"The judge just doesn’t like my horse.” Unfortunately that’s a common rationalization when a rider is perplexed about her horse’s lack of a ribbon in a hunter class. However, a prejudicial judge isn’t usually the problem. Instead, it’s often...
Q. What exercises can I do to get my harness horse driving from his hind end?
A. Let’s assume that your driving horse is going down the road and in the ring quietly and willingly. He’s nice and forward and...
Q. What is the difference between a side check and an overcheck? Do they make a huge difference in performance or purpose?A. There is a huge difference between an overcheck and a side check.The overcheck is a strap that...
Q. At what age should a horse begin getting introduced to the cart?A. Horses can be started in harness as older 2 year olds, but keep in mind, their attention span--or lack of it--at this young age. In my...
Decorative markings brushed into the horse’s coat--quarter marks--enhance the conformation of a well-muscled hip and croup, and draw attention to the cleanliness and shine of a well-conditioned show horse. Quarter marks not only highlight a horse’s conformation and give...
Many saddle seat riders believe their sport is misunderstood by those unfamiliar with the discipline. Here, Carole Stohlmann, a United States Equestrian Federation "R” saddle seat equitation, Arabian, National Show Horse and Saddlebred judge from Oklahoma City, clears up...
Download a printable (pdf) version of this horse show checklistPaperwork:Map to showgrounds
Show information
Rulebook
Membership cards
Horse registration
Health certificate, coggins, other required veterinary information
Emergency telephone numbers
Test booklet (dressage riders); NRHA patterns (reiners)
Checkbook/wallet/I.D.
Veterinarian...
The purpose of the showmanship class is for exhibitors to demonstrate their ability to show their horses, rather than showcasing the horse himself. In showmanship, the horse’s conformation is not judged. However, how the horse is turned out is...
Reader's Question: My mare recently kicked me when I was cleaning her corral. It's not the first time she's kicked someone. What can I do to teach her not to kick humans?
Parelli's Answer: Horses kick for two reasons: fear...
Download a printable version of this pageIf you grew up riding hunters 20 years ago, chances are you mastered the art of braiding a hunter’s mane. It was simply part of a show horse’s turnout. But with unrated divisions...
