Equestrian clothing is an important factor in hunter pony classes and differs depending on the class and age of riding. All riders must wear a properly fitted skull cap or a fixed-toe riding cap that meets current safety standards, and velvet hats and blankets are preferred. Juniors should wear brown Jodhpur boots, while advanced and senior should wear long black leather boots. As for jackets, a classic tweed jacket is suitable for day classes and a navy jacket should be worn for the evening championships. Jodhpurs and breeches can only be beige or canary, no other colors are allowed, and a stem or tie should be worn in a tinted color with light brown or brown gloves. No bright glow or pink allowed! All drivers must have their hair shaped in a secure hair net. A working hunter pony class derived from a day of hunting and aimed at replicating the tasks associated with it. According to British Show Horse Association (BSHA) rules, restricted labour hunters must not have qualified for RIHS or HOYS as labour hunters in the current year. “WHP`s involvement is similar to that of show hunters,” says BSPS Judge Robert Parker-Jones. In addition, horses that have qualified as Class A show jumping riders or advanced gymnastics horses from 1 January of the current year are not eligible to participate in the research courses at work.
Have you ever seen a working pony hunter (WHP) course and wondered what sets the winning animal apart from the crowd? Whether you`re aiming for your first WHV class or looking to improve your scores this season, the following expert tips on what judges want to see and what they don`t want to see will help you set yourself up for success: Beginners must not have won a first prize of £35 or more than a total of £250 (including the championship prize) in a fighter class. This includes the correct switch on a suitable pony. Ponies competing in these classes must be polite in company and very intelligent, with a good and strong conformation, to show that the animal is capable of a long and useful life as a hunter and less likely to suffer injuries that cause days away from the hunting ground. Most importantly, the ideal hunter pony is able to jump over a series of rustic and natural fences silently, cleanly and efficiently. According to the rules of the British Show Pony Society (BSPS), the WHP classes are divided into altitude sections. 133cm, 143cm, 153cm and intermediate (horses over 148cm, but not more than 158cm.) Each class has relevant age restrictions for drivers. There are also two mini-classes, cradle poles (no more than 122 cm. riders who did not reach their 11th birthday before January 1 of the current year) and kindergarten poles (no more than 133 cm). Drivers who have not reached their 12th birthday before January 1 of the current year.) A mini WHP championship follows these two classes and the main altitude classes have their own championship.
New to the horse labour hunter scene or would you like to freshen up before the season starts? Whether you`re attending a county-level hunter class or your local village show, you need to make sure your attendance is both correct for the class and at the highest level to impress the judges. Body protection is recommended for the skipping phase of Working Hunter courses and is mandatory in Working Hunter Pony courses run according to British Show Pony Society rules. “When they move towards their legs, I like to think they have a pair of front legs and they move straight,” Aly says. “I think stains should be tolerated on a working pony, but of course it depends on the size and position.” A properly secured skull cap or riding cap that meets current safety standards must be worn by riders at all times when jumping according to BSHA rules. An active hunter can be a mare, gelding or stallion from the age of four (competing stallions must have a red, white and blue stripe in the tail or a stallion disc). Grackle nasal bands are allowed in WHV classes as well as martingales. It is also the rule that riders use protective boots on the front legs of their ponies for the jumping phase, although these must be removed for the evaluation of the conformation section. The harness for working hunter classes should be made of dark Havana leather or black leather.
There are no restrictions on bits, martingales or nasal stripes. “The majority of working ponies show up with the riders in tweed jackets and wear beautiful circuit boards,” says Aly. “My only criticism is that I`d rather not see girls wearing bright red ribbons or other colorful ribbons, but stay brown to match their ponies.” Read some important information about the popular show class. You should wear long black leather boots. Traditionally, these had straight tops and garters, but long black boots with curved tops are becoming more visible. Traditional velvet hats with a flesh-colored harness and firm lace match traditional hunting clothing, but a skull cap with an elegant velvet or silk blanket is acceptable, and the latest hats with fixed lace can also be seen. “All children learn to greet the judge at the end, but a beautiful and clean movement is enough of a clean movement. I`m afraid of some of the undulating frills you`re getting these days.
It is important to note that there must be no change of course between the jumping phases and the flat/climb phase, so if you decide to wear a martingale for the jump, it must stay for the whole class. Class A show jumping riders and advanced competition horses are not eligible to start in these classes. If a rider is small or has small stirrups, they must ensure that their “groomer” brings a spare pair of stirrups into the ring so that the judge can use them while driving. Horses should be shown with braided manes, and tails should be pulled on the dock and shortened to ankle height when worn. All feathers of the ankle closure should be trimmed, as well as the ears, jaw line and whiskers. There are 100 points to be earned. The jumping game is worth 60% of the grade; 40 points for jumping and 20 points for style and presence. The trip and the exterior are worth 20 marks each. Ride the course as in a normal jumping course – keep the pace and balance so your horse can jump to the best of his ability. All this will help you get the best possible marks for style. The goal is to skip a nice clear turn, not just a clear turn. Bullfinches are fences that horses must learn to jump.
Find long birch branches and stick them in a hedge fence so that they are about 1.5m high but easy to jump through. Then you continue to advance in the ring towards a bullfinch because it is normal for the horses to retreat on approach. Once you`ve skipped the bullfinch, set your pace back to be ready for the next fence. Jodhpurs or panties should be canary or beige, not white, and your shirt should fit you. A top or tie can be worn in a tinted color with light brown or brown gloves. In 2019, 143cm activists Star Smokey and Leyla Wheelwright were defended at RIHS. The 2019 HOYS WHP champion was the 133cm mare Coco Bongo, who then dominated the pony with her jockey Chloé Lemieux. The judges look for combinations that progress in a balanced rhythmic gallop, hitting each barrier without breaking and showing the harmony between pony and rider.
Riders must skip a course of rustic fences. In the ranks of the horses, a judge will then direct the performance. Exformation is also evaluated before the grades for each section are added together to obtain the final alignment. “Opt for an elegant green or brown tweed, a more subtle tie and not-too-big hair knots.” “When it comes to the jumping lap, I really like to see the ponies in a good rhythm, where the rider can soften his hands in front of a fence so the ponies can adjust their stride and judge the fence themselves,” says Judge Aly Boswell. “It might cause them to sink deep into one fence or another, but in my opinion, it shows the pony`s true potential to take care of itself and be a safe ride for a child.” Hair should be carefully fixed in a hair net and, if necessary, tied with a scrunchie. Save my name, email address, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.