we wish we could take back. Obviously you are not so terrible because your husband forgave you and you are able to face up to when you are in the wrong. Its the people who think they are entitled to behave in any obnoxious way they please that need to wake up.


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## MiniNHF (Jul 23, 2014)

poniesrule said:


> Ok, so the stud comment... I would be guilty of saying something like that to my daughter. Mostly because she's 7 & usually has her head in the clouds and isn't paying attention to what she's doing & is lagging behind me. Like at our first mini show this month, she was dinking around and I was trying to walk to the bathroom with my toddler who was doing the pee dance, my 7 year old was watching what was going on in the arena and wasn't paying attention to the stallion that was throwing a fit ahead of her. I had to say loudly, but not quite shouting, "watch out, that horse is a little stud and he needs room. Pay attention!" I didn't mean it as a negative comment toward the horse or the handler, I wanted my daughter to pay attention. And I always try to make sure my girls understand that there are certain horses that are going to act a little different based on their gender... stallions can be "study" & mares who are in heat can be "mareish" heck, our gelding is a grumpus half the time. In your case I think it was absolutely uncalled for because your little man was chillaxing at the time. But as a mom with kids who are just getting around horses, I tend to be a little over protective while being understanding. And show-mom... I really really try hard not to be like that, but failed miserably at our show because I was so nervous. Guess who brought home a bunch of 1st place ribbons & who didn't! My kids beat me soundly all the way around, thank you nerves. It was my first time at an actual show rather than a pay day/gymkhana. We learned a lot, and I read this whole thread several times before going


See what you said I would have been fine with, that was telling your daughter to pay attention and to give the horse room. My boy wasnt acting stupid and I had my full attention on him since I knew he was a little stressed and was keeping him away from the bulk group.

The comment was made toward him just because he was the only "stallion" there. Her daughter was more in the teenage age and was well away from my boy with her large pony/small horse just chilling at the ring side. I looked at her with a "that was uncalled for" type of look but of course she would not look me in the eye after that.


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## MiniNHF (Jul 23, 2014)

Performancemini said:


> Not to make excuses for myself; I have a low serotonin level and an anxious personality. If it's too warm for me I tend to go off the deep end too easily. Or the perfectionist in me kicks in and I don't control it. So I embarrass myself and my husband or Mom (she's still showing at 84). Last year I was the horrid show ring etiquette person at a show. My husband and I were showing in Liberty and the plan was I was on the entrance/exit end and he was to cover the middle/far end. Well, he basically covered the middle and part of my end, so the horse stopped to sniff around several times at the far end. I was yelling at him to get down to the other end and when we got out of the ring I proceeded to "ream" him out about it all the way back to the stalls. I am SO ASHAMED of myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





Reignmaker Miniatures said:


> Performancemini, the trick I think is not to be perfect and never do anything you regret in life or in the ring, but rather to acknowledge your mistakes and try hard to improve. We have all done things, whether while showing or just in every day life that we wish we could take back. Obviously you are not so terrible because your husband forgave you and you are able to face up to when you are in the wrong. Its the people who think they are entitled to behave in any obnoxious way they please that need to wake up.


I agree with Reignmaker, its the people who think they do no wrong and what they do is because they can with no consequences.


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## MiniNHF (Jul 29, 2014)

Here is a good example for you all since it happened over the weekend to me at a horse show... this involved a gator type vehicles (so this would apply to all the people who drive their golf carts etc at horse shows that they need to pay attention, which I know some do, but some do not)

When I was headed back from the show arenas to the horse trailers since my classes were done, I came out of the cross walk for the horses and headed down the road to the opening where my trailer was located. When I started to walk down the side of the road with my boy, I noticed a gator type vehicle come at us at a good get. Since my attention was draw to them and their speed I wasnt paying 100% attention on my boy.

As the gator flew by us and to the camper area my boy spooked, bolting forward and cow kicking out at the same time and nailed me in the side of my knee cap, (when this happens my kneeds always buckle) so as I took a step forward to step up with him my knee buckled and I slammed to the asphalt. With my weight from the fall and him whirling around as halter caught him and his weight on it my halter snapped at a week point and he took off like a bat out of heck.

Ive never seen him move so fast in my life, by the time I peeled myself off of the asphalt and limped down to the show arenas where he took off to, he already had gotten nailed twice in the neck by a paint standing by the arena and had about 5 wanna be cowboys jumping after him like they didnt have good sense... amazing how non-horse sensed people become when there is a loose horse. Finally a by stander just quietly walked up to him and slipped a lead rope around his neck and caught him for me.

This all could have been avoided if those guys on the gator slowed down as they passed us. I think I was the worse for wear after all that but it could have been alot worse.


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## lucky seven (Jul 29, 2014)

Mini something like that happened to me 16 years ago, we had just purchased our first horse and was rough bordering him. I had him on his lead taking him to his paddock. I let him nibble at grass on the way down and a truck with a trailer with junk on it flew by us and my horse bolted. I tried to hold on and he jerked me off my feet. The man in the truck was a sports injury surgeon and a horse person. He apologized but it took many years for this novice horse owner to get over the fear of leading my very spooky stb. He's 23 yo old now and still a nervous nelly. Those gater people should have known better, your boy could have gotten hurt.


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## Riverrose28 (Jul 30, 2014)

Once when showing in liberty class, or really after this is what happened to me. My mare had a really good time of it, not enough animation to win, first but whe did well and I have her come to me for the catch. Pretty happy with our performance I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention as we were exiting the ring. Just as I walked out of the gate the next exhibitor started cracking and waving a whip with a plastic bag attached trying to fire up her horse. She succeded in fireing up mine as she spooked right into me knocking my legs out from under me. Down on my back I went. It only hurt for a little while!


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## MiniNHF (Jul 31, 2014)

lucky seven said:


> Mini something like that happened to me 16 years ago, we had just purchased our first horse and was rough bordering him. I had him on his lead taking him to his paddock. I let him nibble at grass on the way down and a truck with a trailer with junk on it flew by us and my horse bolted. I tried to hold on and he jerked me off my feet. The man in the truck was a sports injury surgeon and a horse person. He apologized but it took many years for this novice horse owner to get over the fear of leading my very spooky stb. He's 23 yo old now and still a nervous nelly. Those gater people should have known better, your boy could have gotten hurt.


Thats good at least he stopped and apologized, most people usually do not. Im glad my boy didnt get hurt and he is a tough little guy.



Riverrose28 said:


> Once when showing in liberty class, or really after this is what happened to me. My mare had a really good time of it, not enough animation to win, first but whe did well and I have her come to me for the catch. Pretty happy with our performance I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention as we were exiting the ring. Just as I walked out of the gate the next exhibitor started cracking and waving a whip with a plastic bag attached trying to fire up her horse. She succeded in fireing up mine as she spooked right into me knocking my legs out from under me. Down on my back I went. It only hurt for a little while!


Ouch, thats almost like I did just the opposite, onto my side. I think it hurt more landing on the asphalt really then it did when he kicked out and hit my knee.


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## MiniNHF (Sep 14, 2015)

Is it just me or was there a lot of "whooping" going on during the Amateur Stallion classes at R Nationals this weekend? I didn't know we were at a western or saddlebred show here o.0'

To me is rude and inconsiderate to the other exhibitors and the judges trying to concentrate on judging the horses especially when the classes were ranging from 20-30 horses just in halter.

I hope someone addressed this issue because it was so annoying and bad when I was watching online that I had to turn my sound off. And it wasn't just one person sounded like a whole freaking group of them.


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## paintponylvr (Oct 11, 2015)

Rude showmen/women - HOW NOT TO RUN YOUR ORGANIZATION

This is a LONG one, better grab your drink and sit down for a bit!!

Have some serious stories (MANY more than one) but 3 incidents in one day stand out in my mind and memories.

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We'd been back in NC for 15 months, the first time with horses/ponies. I'd struggled to find instructors/trainers that would work with our small ponies & young children (insurance issues prevented some lessons - Madira was just 5 and Sierra was 4) and had gone on to do the work with them all myself. I AND they worked hard and we finally were at a point where I thought they might be ready to go "show off" what they'd accomplished up to this point when we were invited by a young lady (through our Equine Vet) to come to their clubs' OPEN show. The show included classes for children in ours' age groups, but not for ponies (I mistakenly thought that this was OK - not thinking about how many "biggies" are out there that have never seen small equine of any sort).

Never been to a show at 1 pm in a very hot state in July. I was hot and flustered and VERY LOST when I finally managed to find the showgrounds (several 3 point turn arounds with a stock trailer on very narrow NC back roads)... a bit later than I'd planned. UGH. I unload the girls and ponies and before I go to do their entries, get them dressed and outfitted ponies touched up etc and leave them at the in-gate waiting for their numbers and me to come back (the foal to the one mare is IN THE CAB OF MY truck in the air conditioning, LOL). The mare was quiet at the gate and the girls were off to the side where I'd left them. Got them entered in the classes and had their numbers and returned to find an ADULT man telling all three of them that their PONIES were NOT ALLOWED on the showgrounds and whomever had dropped them and their little misfit POS's off needed to remove them (and lots of other NASTY, MEAN THINGS) - of course - all 3 girls were in tears, already sunburned faces going splotchy/red with the tears and icky noses running freely and then the ponies started getting upset too... I was "up in arms" but think I maintained politeness ever so much better trying to show the girls right from wrong - told the "gentleman" to mind his own business, pulled out the baby wipes from my pocket and cleaned up the girls', quieted the ponies, attached numbers and we went back over what was expected of the girls to perform (pattern showmanship class - YIKES)... The youngest, Sierra, refused to enter the ring. OK, I'll let you bow out. The other two - at first - were pretty "froze up" when the MALE Judge asked them questions about horse care and class patterns. Not difficult and both knew the answers, but... The other kids in the class were having problems at this point too (some of the larger horses were dragging their handlers around - afraid of the ponies), so he restarted and then our oldest, Skye (8yrs) found her tongue and answered - quietly and correctly. The judge BEAMED at her - which caused her to relax and Madira (5 1/2 yrs) followed suit. She stumbled over her next answer and it wasn't correct but did quiet her now dancing mare (dam of foal, now with me at the gate) and reposed her - almost correctly. I was proud of their abilities at this point - no not perfect but OK and w/ lots to build on. They didn't forget much once they "un-froze". I pretty much had the class pinned correctly in my head BUT forgot about the son of the "gentleman" at the gate. He didn't place at all (my oldest took 1st and the middle took 5th/last) and Dad was MAD! Didn't even let the girls' out of the gate before going into another very nasty rant. FINALLY, some members of this club took hold of him, pulled him aside so we could clear the gates and get away...

A little bit later, I made an embarrassing mistake that could have resulted in injury. The girls/ponies are now under saddle and they are practicing in the arena before the classes start for riding. A storm is building and the breeze is freshening. 'Dira is riding the mare and I'm holding the colt while they stop so that he can nurse. He's a very short 15 days old. The Judge approaches us and states that while in her riding class, the colt can be turned loose to run "at her side". Oops - I should have known better. When they enter the class, it's got quite a number of kids on all sizes of horses. The ponies ours are riding are the smallest and then that TINY baby was in with them, too. It was fine until he started zooming around! Can you say that those horses got upset? I managed to duck under the rails and catch him as he zoomed by again, the gate keeper let us out. BUT the whole class had been affected (I wanted to drop in a hole)... FINALLY, everything returned to normal and the class was finished. I was just thankful everyone was OK, can't remember how the placings in that one went... I kept a hold of the colt for a couple more classes - overall, again, I was proud of our girls and their ponies. Last class they were in - then we dashed for the trk/trlr as the storm opened up. Almost literally "threw" the ponies w/ their saddles on, into the trailer and the girls and I hopped into the truck to wait it out. The lightning was pretty spectacular...

The storm went by and we hopped out and unloaded the ponies to untack and wipe them down (they'd gotten wet thru the open sides of the stock trailer when storm blowing sideways). The Judges' "job" was soon done and he came and introduced himself to us and spoke to me for a while. NOW - I had been out of the horses but I had kept up with the industry. I knew who this QH judge was, knew where his QH farm was and was thrilled that he was giving back to "our" community by judging a small, open show. I was both flattered and thankful for his kind introduction, his handling of the showmanship class that was our daughters' intro to the "HORSE SHOW WORLD" and the fact that he had some nice pointers. Then he went on to state - ".... when your daughters are finally off the little craps & into the full size horses, they will "clean up"..." He handed me his card and stated ..." when they are ready for REAL (& yes, it was emphasized) horses, visit us..." and I was stunned. ........................ REALLY?

The ponies were tied at the trailer, now unsaddled, while the girls and I got some burgers/dogs/fries and watched them setting up for the gaming classes. As they rolled out the barrels - Skye realized what was going on. "MOM - are they going to do barrel racing like in the Rodeos we watched w/ Papa/Gramma?" The first class was announced and I'm studying the program. "Well, yes" and all 3 turned to me with big, shining eyes and chirped "CAN WE?" "Well, we haven't practiced..."

"MOM, we KNOW the patterns -do them all the time (on their stick horses in races w/ the other kids in our neighborhood in town)..." I left them by themselves watching the 1st adult barrel racing class, while I went up to the Entry booth and checked to see if they could still enter their age group classes. I ended up only entering the oldest and the youngest, since Madira didn't look so good (she would go on in the next few years to get sick at almost every show we attended and THAT's how she remembers her summers - being sick at "all" the shows I "drug her to").

We go back and retack up the ponies. 'Dira is not upset about not riding. We didn't have any western gear for Skye, she was riding english, so she still was. Didn't occur to me to use 'Dira's saddle on Skye's larger mare and just let the stirrups down. Also, Skye's pony has a huge trot, but not a real good canter/gallop... Hmm... Into the ring they go and it gets quiet as Skye and Magic TROT to the first barrel, make their turn and TROT to the 2nd barrel (she remembered the pattern YES!!) - as she's lining up to the 3rd - EVERYONE starts screaming - get that pony moving, get to that barrel. Seemed like encouragement and finally Magic did break into a weird, choppy canter (she wasn't happy with the thick clods left by the rain/tractor before the games either). Then rounding the 3rd barrel, the "booing" started... Skye & Magic were "Boo-ed" right out of the arena - at a trot! Then it was Sierra's turn on LITTLE Stuffy (maybe 35/36" at the time as a 26 month old shetland). She's wearing a western hat and saddle and though she starts out at a trot, Stuffy gamely plows thru the ground and picks up a canter... Breaks to a trot when Sierra almost took her the wrong way, corrected and went on. They managed a GALLOP from 3rd barrel home BUT they were also "Boo-ed"... It was almost the same for the pole bending class. Funny - they both placed in both classes!!

All of the classes were a jackpot system - they won $$ back instead of getting ribbons/trophies. The 3 girls did well enough in each of their classes that they PAID for all of the entries AND the gas and the FOOD we ate!! I kept the card I wrote their winnings on for YEARS... Tossed it when I put all the info on computer only to have that computer hard drive crash a few years ago. BUT I haven't forgotten!

It was quiet on the way home. I was thinking the girls were understandably tired, but then they all started simpering... "What's wrong with Stuffy?", "Did we really do something wrong?" "Why were they "Boo-ing (OMG, I had thought I was the only one to hear that!)?" "Why didn't anybody LIKE our ponies - aren't they really good?"...

All I could think was "O, Lord, grant me strength..." and "Larry, where are you when we need you to help explain the cruelty that abounds w/i our human race (he was in Saudi)?"... We made it home, my answers must have sufficed somehow, the girls were bathed and tucked into bed after dropping the ponies at the pasture they lived in.

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I never attended another event put on by that Organization. Maybe it was wrong, but living/handling ponies and kids "by myself" while hubby was overseas was enough. Instead, we went to other events, some not nearly as exciting as the gaming, but more accepting of the small ponies. 2 years later, this same Organization knew that I had gotten together with another trainer/instructor and we had a slew of kids riding OUR ponies and some horses. They wanted us to come support their events - ESPECIALLY the YOUTH EVENTS. l refused and the person calling me about a specific youth show said I was "mean" for not supporting their children's events and a few OTHER NOT VERY NICE THINGS. I don't remember being rude or nasty, but I could have been. I didn't go - but the trainer/instructor DID - taking 4 children, their families and 2 of our ponies (along with horses owned by the other families). It didn't go any better than the first show from what I understand and the trainer/instructor was VERY UNHAPPY (she hadn't believed me when I'd told her about my first experience with this group - said I was blowing it all out of proportion) but then she believed me!

I wasn't as "Snap Happy" then with a camera, the camera was a 35mm (meaning lots of hard copy prints to get 1 or 2 nice ones!) but I managed to get a couple of shots of the girls that day!

"Spirit" in the cab of the truck (O, yea, when I moved the truck/trailer and then "unloaded" him from the cab, you should have seen people's faces!! He jumped out on his own - on the lead rope - when I asked) and then Madira (sunburned!) riding Patty w/ Spirit hiding behind. This was after "their" class and Spirit was a bit "spirit-less"... LOL









I added a pic of Sierra and Stuffy while getting a lesson in showmanship the next weekend. But every show (3 or 4) for the next year or so, Sierra would either have to have me go in the ring w/ her (starting out holding her hand) or not go in at all if I wasn't allowed to go in too...









And Skye riding "Magic" -









We had just picked up Magic over Valentine's Day weekend and she's been under saddle since mid-April - so 90 days. And in future shows, Skye would be wearing her jacket (except at a few shows where it was allowed to let them ride w/o), proper Jod knee straps and a saddle pad that fit the smaller pony and saddle properly, with the pony's mane also braided correctly (well in a long, running French braid)...

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Not sure how we ever continued with showing over the years, but that's many other stories!!


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## Ryan Johnson (Oct 11, 2015)

Wow Paula !! That is a great story. Not what happened to your children but the way "you" handled it.

That "Trip home " would of broken my heart listening to the kids ask those questions.

Can only hope that children getting into showing or any sport for that matter, don't have to encounter ( ill try and be polite) "Morons" Like your kids had too.


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## paintponylvr (Oct 11, 2015)

Ryan - there were days that I HATED my "beloved" horse industry and definitely hated the state of NC where I sometimes felt stranded by my hubby!! That wasn't the only incident of "moronic-ness" (think I made a word up!) displayed over the years, here. It has been a struggle for me to understand some things/beliefs of people here in the south...

But after visiting my favored western states, after being gone so long, I found some of the same attitudes and I realized it was probably just "life". Doesn't always make it easier, though!

and thank you.


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## amysue (Oct 11, 2015)

Paula, you are a better person than I am, if someone treated me or my students like that at a show...lets just say I would get myself thrown out. As far as etiquette, a lot of it comes down to common sense and good old respect, two things that many people know nothing about. My worst show experience was at a fair show when I was in high school. I grew up riding huntseat equitation then got into jumping and once I began riding at an Arabian farm, I took up saddleseat. All of which I competed in extensively, but western was something I barely dabbled in. Well a friend had a lovely western pleasure mare and she let me share her. I borrowed her show clothes and tack and rode her mare in a few shows and she borrowed my hunt outfit and rode my gelding English. We rode each other's horses in a few classes at several shows that year. We decided to enter a few classes at the fair that year and normally the hunter divisions were so big that they split the classes. That year the western pleasure class had over 30 entries! That was huge, considering the previous year they had 4. Anyway, during my first class, thete was this woman was leaning over the rail holding the prize list and she was discretely fluttering the pages to spook other rider's horses as they jogged by. She of course refrained from spooking the horses belonging to her students. Well, luckilly the mare that I was riding was unphased by her blatant stupidity and poor sportsmanship. I sometimes cannot help myself...so I cued her to hug the rail real close, and as we passed this idiot at a lope, I stuck my right foot out over the rail and I kicked her square in the jaw with that oh so pretty and heavy shiny engraved silver stirrup! Knocked the stupid twit right on her butt. I Got "excused" from the ring of course, but it was worth it. To add insult to injury, no one helped her up, but the spectators "woo hoo'ed" the minute I kicked her and "awwwed" as the ring master escorted me out. Not my proudest moment.

Recently at an open show this summer, I had a beginner rider in a walk-trot class who was doing well, until another exhibitor rode her horse's nose right up her butt for the whole class. Neither of them placed. I politely asked the girl to keep a safe distance behind the other horses to no avail, so for the third and final class of her division, we tied some red curling ribbon in our pony's tail that was left in the trailer from the fourth of July parade. My mare doesn't kick (if she did, that girl would have learned a valuable lesson) instead she just "tailgated" my pony for the duration of the first two classes. I thought the ribbon would make a statement, perhaps her trainer would smarten up and tell her to back off. Well it did, sort of, she rode up some other horse's butt for the last class and got kicked out at twice , our student placed second while the creeper got the gate. Come to find out, that girl had never ridden before, this was her first time on a horse! Her "trainer" just threw her up there and told her to follow someone else. Some people!


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## Ryan Johnson (Oct 11, 2015)

I should Laugh....................... BUT





serves her self right for her poor sportsmanship


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## Ryan Johnson (Oct 11, 2015)

That was supposed to be I Shouldn't laugh , but you get my drift


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## MiniNHF (Oct 15, 2015)

I remember when I was about 10 years old and I was attempting to warm up for stadium and up to that point was a cold miserable fall day. Got soaked totally through my dressage test (could not wear rain jackets in the ring) and then they called cross country because it was so sloppy the first horse and rider got injured and the rider when to the hospital, ugh.

Due to the sloppiness, the stadium warm up jumps were just chewed up at their take offs and for my petite 15:1 QH mare she just sunk into these holes and the warm up wasn't large enough for them to reposition the jumps. After about the 4th time of my mare just shutting down and refusing to jump the oxcer because of the deep mud this snot ball of a teenage boy prances up on his million dollar push button horse and says I have no business even competing there.. Luckily even though my trainer was a quiet person he saw this transaction happen and ran up to the boy and grabbed his horse by the reins and literally embarrassed him in front of everyone that was present. He already had his eye on him because he cut me off more than once to the smaller warm up jumps causing my little mare to either refuse or for me to have to turn out at the last minute bc there he was.

Unfortunately that has rattled me because I was already a timid and shy person when I was younger and ended up getting eliminated from the course, so that and the mud didn't help my little girl's attempt (who was barely four to begin with); two babies trying to cope.)


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## FurstPlaceMiniatures (Oct 15, 2015)

Amysue: you are my idol now! Lol


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## MiniNHF (Nov 18, 2015)

I have to add one from my driving endurance ride this past Sunday. So a friend of mine convinced me to take one of my minis out for an endurance drive/ride that was a "fun" competition, no stress, not formal etc. So I took my stallion out with her gelding prior to this event to get use to being outside of the ring. He did as well as could be expected for how green he is to outside the ring driving. Right before we finished the drive (my friend and I headed out together) she noticed his breastplate was a little lower then normal, but we were so close to home and it wasn't bothering him nor was it dangerously low so we decided to just wait and fix it when we stopped.

As soon as I crossed the finishline behind my friend, one of the two women at the finish line starts freaking out trying to stop me saying the breastplate is so low he is going to fall o.0' there is no way when I had the top strap behind the hook. I told her to calm down and I would stop to the side before heading to the trailers and fix it. Well I guess this woman couldn't wait, as I had stopped my stallion and was slowly getting out (since he is a freaky type of horse and we are in the "doing everything slow" stage) and I didn't even have my self half out of the cart she runs up and grabs at the breastplate.... weellllll my stallion had NO idea she was there and she didn't announce herself to him, so what does he do? like any normal horse freaks out and bolts. So here I am half out of the cart (easy entry), reins in my left hand trying to stop him so the cart doesn't knock me to the ground and I have the woman screaming to let him go o.0' yeah right no thanks I don't feel like chasing a run away mini and cart. So I get jerked and twisted and nailed also in the back by the EE cart.

Luckily, I can hold him and pushed her out of the way to get to his face so he could see me.. As im trying to calm my poor shaking mini and attempting to get the reins to the front so I can get him to follow me, the other woman is yelling at me to get out of the away because a bigger horse cart is coming across the line, no mind you there is PLENTY of room and they were barely coming in at a trot.. at this point I am so infuriated by both women I told her to screw it...

Come Monday, I spent two hours in my chiropractors office because my left side was so torqued head to toe from the disaster that one woman caused because she couldn't keep her hands off my horse. The pain was so bad I was throwing up, couldn't eat or drink and so on. I have a condition were my nervous system makes pain 10xs worse then the average person at this point in time of my life (due to a car accident)

IDK if its because our horses or small or what but I can guarantee you she would have not done that to a large horse or a team. Its now three days later and I am still peeved due to what she put my horse and myself through.


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## Marsha Cassada (Nov 19, 2015)

That is a bad scene. What a stupid woman. Busybody? Micromanager? You are right...she would never have rushed up on a big horse. Hope you get bettter quickly.


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## MiniNHF (Nov 19, 2015)

Totally could have been avoided and really all she had to do was ask if I needed help


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## lucky seven (Nov 19, 2015)

There always seems to be those busy bodies who think they know more than anyone else and have to prove it. She was so blind that she couldn't see that you and your horse could have been hurt. Hope your boy gets over his shock, they have such long memories. This lady is probably telling everyone who will listen how she "saved the day"


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## MiniNHF (Nov 20, 2015)

Or telling every one what an out of control horse I have




.. Honestly he seemed to recover fine, I fixed the strap and I got back in the cart and walked around for a good 1/2 hour after that and he was calm, definitely exhausted from the entire experience.


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