What do I need to know about Pony Shows ?

[CMOTdibbler]

Ds's friends mum has invited us to go to a pony show with them and their hairy shetlands - it's a local one with fancy dress, handy pony, teeny tiny jumping etc (as well as bigger pony classes).
She was supposed to tell me all about what DS will need at the weekend, but they were having a bit of a crisis, so only saw her during the childrens riding lesson.

It's in two weeks time, so if I need to order things (and DS is 4, so not easy to get riding stuff in the nearby shops), I really need to do it this week.

So, what do we need ? As leader for me, and rider for him ?

Thanks for any thoughts !

Imagine you'll be stocking up on tweed, but despite life at a showing yard I know v little. Only have tweed jackets, cream jodhs and brown hat glove boots but have only ever done workers, was ok for local sj too. There do seem to be lots of rules about these things!

Did last 2 gymkhanas in jeans

I mean I only have those things by way of formal wear for horse things, not in my whole life!

So, he needs a tweed jacket ? What colour is best ?

And shirt - does he need a yellow one, or will white and blue stripes be OK ?

His hat and boots are black - no one is going to object to a 4 year old in those are they ?

Should I wear cream jods and boots to lead ?

See, I know nada . Tisn't like it is a posh show, but is nr Cheltenham, so expect lots of yummy mummies and daughters

BTW Mitchy - I take Ben on share next week, so unlimited riding . Thank you so much for the support when I was first starting - I didn't guess a few months ago I'd be this far

Ah am so pleased you are having Ben! You must get some photos

think a proper person needs to help you with this stuff, I'd think plain white shirt but really really don't know

it might not be that important for tiny tots, as they outgrow everything every 3 minutes can you borrow some stuff?

jodh boots and clips should be ok?

I'll take some next week once he is looking a bit tidier. I can't wait - apparently I was grinning like a cheshire cat when asked if I wanted him

clean and smart is whats needed.

Kids,

cream or canary jods, joddy clips, clean boots , white long sleeve shirt, tie.. if you can get a jacket its fine if not don't worry. Hat (obviously) with plain black or navy cover if skull cap. If you have a girl with long hair can get a scrunchie or ribbon to match tie or ponies browband.

back protector for jumping

you.. as its only handy pony and jumping.. any old thing is fine, Only if you are doing lead rein class do you need showing gear

most importantly.. have fun!!!!

clean and smart is whats needed.

Kids,

cream or canary jods, joddy clips, clean boots , white long sleeve shirt, tie.. if you can get a jacket its fine if not don't worry. Hat (obviously) with plain black or navy cover if skull cap. If you have a girl with long hair can get a scrunchie or ribbon to match tie or ponies browband.

back protector for jumping

you.. as its only handy pony and jumping.. any old thing is fine, Only if you are doing lead rein class do you need showing gear

most importantly.. have fun!!!!

CMOT, I went with a friend, two hairy Shetlands and her 3-year-dd yesterday to my first show.

Very few tiny children (and having seen friend's daughter's screaming hysterics I can see why).

All were wearing cream jodhpurs, riding boots, jackets (tweed or black), white shirts and ties. I would recommend a clip-on tie as it was trying to fit adult tie onto 3-year old which started the hysterics. I would also recommend trying on the clothes at home beforehand, not putting them on for the first time ten minutes before going into the ring.

Mums who were leading were just wearing smart clothes; black trousers and jacket/brown skirt and tweed jacket. Both mums were wearing hats - yes really - and cravats.

At one point I witnessed two parents on their knees by a screaming child, begging her to put on her clothes and get on her pony. They promised her anything she wanted if she would go into the ring.

Are you sure you want to do this?

(Wriggle really wanted to ride, but hadn't got the gear. Probably just as well!)

My top tip - buy a rosette to take along for Tiddler in case of heartbreak when everyone else has got one.

Thanks both - will go and buy joddy clips and a tie.

DS is very competitive, so it'll be stopping him trying to enter other classes that is the problem !

What are joddy clips??

Bit of elastic with clips either end that you clip onto the bottom of jodphurs so that they stay neatly round your boots

Joddy clips are a pain in the arse. But sone black elastic and sew into the bottom of their jodhs. The bloody things are always pinging off when you least want them to. I agree with everything so far. Tweed jacket, not black for a m&m pony. Don't buy a tie, pinch one from dh in a colour which compliments the jacket, cut the thick end off to make narrower shorter tie for a child, use the thick end to make a hair scrunchie that matches. Boots need to be short, long rubber ones are frowned on.
Take a pair of joggers to put over light coloured jodhs between classes, and baby wipes for emergency boot/face/pony cleanups. Don't forget a rain coat. To look 'proper' take scissors to round off the corners of your number, and safety pins to pin it on. Gloves are very important, you can get marked down for not wearing them in the ring. A pale colour is preferable. At this time of year it can be warm. Take plenty of drinks for tots. A good idea is to collect smal empty bottles, add squash or water and freeze. Then when kids start to get thirsty, they are thawing nicely for ice cold drinks. Also take lots of snacks. Non messy ones as sods law chocolate or jam will end up on their shirts!
If you are leading, wear sensible clothes. The full lead
rein mum outfit looks very smart (if you like that sort of thing!) but isn't really practical to run in. I used to wear black trousers and a White shirt, with a jacket or waistcoat, sensible hat, and a pair of johd boots or trainers. When your gitty Shetland stamps on your footfor fun cos it's bored of standing still you will be glad you aren't wearing Girly loafers. They will also give you a bit of purchase in the grass. ( I slipped in a cowpat at one show wearing stupid flimsy shoes! Arse over tit!) a show cane or crop for you to hold, and a leather lead rather than a lead rope, attatched to the noseband, not the bit.
Scour eBay for things that you need, stuff can be picked up quite cheaply and they will grow out of it fast.
My dd wears a lovely green jacket, cream johds, brown laced boots and a matching tie and scrunchy. Her gloves are the most expensive thing she wears (£9.50) and ahe looks bloody scrummy!
Lastly, enjoy yourself. People take showing so seriously, it's meant to be fun.

My DD dresses like this
My DS (dear Shetland) dresses like this

Saggy you are the oracle of showing for fun without spending ££££!

Thanks Saggy - will go and look for one of DH's ties (although DS has no need of a scrunchie, maybe I'll wear it !). Have won a jacket on ebay, so hope it'll be OK

DS has tiny hands, so he'll have to be gloveless - none of them fit him yet.

I fully intend on having lots of fun - the kids are giggling about being cowboys in fancy dress, and apparently us mums have to be indians . I wanted DS to be the worlds smallest mounted policeman

Mitchy, it's called being a cheapskate!
Cmot, those little stretchy magic gloves go very small, they would do. Fancy dress is always a blast! I love swing how inventive people are. some people I know used to turn their piebald Shetland into a cow with horns and a bell, and dd into a milkmaid with wired plaits and a yolk and buckets. They also did little red riding hood. Pony had a cardboard wolfs muzzle complete with teeth, wire specs, a mob cap, a nightdress, and dd was RRH. They are so clever, I'm rubbish at fancy dress!

Love fancy dress too turned Barney into woolly mammoth during hairy pre/rug winter, he looked great. Imagine my dismay when he started eating one of his tusks as we went into ring and had pretty much devoured it by time judge saw us.

I need to be a cheapskate, earned very little last month and this month will be £0. Funds dwindling with alarming speed, owe farrier but on top of livery. Might need a grown up job instead of mucking about with animals, or track husband down and sue for 15 yrs of unpaid maintenance

I know what it's like. X that's why I trim my own feet. I couldn't even really afford regular trims let alone shoes! It's actually dead easy. Our farrier recommended we do It ourselves, he hates doing ponies! Even gave us an old file and showed us how!

Mitchy, am vv tempted to try the woolly mammoth look for Ben for the yard show on Sunday (just found out about that one). There was much hysteria when I said I'd dress DS as a policeman for that and YO's DH said that I'd have to dress as a policewoman and one of the others started snurking at what kind of policewoman costume he might be thinking of

Seem to have entered a few classes each, so will have to do intensive horse washing as Ben has not been washed in a long time and his feathers are filthy. Will have to go and google how to get them whitish. And how to plait etc

Do you plait hairy types? Not sure, might get away with careful trim and slightly pulled mane?

Probably not - so much to learn for me. He's lost most of his winter coat, so it's not too bad. Will ask for help to make his mane look tidy as have no idea on this pulling lark

And don't whatever you do, give your dd your glass of red wine to hold while you do her hair 10 minutes before a showing class, because she will drop it down her beige jodhpurs and you have to rush to a trade stand and fork out for another pair so she can go in her class. Not saying this will happen but last Sunday........!

Whatever you do, NEVER pull a shetlands mane! ! Mountain and moorland ponies are shown 'au natural'! They aren't plaited either. Give him a nice bath all over with something like head and shoulders, and put lots of conditioner on his mane and tail. If he has a White tail, put some talc in it, this will fade any yellowing in the ends. Talc also through the feathers the day before, and a chalk block can be used on green stained hocks or fetlocks. Make sure to brush all of it out well before the show. A bath will also help get rid of left over hair. Close his ear with one hand and cut the protruding hair off, so they look tidy, and just snip the very tip hair off to make ears look smaller. If he lives out, you may need to give his legs a wash that. Morning, but he should hopefully stay fairly clean. A thin rug may help if you have one.

Arabs aren't plaited either. Thankfully.