# Mountain and moorland showing advice



## Heilo (12 February 2012)

Hi I would like to take my daughter showing this season just some local stuff and one county level.
She is eligible for first ridden. Her pony is a 12.2hh new Forrest pony. I know she has a to wear a tweed jacket and she has a navy hat, not sure what else is acceptable. She has a purple tie and matching bows for 2 pleats is this ok or should she has a single pleat down the back. What else?
How should the pony be turned out. What bit is allowed? Should baby oil, hoof oil, chalk be used. She has a beautiful long mane but I have looked at picks with them pulled a lot shorter than I thought a mountain and moorland would be. Legs trimmed or not etc.
She will also be doing dressage and byrds.


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## be positive (12 February 2012)

Your pony should have her mane shortened to enhance her neck but it still needs to look fairly natural, you can also trim the jaw line and ears, her tail can be pulled a little at the top, again to enhance but still natural and it can also be trimmed neatly at the ends, not too short. Heels tidied but not too closely trimmed.
Your daughters turnout sounds fine for first ridden, plait her hair however it looks best.
It is nice to hear of someone with a small NF that will be showing at that level, if you are in the south the breed show will have lots of classes you could do.
Hoof oil is fine as is some baby oil but chalk should be well brushed out before going in the ring, I think NPS FR classes will require a snaffle but check the rule book as some will allow any bit and wilkies are very much the bit commonly used.


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## NinjaPony (12 February 2012)

Jacket, hat and tie are fine, 2 plaits or one is also ok. She needs a tie pin, a cream or pastel shirt, yellow or beige jods with jod clips and brown jod boots, brown gloves and a cane (check the rules on canes with first ridden)

Pony needs to be in a straight cut saddle, brown, a brown bridle with a snaffle bit of some sort, with a flat noseband.

I usually give my pony a bath, then coat with coat shine, and wrap legs to protect his socks and put a sheet on. The at the show use coat shine, not saddle area, gloss round eyes (use a light touch!), chalk sock if needed and hoof oil before going in
Don't trim legs at all, you can pull the mane, but not too short. Look at pictures of other New Forests, and check society rules on trimming.
Hope this is helpful


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## Heilo (12 February 2012)

Thanks for the great advice. 
According to rules says jaw line and heels may be trimmed. 
Also what is the rider required to do in first ridden.
In Scotland so won't be doing the breed show.


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## be positive (12 February 2012)

Heels trimmed and jaw line just not too obviously.
The ponies all walk and trot round together possibly with a change of rein then get brought into line. An individual show is then required that needs to show walk, trot and short canter on each rein in a figure of eight if possible, the pony needs to be free moving but not too strong or obviously pulling. They may then be asked to show the pony in hand, you go in and help remove saddle but the child must lead it out, practise at home just in case.
Practise the show in as many ways as you can, rings are never uniform and young children are often thrown when they are not facing the "right" way to start with.


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## MissSBird (13 February 2012)

Heilo - where abouts in Scotland are you? A lot of the big spring shows are coming up and they would be perfect to go along and watch the class to see what the winners are doing!


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## Heilo (13 February 2012)

Ayrshire


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## chellesangel (13 February 2012)

hi , i am also looking to do showing this year with my daughter and just wondered if anyone on here know how to do an individual lead rein show as i am really struggling with what to do ?

thanks 
michelle


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## measles (13 February 2012)

BSPS Scotland are doing a lesson day at Snec on the 24th and my 8yo is booked in with his m&m first ridden.  They say on the info they will try to group the same show class/age together so why not go to that? My son is just starting out beyond pony club as well. If you go come and say hi!


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## MissSBird (13 February 2012)

On the 3rd March BSPS are having their winter championships at Rowallan. They're also having one on the 18th March at SNEC. Both of these will have m&m first ridden classes, as well as the novice riddens and opens which will help with turnout.

As others have said - tweed jacket, navy/brown/green hat, pastal coloured shirt, tie, yellow jods and brown jodphur boots. Brown jodphur gloves too.

Personally I like 2 plaits for lead reins and 1st ridden, and 1 for novice/open riddens, but that's just my opinion. There's no hard fast rule on it. Don't bother with button-holes, though a simple tie pin can add a nice touch.

That's all really expensive to buy of course - at local level you can do what you can with what you already have, and gradually build on it over time. 

The 'natural state' of mountain and moorland ponies is nonsense to be honest. I find this site excellent for clarifying exactly what trimming is allowed for each breed: http://www.hamletshouse.co.uk/breeds/newforestpony.htm. 

One of the reasons a lot of the new forests, connermaras and welsh B's often have much shorter names is that many double up as plaited workers as well. My connie has a longer mane than most on the circuit as I'm too old to show him plaited. If she's going to do dressage, you may want to go shorter to be able to plait for those shows.

The main thing to remember is that you shouldn't use coloured makeup with native breeds - clear hoof varnish, clear highlighters. There's nothing wrong with using a bit of chalk paste either, though as someone above said, make sure it's well brushed out.

For local level a snaffle bit is necessary in first ridden and acceptable in open classes. At county level, it depends on the breed societies. Most only allow snaffles in first ridden, but there is one (though I can't remember which) that allows first ridden m&ms to use a pelham/double bridle. Check the rules carefully and if in doubt, use a snaffle. For county ridden classes, snaffles in novice and pelhams/double bridles for open. Always use a cavesson noseband.

Hope that helps, and good luck for the season! They often lump the New Forests and Connie's in together, so since I'm in the same area we might bump into each other one day.


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## Heilo (13 February 2012)

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. . I think snec is a bit far away. However may possibly go watch Rowallan to watch. May see you somewhere miss Bird


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