# Showing Modern Pleasure



## Acheron (Aug 9, 2006)

Ok, since I've heard recently that if I were to show my 3yo male, it would have to be as a modern because she is B papered. Bear with me, I'm new to Shetlands...

She does NOT have the action of a Modern, so I think it would have to be Modern Pleasure. Sounds better for me anyways.

So, can you tell me:

The braids are attached how? And where do I get some, or what do I make them out of? Can any colors be used?

What bridle/halter is used?

Does a Modern Pleasure Pony need to be shod to be competitive? CAN they be barefoot? I've read that it's common to paint the stripes into the hooves when they're not solid colored...are they sanded like an Arabs first?

I've also noticed a few pictures (would LOVE to see more, though, hint hint) that the bridlepath on many MP ponies is trimmed way back, like an Arab. Is that the norm? Of course I'm sure length depends on neck structure and all that....

Also, HOW do you all get your pony's manes to lay so flat and smooth? Chrome's has such a rise the man goes UP first then falls over her crest- is it just gelled to stay in place, like an Arab again?

Are treats/crinkly cellophane allowed in the ring with you to bait the neck?

Ok, I think that is it for now! But I'm sure more will come up...

Thanks a bunch, I'm learning so much from this forum!


----------



## EquineLover (Aug 9, 2006)

Treats/ crinkly cellophane would be allowed in halter. Im pretty sure you use the same halter as for minis which you can buy on minitack.com.For the mane,you can use a mane tamer to help train it to lay flat,and use gel.Thats the only ones I can answer,but Im sure someone who knows more about Shetlands will answer the rest.




Good Luck!


----------



## disneyhorse (Aug 9, 2006)

I'm pretty new to the Moderns too  I just got a Modern mare this summer, she's probably a bit closer to Modern than Modern Pleasure but I'm not ready to do the full Modern thing with her quite yet. I don't think she's QUITE as extreme as some of those Moderns I saw at Congress anyway!

Here's my take on it so far, but I am by NO means an expert! :

Modern Pleasure is for the B papered Moderns that don't have quite the extreme action, breaking above level consistently. They ARE still in chains and such to get more movement out of them to be competitive, not like the Classics. I've also been told Modern Pleasure horses are also a bit "prettier" a little bit... better head and such. At Congress I thought the Moderns were pretty though!

For the braids, you will use either two or three colors traditionally, and it's the 1/2 or 3/4 ribbon you get at the fabric store. It is braided in to the forelock and a tiny bit of mane right behind the bridle path. The forelock is typically shaven down to only a few little hairs, as they want it to be mostly ribbon not hair. The braid is really tight and knotted at the bottom to keep it in. It seems everyone braids the night before the show, and the braids stay in the whole entire time (at Congress I didn't see any unbraided Moderns hanging out in their stalls).

It's all about the braids, not pretty hair.

I got my show bridle at www.dsharness.com. Dale Lutke sells them in biothane, bit and all for pretty reasonable (way cheaper than the leather ones!). It's an english type bridle with reins and a cavesson underneath. They use a Weymouth bit... it has a curb chain and long shanks and a little bit of a port. Classics are typically shown in the Arab-style-cable halters, Moderns seem to all be in bridles if they are over a year old. The bridle allows the handler to really get them to set their head when they are worked on the rail. It works really good for my mare, so there must be something to it. Remember when working on the rail, the Moderns are worked right up against the rail, and the Modern Pleasures are worked "off the rail" that is a couple feet away from it.

ANY Modern... even the Modern Pleasure... "should" be shod when shown ESPECIALLY to be competitive. The RULEBOOK says that shoes are not mandatory but are "strongly recommended" so I take that to mean YES shoe them up! Modern Pleasures can have evenly weighted keg type shoes and a light pad if desired. My pony moves a lot better with shoes, she came to me barefoot and with no "show foot" so I am really starting to see a difference with shoes and a little bit of growth of foot over the past couple months I've had her.

When painting their feet, MOST people at Congress sanded them down pretty, and painted the black stripes black and left the white part alone or put clear polish on them.

They DO seem to have more of an Arab bridlepath. My pony came to me with her bridlepath already done, and it looks good, so I'm enclosing a picture below.

Mane tamers and slinky hoods will be your best bet to keep the mane slicked down.

You can use crinkley stuff or treats, and you can carry a whip too like in Arabs. The actual trick is NOT to get them to "bait the neck" but only to "bait the ears". The moderns you want to keep the neck STRAIGHT up, the neck should come out of the chest and shoulder VERTICALLY in a well built Modern. Only a verrrry little bit should the neck come forward. That was my biggest mistake when I first took my Pony in the ring, I was used to the minis.

I hope that helped any, I am still desperately trying to learn everything I can about the Moderns. I am a big fan of them.

Here is my new Modern "Country's Etched With Class"... she got a HOF last year in Modern Pleasure so she can't be TOO off type...






Here she is with just shoes and a little bit (about 1 3/4" of heel) of foot so far (took the picture last week). I want to start putting her in chains to get more action out of her. I bought some chains but they have nylon straps... I am having a friend make leather ones for her so they don't chafe.






Hope that helps.

Andrea


----------



## kaykay (Aug 9, 2006)

hi Andrea

Im just curious where in the rule book it says that shod modern pleasure ponies are "strongly recommended"???

Heres what the page says under modern pleasure. Unless theres another page im not seeing?

pg 128 b

entries to be shown barefoot or with an evenely weighted appropriate size, light plate of uniform thickness and weight.

We showed patches modern pleasure for 2 years and never shod her. She was national top ten all star both years. And she showed at Congress without shoes



She also never had chains or bands.

Remember the standard is different for modern pleasure then it is for modern. The modern pleasure class was created for the moderns that were not so extreme in action and type and for the people who dont want to band and shoe etc. Thats why its a "pleasure" class. This is also why temperment is really important in a pleasure pony. (from the rulebook-"must display an absolutely agreeable attitude")

Most people use their farm colors for the braids. Its really hard to explain how to put them in you really need to watch someone do it as I cant describe it in type lol. We used a pony show halter. We always braided the day of the show as patches braids always came out.

And by the way i love your pony mare andrea


----------



## disneyhorse (Aug 9, 2006)

Here's the Rulebook excerpts:

L. Modern Pleasure Pony Halter Division same as Part

11.C. Pleasure halter ponies may be shown barefoot or

may be shod in accordance with the rules governing

either Formal Pleasure or Country Pleasure ponies.

In the General Modern standard section:

Shetlands one year of age and older: it is

recommended, but not mandatory, that Modern

Shetlands one year and over be shod for optimum

performance. Ponies under one year must not be shod.

You can take it any way you want. They do not HAVE to be shod but I take it to mean that a Modern carded judge is going to "recommend" shoes for a pony in a show class.

Andrea


----------



## kaykay (Aug 9, 2006)

Andrea

the first excerpt is for driving classes for moderns

the second one is the modern standard

you have to read the modern PLEASURE standard

Im sorry if im making you mad i just dont want Acheron thinking she has to shoe her pleasure pony to show it. And yes unshod pleasure ponies are competitive!! (this was the posters question) Or at least the judges that judged patches thought she was.

I honestly dont know why this is upsetting?? Im not making up what im saying?? And in all honestly in the years we showed patches modern pleasure i never saw anyone competing against us in shoes. I just think you are confusing the modern standard with the pleasure standard.

Im no expert for sure but i have shown a modern pleasure pony for a couple years. I just wanted to be sure the poster was getting accurate information. I learned to show a modern pleasure before i learned to show a mini!

And i just want to be clear i have nothing against shoeing or bands. I just prefer not to.

im done for awhile. Its not worth the stress of posting when you are constantly called on the carpet etc., people getting upset etc. Stick a fork in me im done.

Kay


----------



## disneyhorse (Aug 9, 2006)

I'm not upset??? I am clearly new to ponies and that's what I found in the Rulebook so I thought we were discussing it?

And yes KayKay,,, here is what it says in the Modern Pleasure halter class description:

b. Entries to shown barefoot or with an evenly

weighted appropriate size, light plate of

uniform thickness and weight (light pads are

optional).

I still think that since what makes a Modern (or Modern Pleasure) pony stand out from the Classic or Foundation Shetlands is the ACTION above all else. The hackney background ensures this. My pony mare is A papered, that is she doesn't have a lot of hackney background like a B papered pony, but she has action that is too extreme for a Classic so she really is off type for that. Shoeing and chains and action aids will help her improve her action and be more competitive.

And really, a pony is only as competitive as the other ponies in the class. If no other pony is shod in the class, then obviously being barefoot is not going to hurt the pony at all. The rules state you can show barefoot and it's perfectly acceptable. I've just seen MOST Moderns shod and when I showed my pony at her first show (barefoot) I was advised to at least put light plate shoes on her.

Andrea


----------



## Leeana (Aug 9, 2006)

I think it would be pointless to shoe a pleasure pony, if you wanted action like a modern or wanted to go through all the work, hassle and money to show a high stepping modern then you would invest in an actual modern and not show a modern pleasure pony. I've always thought that you couldnt shoe a pleasure, guess we learn something new everyday





For the hooves, honestly i hate when people just paint the stripes ..it looks rediculous to me. Also i think the mare your talking about is the blck/whte pinto ..? I would just black the hooves completely bc i think it would look nicer with a mostly black horse.

For the manes here is how i've taimed harleys wildchild mane, he basically had hair to the left, hair to the right and hair just sticking straight up. If i could tame that hair you have nothing to fear



. Once or twice a day i took a spray bottle and sprayed water on the mane and brushed it over to one side. I think i had it trained within a week or so. Its still poofy but you can always go in underneath the main and clip some to get the poof and fluff out of it. If you dont have a sleezy hood or manetamer to put on her the spray bottle and brushing it over to one side is the next best thing, the key is to do it daily if not 2x a day. I stopped doing it about 5wks ago and its still on one side



:


----------



## kaykay (Aug 9, 2006)

rethinking my last post. You know what in the bigger scheme of life it doesnt matter lol

acheron if you want to put shoes on your pony by all means do it. Just know that you dont have to shoe her to show modern pleasure and you can stil be competitive and yes thats just my opinion for what its worth.


----------



## Acheron (Aug 9, 2006)

Oops-

Didn't mean all this to start...hehe.

Yes, the b/w Pinto, but I'm really concerned because she does not trot like any of htese pleasure horses I'm seeing, she's more like a hunter...let me see if I can find a trotting pic.

Thanks for the mane tips- I have been spraying it and brushing it, and using some kolesterol (sp?) to weigh it down. It's all on the same side, thank goodness, just seems to POOF then fall....

Darn on the braids- and the forelock! I like my pony's forelock!

Well since I'm in the middle of nowhere, I'm not sure I could find someone who could shoe my pony. It would require some hauling, thats for sure.

Kaykay, you've been a WEALTH of information to me so far, please don't go away.... :new_shocked:

Andrea- you're relatively near me! I'm also in Southern California. Kinda.


----------



## kaykay (Aug 10, 2006)

acheron you did not start anythign!!



For sure everyones entitled to their opinion. Keep in mind that Modern Pleasure is not just about action. Its also about "type" Modern pleasure ponies are usually more substantial in bone and not as upright and necky as a modern. Pleasure ponies are NOT supposed to have the huge high step of a Modern. I think your mare fits the modern standard very well. The standard in the rule book says "While its gait must be collected and balanced, it need not have the brillance or the high action of the roadster or harness pony"

As for the forelock it grows back in so fast you wont believe it. If her mane is really poofy you probably need to undercut it or hand pull it


----------



## spazkat (Aug 10, 2006)

GC Stable said:


> I think it would be pointless to shoe a pleasure pony, if you wanted action like a modern or wanted to go through all the work, hassle and money to show a high stepping modern then you would invest in an actual modern and not show a modern pleasure pony. I've always thought that you couldnt shoe a pleasure, guess we learn something new everyday
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The thing with painting the feet solid black regardless of the color of a horses foot is done more with Minis than with others. While it is always personal choice, keeping to the natural colors of the foot is what I have seen most often with Moderns... and is almost always done with Hackneys / Saddlebreds/ Morgans etc. (and quite a few of the Modern judges do come from those backgrounds - much moreso than mini judges).

As far as shoes... extreme motion is hardly the only reason to keep a pony shod. I think attutudes about shoeing ponies depends quite a bit on your backgroud. Ive noticed alot of people that come from minis dont shoe, because they arent used to it while most people that come from hackneys or a big horse background do shoe since its more common. I have always had mine shod, even with just light plates to protect the hoofs from rocky ground, uneven wear... etc. The whole point of trimming the foot is to keep it at the best possible length and angle for the pony... why not insure it stay that way (or as close as possible) between trims?


----------



## Acheron (Aug 10, 2006)

Spazcat-

I agree, and in the past week while I've been conditioning her, I've been concerned about her feet, they are wearing quite a bit. We live in the desert, and the ground is like sandpaper...

But how do I find a shoer than can shoe a pony???


----------



## alphahorses (Aug 10, 2006)

Acheron said:


> But how do I find a shoer than can shoe a pony???


Try this site link:

American Farrier's Association

Any certified farrier - especially a Journeyman - should be able to either shoe a pony for you or point you to somone who is qualified.

Just remember .. if you find a good farrier, treat him/her like GOLD!! The really good farriers have more work than they can handle....


----------



## spazkat (Aug 10, 2006)

Acheron said:


> But how do I find a shoer than can shoe a pony???


Ive always had the best luck by calling other local stables and asking who they use or if there's someone they might recommend. Theres almost no difference between shoeing a pony and a horse of similar type besides the obvious size differences. For a Modern pleasure I would probably check stables stables that have Mortgans/Saddlebreds/Hackneys/Arabs as they are most similar in type and farriers that shoe then will be more familiar with what you're looking for in movement.

Maybe its just me (or my area) but I have come across a lot of certified farriers who think a "proper trim" means every horse in the barn gets the exact same angle and length of hoof. (Which was a bit frightening since the barn where i was contained everything from a reining horse to my Hackney... with all sorts of conformational differences). Also, some farriers that work primarily on quarter horses tend to take off a lot more heel than I would want on any type of driving horse.


----------



## Acheron (Aug 10, 2006)

Wish it were that simple- we have no one in the area good at shoeing gaited horses. I have a friend who shows ASBs, and her horses are always shod and padded at the trainers, one hundred plus miles away.

But, since we're not talking pads and weighted shoes....I supposed I could ask around.

My current farrier just quit- he's selling houses now...lol

I have a man coming up, but since I'm 75 miles from him, he's hard to get and I pay through the teeth, thats for sure..

Michelle


----------



## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Aug 10, 2006)

kaykay said:


> Keep in mind that Modern Pleasure is not just about action. Its also about "type" Modern pleasure ponies are usually more substantial in bone and not as upright and necky as a modern. Pleasure ponies are NOT supposed to have the huge high step of a Modern.


For what little I know about ponies and I am learning since my friends have them and am sure at some point we will get one as well... I totally agree with this statement Kay there seems to be a very big difference to my eye anyway from the True competitive moderns and the competitive modern pleasure horses more then just movement I am not sure they are as interchangeable as some think?


----------



## alphahorses (Aug 11, 2006)

Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis said:


> For what little I know about ponies... I totally agree with this statement Kay there seems to be a very big difference to my eye anyway from the True competitive moderns and the competitive modern pleasure horses more then just movement I am not sure they are as interchangeable as some think?


I agree. Now my experience is limited in this area, but I have a mare that we showed for a few years in the Modern Pleasure division - she won at Worlds and was Reserve at Congress so obviously SOMEONE agreed she was Modern Pleasure material! Even had judges on 2 different occasions inquire afterwards if she was for sale ... but I don't think she could have been really competative in the Modern classes (nor was I interested in her competing in that division). She has awesome movement - and I know that a lot of what you see in the show ring is training and conditioning .. but I don't think she has the natural high action movement that truly great Moderns need to have. :bgrin

Now her maternal sister ... *Buckeye WCF Miss Ohio *  ..... even around the pasture she has natural modern action .. and plenty to spare! I haven't seen her since she was a weanling, but I've been told she takes your breath away!



:

Spazkat as a horse in their avatar (above) that looks like it is running free in an indoor arena (?) that has a lot of natural action .. these are what I think of when I think of Modern ponies as opposed to Modern Pleasure ponies.


----------



## Acheron (Aug 11, 2006)




----------



## alphahorses (Aug 11, 2006)

Looks like she is at a slow jog here, and even from that I can tell she is probably a very pretty mover





oh .. and I don't want bring up the whole "to shoe or not to shoe" thing again .. but of course I'm going to anyway! The mare that I showed and took Res at Congress with was not shod. But that was 3 (?) years ago and I was told at the time that she probably should have scored higher on movement if she been wearing shoes. ... of course I don't know if that is true or not because I retired her after that Congress... if I were going to show another Modern Pleasure pony I would put at least some plates on it.


----------



## kaykay (Aug 11, 2006)

miss ohio will definately take your breath away!!!


----------

