Backing up at a show?

[Lil Eowyn]

Hey,

I've only done one show with my large horse before and that was 4-H so nothing really hard--as some of you know, I'm planning on showing Eowyn [Aywin] next summer and I need to know the proper way to back up a horse at a show....

Is there rules or can you back up anyway you want? Can you put your hand on their chest or do you have to use a lead rope or...? Thanks!

 

[targetsmom]

Assuming you are talking about either showmanship or halter obstacle/trail and not halter, the usual rule is that you can ONLY touch the lead line. In those classes, the rule is usually that you can't touch the horse OR the halter. In halter classes, you can touch the horse, set their feet, adjust the halter...pretty much anything! But you should always, always read the rule book.

 

[dannigirl]

I don't know showmanship, but in obstacle, you cannot touch your horse--only the lead rope. I teach most of my horses to back up with voice command. I stand in front and-holding the lead close to the halter--drop my hand under their muzzle and lightly push them back while saying "back, back up, back" over and over till they do it a step or two then praise them and move on to something else. If you do this at least one time every time you lead them somewhere, they will eventually back up several steps at a time in order to get your praise. I find this helps with them backing up in the cart also. They will hear my back up command and step back a few steps for me and then I will verbally praise them as soon as I can.

 

[RelentlessMinis]

Check out this video. It's of a showmanship class at AMHA Worlds from a while back. It's the 13-18 division. The first girl is very sharp and im pretty sure she won the class. She had a beautiful pattern! There isn't any backing, but it basically shows how you should show your horse for the judge.