halter obstacle

[jegray21]

Sorry another newbie question...I can not find the answer anywhere..Is it ok to use your voice in a halter obstacle class? For example having them step sideways over the pole? I am sure this is a dumb question...

 

[shadowpaints]

that isnt a dumb questioon! i would like to know also!

 

[Miniv]

There are plenty of others more experienced to answer this......so hopefully this will BUMP things up.

Unless they've changed rules in the last couple of years, I've witnessed people use words and clicks in ALL open performance classes. (I think Showmanship classes have different rules.)

For halter obstacle I've heard handlers use the word either "Side" or "Pass" .... And I've heard people use the standard "Back" to have a horse back between two poles in both halter and driving.

 

[targetsmom]

I show mostly pinto but I think the rules for this are similar in all the registries. I use all kinds of (quiet) voice commands from "trot" to "side" to "back" to "whoa" and maybe even "stay".

Showmanship is very different - best to avoid voice commands there, but I do use non-voice commands like kissing.

 

[ruffian]

Since you are not allowed to touch the horse in obstacle, voice commands can be used. Like Target'sMom, a quiet command is best.

 

[Sandee]

Showing AMHR voice command is normal - you don't want to shout at the horse so something quiet is best. Hand cues work well too.

IMHO this class is one of the most ill-judged (if that's a word) for the miniatures. I've seen people at Nationals go thru the class stopping and posing and glancing at the judges after each obstacle like they were in 4H showmanship. It's my pet peeve! This class should be on the performance of the HORSE not a fashion show for dressing up nor a "see how cute I look and smile" showmanship thing. But then that's me and I don't get paid for my opinion! However, my filly HOF'd in this class when she was 3.

 

[jegray21]

Showing AMHR voice command is normal - you don't want to shout at the horse so something quiet is best. Hand cues work well too.

IMHO this class is one of the most ill-judged (if that's a word) for the miniatures. I've seen people at Nationals go thru the class stopping and posing and glancing at the judges after each obstacle like they were in 4H showmanship. It's my pet peeve! This class should be on the performance of the HORSE not a fashion show for dressing up nor a "see how cute I look and smile" showmanship thing. But then that's me and I don't get paid for my opinion! However, my filly HOF'd in this class when she was 3.

What a relief ...I understand the quite voice. Should you stop and look at the judge at all or just work through the course? We are going to give it a try at the area three show in perry...

 

[Miniv]

If it were ME doing the obstacle course, I would focus on getting through each obstacle. Smiling at the judges can be done when all is accomplished.

 

[targetsmom]

Pay attention to anything the judges say. At a Pinto show, I heard one judge comment (in the middle of a looong day) that he thought halter obstacle (trail) should be a timed event. I took that to mean he wanted to see a very crisp, smooth performance with no time wasted. We won (I think under all the judges). Didn't rush, but kept right on moving from one obstacle to the next.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

IMHO this class is one of the most ill-judged (if that's a word) for the miniatures. I've seen people at Nationals go thru the class stopping and posing and glancing at the judges after each obstacle like they were in 4H showmanship. It's my pet peeve! This class should be on the performance of the HORSE not a fashion show for dressing up nor a "see how cute I look and smile" showmanship thing.

Actually, a lot of us are taught to do that! It's called "finishing the obstacle" and is a way of closing the manuever to make it clear you've successfully completed one movement before beginning another. I don't think it has to be more than a brief drawing up of the handler and momentary stilling of the horse, but if done crisply and well and not drawn out it's professional. You are checking with the judge to make sure he agrees you've completed each one. It also makes sure the exhibitor has a chance to notice if the judge is blabbing away or taking a coffee break and maybe misses something!

What peeves me about this class is that there's no scoring system, nothing objective to help keep the placings honest. I've seen horses who completely butchered one obstacle and probably should have been eliminated place over horses who did all the obstacles well but maybe weren't as flashy. That isn't right!

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