First show

[Humpertydumpty]

I'm taking DD and her loan pony to her first show soon. We have transport arranged but it's been 25 years since I took my pony to a show and I can't remember what I did about water for the horse. I assume we'll need to take water for it? What do we take it in (assuming an open top bucket in the car = bad idea)?

Would she be expected to canter in a first ridden class? Pony is green so she doesn't want to have to canter in a class just yet.

Plastic water carrier and empty bucket to pour it in to with keep Dpony happy. In FR classes generally only walk and trot as a class and then stick to what your DD is happiest with in her individual show, many (especially in FYFR) just walk and trot. Enjoy!

We have a big plastic water container and take two buckets, one for drinking one for sluicing down (but we jump so ponies hot and sweaty after)

We take a 5 litre clear plastic water canister - available from all tack shops and a bucket. Some show grounds have taps but can't be guaranteed so we take water with us.

In FR classes you never canter as a group. Just walk and trot together. It would be normal practise to trot a figure of 8 and then canter a figure of 8 in individual show but if DD doesn't fancy it then don't do it. May affect her placing though. No extension allowed..

Have fun and let us know if you have any questions / how she gets on

Sorry, more questions!

What jacket do we need, blue/black or tweed? Her hat is navy. She's doing a jumping class aswell as a ridden showing class.

Jodphur boots or long boots?

Gloves? White?

I went to watch the last show so I know it's friendly and low key, some people weren't even in show gear but I have to buy this stuff so would rather get it right first time. Things seem to have changed a lot in 25 years - most of the horses didn't have a plaited tail which was mandatory in my day.

Annoyingly I have 3 of my old jackets in the garage but they're too big for her.

DD is 12 if that makes a difference.

We've never 'shown' as such but have done lots of jumping and pony club classes. We have always had tweed jackets from age of 5 onwards. Navy velvet hat (tweed jacket has navy velvet collar), black or dark brown gloves, never white with tweed. When they were little they wore a pale blue shirt and a pony club tie. Now they are older they tend to wear a white stock shirt with a pony club stock.

jodpur boots when they were little (we wore chaps but some dont) and long boots when they are teens.

We pull our tails rather than plait them (quicker and easier). Plain saddlecloth or numnah. Nothing pink, purple, with big logos or too big.

Showing is what we do - currently have 3 at home and one on production. I run our BSPS area so I'll give you the affiliated position but your show may be more relaxed and you need to go through the schedule carefully.

Your choice of jacket depends on your type of pony. If you're showing a native or show hunter pony then it should be tweed with a shirt and tie and cream/yellowish jodphurs.

A child of 12 should wear brown/oxblood jod boots with either jod clips or elastics to hold jods down in a flat class.

I note that you say you're doing a FR class. Check your daughter isn't too old. In affiliated showing you can't do FRs if you are 12 on 1st Jan of current year.

If you're riding a show pony then the jacket would be blue. However the jockey can't be 10 on Jan 1st in current year to ride a First Ridden show pony.

Remember for natives/show hunters they wear brown tack and saddle with plain brow band. Show Ponies wear brown as well but have multi coloured/bling brown bands.

Your DD should wear brown leather gloves (ideally) and should carry a show whip not to exceed 75 cm (30inches). No spurs allowed.

Is your jumping class a WHP or show jumping? In WHP you'd wear tweed jacket and short boots. Some children do start wearing long boots from about 12 for jumping although isn't the classic thing to do. If she has some and can ride better in them then she can wear them..

If it's a riding club show then don't worry too much about turnout - at my club there is always a mixture of tweed jackets and navy or black in pretty much every class.

Ideally with a navy hat you want a tweed jacket, and collar and tie always for showing. Stock shirt/stock fine for show-jumping and dressage. In fact, you can't really go wrong with a tweed jacket for anything.

Always wear gloves (brown - get some of those cotton "track" gloves if it's a low key show), and for a 12 year old you would wear short jodhpur boots with jodhpur clips. Cream or beige jods rather than white.

Tack - whatever class you're doing do not use a saddle cloth. Use a discreet numnah that matches the colour of your saddle (brown if your saddle is brown). No boots (on the pony that is) for a showing class. If doing Working Hunter you can have boots on for the jumping part but must remove them for the showing part.

Depending on the class use a blingy browband or a plain one. However, if the show is low-key and you don't want to bother faffing about with different bridles for different classes, then go for plain every time.

Unless you are doing a native class or the pony is a traditional coloured, then plait the mane at least. And the tail if you feel like it. To be absolutely correct the tail should probably be pulled, but I can't be bothered to pull tails as I rarely do any showing except at local RC and we've won classes with plaited tails so at this level the judges aren't going to be that pernickitty.

Oh yes - as for water carriers, Go Outdoors do some really cheap collapsible ones. Never assume a venue has a water supply, so water container and a bucket is always a Must.

What classes are you doing OP?

It's defo a friendly local riding club show. DD will do a jumping class and possibly a showing one but I can't work out the timings to know which don't clash at the mo. Can enter on the day so no pressure.