Tail ribbons at shows - intrigued

[sleeplessinstafford]

Just being curious, is there a particular colour code to tail ribbons at shows? I only know that a red ribbon is meant to mean a pony that can kick but at Cheshire County Show yesterday saw lots of other colours (white, green, red & blue). Do the other colours mean anything or is it just fashion?

[Hermionewastherealhero]

Dales ponies wear ribbons in their tail - normally red white and blue, but it is personal choice. Draught horses do too. Think it is a traditional thing from when they pulled ploughs, also allows Dales to be distinguisghed from Fells. At county shows you wouldn't find the red/green ribbons for kicking/green pony.

[Alameda]

I thought green meant green - young, inexperienced, learning the ropes?

[TheQueenOfDiamonds]

Red = Kicker
Green = Inexperienced
Blue= Stallion
White = For sale

[Eve]

What The Queen said.

My little welsh a has a red one in any time she's out, other kids at pony club have learnt not to get near her bum!

[Butkin]

Whilst I've regularly seen the ribbons - as described by Queen - out hunting I've not seen them in show classes. Must pay more attention.

[frostyfingers]

There needs to be a ribbon to say "don't use my backside as a bumper/stopping aid"! My horse got barged into out hunting, and unsurprisingly raised his leg and managed to get the offender (rider) on the ankle. There wasn't any damage, and I apologised profusely saying that I hadn't realised he was so close, reprimanded horse and took him out wide of the field. He had never lifted a leg before so (and hasn't since) it was totally unexpected. This bloke then spent all day saying "mind that horse, it kicks", and I so wanted to say that actually if he hadn't been an out of control prat and rammed his horse into mine it wouldn't have happened.

Next time out, I put a red ribbon on dhorse to make sure people stayed away
and the same man came up to me and said "I'm glad you realise your horse is a kicker, it's really dangerous you know". I did rather lose my cool and say that he had only kicked at him, because he had run into us - cue slightly chilly atmosphere all day!

So, what colour ribbon should we have for a "back off" warning? A nice bright yellow methinks!

[Backinthebox]

If it is at a show, I would imagine it was Dales ponies you saw. They are big chunky black (occasionally grey) ponies, and wear tail ribbons.

[frostyfingers]

Brilliant idea Tough - I shall buy in a supply!

[TheQueenOfDiamonds]

Backinthebox - I thought dales ponies have red white and blue together? Individually i would think they mean what i said in my previous comment.

I've never actually seen one with anything but a red ribbon in. But then i don't go to many shows and if i do i don't pay much attention unless i know the rider/it's a spectacular horse.

[Backinthebox]

QOD, the Dales ribbons can be any colour, but it is most common to use red, white and blue together. The OP doesn't actually say whether she saw single colour ribbons, or several colours in one tail, or what kind of horse they were on, just that she "saw lots of other colours (white, green, red & blue)." What you describe is correct for the hunting field, but I would be quite surprised if anyone took a horse to a show with a ribbon labelling it as a kicker or green horse - more preparation needed, perhaps? Showjumping stallions are required to wear a stallion disc on their bridle, as per British Showjumping rules, and it is perfectly normal to show stallions in their breed showing classes without the use of ribbons. Stallions are not permitted in most other showing classes. Other ribbons in tails to denote an inexperienced horse or bad mannered one are very much frowned on in the show ring.

I've not noticed many ribbons in tails at county shows over the years, either as a spectator or as a competitor. So I was taking a wild guess that she may have seen the Dales classes if there were lots of ribbons in tails all of a sudden!