Halter Presentation

[Eohippus]

That is exactly the point -- why ask a horse to "show' off an on for the entire length of the class at all - sometimes as long as 45 minutes! Perhaps a rule change could be introduced to allow us to show our horses more like the Arabs (and several other breeds as well)! Bring your horse in the way we do now, except perhaps only have the horses come in and go to the rail and have the judges walk the rail for bite and then ONE by ONE bring the horse to the judges -- set it up ONCE for all to see - ask for the best out of that horse for 30 seconds and then trot off to get back in line. After the judges have seen each horse for then they can look over the line-up and place the class -- seems like to me that would give all the horses equal time to really shine! And we wouldn't look like morons out there doing the "halter dance" that we do now - horses would be a lot happier as well!

Exactly! The "halter dance" or "chicken dance"

is just.. Well I'm not a fan. Before I showed minis, when I did Arabians and my big horses I would always laugh at the mini handlers for how they tried to get there horses to look nice. I still laugh, even if I'm guilty of it.

30-45 seconds is all a good horse needs to wow some one. At a national level it would take a little long but all the focus is on that one horse. All judges are looking at that one horse and taking notes, scoring, etc. So you wait for 45mins on the rail, it happens. I'd rather have that down time than a constant presentation. It gives you a chance to practice your set up too, so that you don't have to fret when you get in front of the judges. When the Scottsdale Arabian Show is broadcast by Iequine, watch their halter classes. Handlers practice their set up over and over on the rail so when they're in front of the judges it goes smooth and the horse looks their best. I guess I'm just a huge fan of this way of showing, it's always been so much less stressful

 

[RhineStone]

I think a good judge should be able to judge a good horse regardless as to whether or not its neck is stretched and its ears are up. If they have to pick a broodmare in a pasture, the horses sure aren't in "presentation stance". I think that the "halter dance" is probably more to make the exhibitors feel like they are doing something. After all, it IS the horse that is judged, isn't it? Yes, there are things you can do to make your horse look "better", but the judge is also looking at the horse in motion when their necks may not be stretched or their ears up. That is really when the horse's faults are apparent, like being stiff legged or too high in the croup.

And BTW, I have stood up horses in 45-60 minute Showmanship classes. And yes, they have stood still that long without fussing. No, we didn't need to "give neck and ears", but again, I think that is more for the exhibitor than the judge. It looks "pretty", but I really don't think it is necessary to pick the best horse. Just my "outside" opinion.

 

[RhineStone]

One time when we were lined up head to tail in a class the person behind me was going through this series of moves/gyrations and by about the 3rd repetition I was ready to shout STAND STILL ALREADY. The thing is, some handlers go through all these gyrations and their horse still shows little or no interest. After all, he's seen the whole sequence before, rerun after rerun.

 

[AshleyNicole]

I think a good judge should be able to judge a good horse regardless as to whether or not its neck is stretched and its ears are up. If they have to pick a broodmare in a pasture, the horses sure aren't in "presentation stance". I think that the "halter dance" is probably more to make the exhibitors feel like they are doing something. After all, it IS the horse that is judged, isn't it? Yes, there are things you can do to make your horse look "better", but the judge is also looking at the horse in motion when their necks may not be stretched or their ears up. That is really when the horse's faults are apparent, like being stiff legged or too high in the croup.

I have been told by some judges that we would have won(they liked our horse better I guess) but didn't "show" as well as the other handler that did win. So I think that most judges expect you to "chicken dance" lol

 

[disneyhorse]

I don't really have a problem with the current system.

The classes are so huge, I'm not sure a one-at-a-time system would be time-efficient, anyway.

Many times I have had difficulty setting up a horse (particularly youngsters) and the judge just says "I'll come back" and they move on down the line a horse to give me some time to settle my horse and set them up for them. Then they come back.

Also, I hear a lot of times people complaining that the "judge didn't look at my horse"... and although looking one-by-one may help people feel like they got a fair chance... as a judge I'm sure they've seen many horses with some conformational fault they don't like to place, and therefore feel why bother looking if they've already seen ten better horses?

If you want to be picky... I'd go with the livestock method. I was watching a dairy goat class at the local county fair... the judge moves the animals around in line until they have 1st through last place. Then they announce to the audience why they placed the animals in the order they did. I would possibly prefer that, although horses are far less consistent in conformation and build and horse owners are a LOT more ego-centric, so I suspect it would be hard for people to hear their horses' faults publicly? Hmmm....

Andrea

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Exactly! The "halter dance" or "chicken dance"

is just.. Well I'm not a fan. Before I showed minis, when I did Arabians and my big horses I would always laugh at the mini handlers for how they tried to get there horses to look nice. I still laugh, even if I'm guilty of it.

The only thing I do like about it is that since baiting is allowed, you do not have to use the fear-inducing methods that were so common in the Arab ring. I got so tired of trying to handle horses who had been "halter trained" by being taken out behind the barn with a whip...It's a dead giveaway when they fall to their knees the minute you set them up.

Poor horses.

I see red when I watch people constantly shanking their mini who is already standing perfectly still, giving ears and rocking back and the judge isn't even looking. Heck, the one I saw at Nationals wasn't even watching her horse when she did it! Just popping the lead every few seconds to "keep him awake" or something.

Honestly people. I hope you're reincarnated as a horse with an trainer like that someday.

Leia

 

[Karen S]

Andrea,

At Congress this year the judge did pull us out of the line-up and placed us where he wanted. The rest were still in their positions as they came in. This allowed him the opportunity to take a closer look at each horse and if he needed another, he know where they were according to his score sheet.

Karen

 

[MountainMeadows]

Andrea & Karen -- I can see doing that with 1 judge, but with multiple judges it would give the "other" judges an idea of what one judge was thinking -- I can see where that would cause some problems.

Stacy

 

[LaVern]

Well, I kind of look at a little bit different. I am usually at the side lines with my camera. And snapping pictures of all the horses. I want to go home and look at what the competition is. Man do I love to see some of these horses when they let down or aren't parked out. I was so happy this year to see some of my breeding stay with the trainers for the whole class. They never guit and that is what makes a show horse.

Example--I think you all know who I am talking about, but I won't name him. He says, Show to the audience not the judge. You will see him out there showing to the crowd even if he gets the gate. And especially at our top shows that are being broadcasted all over the world.

At the National show if you get 45 mininutes I say use every minute that you have and hope you have a horse that will give you that much.

I have to add this. I know of a lady that received a call from some people who watched her gelding show throughout the whole Nationals. The horse usually placed, not real high, but she and the horse always presented a nice picture. She used every minute she had. They offered her big bucks. I don't know if she took it.

 

[HGFarm]

Well I am one that has watched the 'chicken dance' in class after class after class online. It's getting ridiculous and yep, the horses never change expression. They are beyond bored with it all. I think to ask a youngster, let alone an aged horse, to present itself, with ears up, etc... for 45 minutes is ridiculous and asking a lot. I am waiting for handlers to start doing a tap dance, pirouettes, or other things to try to make their horses ears come up..........

 

[Minimor]

I was thinking about this, and you know--truth is, if you have a good horse...a truly good horse...that doesn't have to "fake" anything--and faking it is what people are doing when they ask the horse to stretch his neck out just so and hold his head just so (have had more than one Arabian person tell me over the years that a certain horse they show doesn't have a great neck, but they try to make it look like the horse does by getting that horse to snake its neck out, let it back & then snake it out again--the horse cannot hold that pose for any length of time, but can give the suggestion that it has a good neck by "showing" for those brief moments)..then you CAN stand that horse there in a comfortable square position & have it hold that position through a good portion of time. The horse will be comfortable and stay more naturally alert without anyone picking at it and flapping around on the other end of the lead--and then it is extremely easy for the handler to ask for--and get--those ears to come forward and have the horse show that little bit extra if the judge turns their way. The horse can be comfortable and relaxed without going to sleep.

I think, though, that many handlers don't know how to make their horse show its best, and they haven't learned the art of doing more by looking like they are doing less. I don't know about this year, but in past years at Nationals different people have commented to me afterward that some of the best trainers don't look busy out there in the ring--they stand their horses up, step back, & then leave the horse alone, other that to ask for that little bit extra when they want/need it. It's often not the trainers that are out there doing the chicken dance.

Someone said they think that the judges want to see the chicken dance going on, but I don't believe that is true. They don't want or need to see a chicken dance--they just want to see a horse that is presented well and showing its best so that they can judge that horse at its best. If you stand your horse up with its hind legs spraddled, the two hind feet pointing in opposite directions and/or the front legs under a little bit so that the horse looks like it is badly over on both knees, it's not going to matter how wildly you are dancing or how well the horse stretches out its neck and puts its ears up!

 

[kaykay]

I agree with a lot said here but the flip side is I will do what I have to do to get my horse to show its best especially if I have spent the time, money and work to get all the way to Nationals. Nationals is a whole different ballgame. While I agree that less is more, its really easy to criticize when we are all sitting at home and not the one in the ring being watched.

I honestly could care less what people think I look like when I am showing my horse. I am so "in the zone" I dont even know whats going on around me. All I know and focus on is the horse on the end of my lead. My friends even tease me about it. Last year a horse I sold and dearly love was showing right behind me and I didnt even know until the class was over. Thankfully we won that class which was a huge honor as we were up against some of the farms I admire the most.

I just hate to see us pick people apart from watching the live cam as it is a privledge to get to watch. People may decide they dont want a live cam if everything is so heavily criticized. I think I said this same thing last year when people where criticizing some youth.

Lets please try to be respectful to the people that took the time, money and work to get their horse there! Whatever way you all showed your horse I applaud you as I know what it takes just to get a horse there and in the ring!

Kay

 

[shandoaharabmini]

Yes, I too think it would be nice if the mini horse people went to showing the miniatures more like how the Arabians are shown. It would be more professional and would allow people in the stands to cheer for the miniature horse they like when all the judges are inspecting them at halter.

Shandoaharabmini