Turnout Critique #17

This week's featured horse and rider exhibit fantastic turnout that wouldn't look out of place in any hunter or equitation division at a horse show, but their turnout is even better when you consider that they're competing in the Short Stirrup division!

First off, her tack is beautifully clean and well-fitting. The saddle is small enough that the rider is not swimming in it but there still appears to be room for her to grow. The bridle is adjusted with the noseband right up under the cheek bones to complement her horse's face, and the horse is wearing the standard hunter D-ring and standing martingale (which is also correctly adjusted with enough length that it could be pulled up to the throat latch area). The saddle pad is very well-chosen to follow the outline of the saddle with an inch or two of pad showing all the way around. The rider is using a traditional stainless steel stirrup iron, suitable for any class she might wish to enter, and I appreciate that the excess stirrup leather is tucked under the flap as they are usually distractingly long for a rider of this age unless trimmed or tucked in.

The rider is correctly turned out in suitably conservative hunter attire with a black helmet, dark jacket, white show shirt, beige breeches and fitted black field boots, polished to a shine. It is more common to see short boots and jodhpurs in the Short Stirrup division because they are more easily adjusted to the growing rider, but there's nothing wrong with tall boots and I think that they suit this pair well. I like how her jacket is fitted; often jackets for smaller riders are quite boxy but hers fits her body and is a great length. The rider is wearing conservative black gloves and she has her hair up in a hairnet. Braided hair with bows would also be an option for this division, but again I believe that this pair pull off their chosen look extremely well. It looks like the hairnet might have slipped off beneath the rider's ear or snagged on an earring, but that is a very minor detail.

This horse is complemented by a beautiful braiding job. Braiding the tail is not needed for this division except at the most prestigious shows. The horse's tail is nicely brushed out but it could benefit from some more fullness at the bottom if one were to be very picky. The illusion of fullness can be achieved by trimming a small amount from the bottom of the tail (keeping most of the length as hunters generally prefer tails that are on the longer side) or by adding in a modest fake tail for showing. Depending on the cause of the thinness, bagging the tail or not brushing it too often at home could also be of benefit for keeping it thick and healthy.

The horse appears to be very clean and I suspect that he would look shiny in the sun. His hooves are nicely oiled and the small amount of white on his legs is clean. My only grooming quibbles are related to trimming. Because hunters are shown with bare legs, attention should be paid to their appearance. Trimming the little tuft of hair at the back of each fetlock would make this pair look that much sleeker and more elegant. I also noticed a little tuft of hair in front of the crown of the bridle; the mane can grow quickly so trimming the bridle path should be done frequently during the show season.

Overall, this is a polished, elegant pair who are doing a fantastic job of showing off the horse. My critiques are very minor and I am sure that when they step into the ring, the judge knows that they are there to compete.

Many thanks to this week's featured rider for submitting this photo! Readers who would like to participate in a future Turnout Critique may send any photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #16

This installment of Turnout Critique features a lovely rider and her grey horse who present an excellent example of good show ring turnout.

Photo used with photographer's permission

Grey horses present an extra challenge for good turnout because their hair stains so easily and is difficult to keep white enough not to look yellow in comparison to white saddle pads and clothing. This horse has been very thoroughly bathed and shows no yellow spots anywhere, not even on the more easily-stained parts of the body such as the legs (there is some reflection of the footing colour on his underside, which just gives the illusion of dirty patches). I suspect that if we could see the tail, the sections that aren't dark hair would be as white as possible, too. This indicates a dedication to frequent bathings to keep such stains from setting.

The mane is neatly braided in the appropriate hunter style, though the contrast between the light body and the dark mane allow us to see that some of the braids have been rubbed slightly. If this horse tends to be a braid rubber, keeping a slinky neck cover on until it's time to tack up could help to reduce the number of damaged braids. 

The tack all appears to be perfectly clean, and the bridle demonstrates proper adjustment; the noseband is set high enough to flatter this horse's face, while the throatlatch is the right length to do its job without being so short that it tightens against the throat, or so long that it swings forward under the cheeks. A D-ring bit such as this one is always an attractive option for a hunter.

I can't tell whether the marks in front of the girth are this horse's colouring or the result of girth rubs. If they are the latter, I would suggest using a girth cover between shows to help prevent them from developing.

The clean saddle pad is nicely chosen to suit the size and shape of the saddle flaps, with the maximum two inches of pad showing evenly all the way around. The excess stirrup leather is slightly longer than I would prefer to see it; ideally it would be three or four inches shorter, or tucked back under the saddle flap.

The hooves are oiled nicely to look clean and tidy, while also showing off how clean the white legs are. This horse has been neatly trimmed, both on the face and the legs, and he and his rider have both obviously been wiped down with a towel before going into the ring to remove any last-minute slobber or warm-up ring dust.

This rider is neatly and conservatively dressed in the appropriate manner for the hunter ring. Her jacket is well-fitted and is the ideal length for her in both the body and the arms. For a more formal occasion I would suggest a darker jacket, but the light grey colour is perfectly appropriate for a regular hunter class. The jacket is accompanied by a classic white show shirt and the appropriate beige breeches with a belt. Her boots are beautifully fitted, coming all the way up to the knee with enough height left over to give lots of flexibility in the ankle area. I would prefer to see more polish to the boots, but it's possible that the lack of shine is due mostly to the cloudiness of the day.

Her clean black gloves and helmet are both very good choices, and her hair is neatly contained in a hairnet in the hunter fashion. I wonder whether this rider's number is tied further above her natural waist than is usual, but the angle of the photo could make the line deceiving.

Overall this rider has done a lovely job of presenting herself and her horse to look their best.

Thank you to this week's featured rider for submitting this photo! Anyone who would like to participate in a future Turnout Critique can send one or more photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #15

This week's featured horse and rider are doing a lot right already. Our rider should find that a few minor changes to further refine their turnout will have a big impact on the overall picture.

I'm told that this horse usually goes in a front riser pad due to high withers, but he wears a half pad on top of a shaped pad for showing. While this is slightly more attractive than a foam riser pad, it still looks very bulky. Ideally the saddle fit would be such that extra padding wouldn't be necessary. Additional pads can actually make fit tighter, like wearing two pairs of socks, so taking the pressure off one area with extra padding can sometimes make the fit worse elsewhere. For showing, I would consider using the shaped pad with a small pommel pad just over the withers instead of a half pad; this arrangement is fairly common in the hunter ring and adds discrete padding without being bulky. They are available in various forms, from knitted/crochet to fleece to foam, and they can even be done in barn colours because the pommel pad is essentially invisible with the saddle over top. If the saddle fitter agrees with this set-up, losing the bulky half pad will go a long way towards enhancing their turnout. The shaped pad looks like it would probably suit the shape of the saddle nicely in this set-up with just an inch or two of pad showing evenly all the way around.

The bridle is quite thin for this large-boned horse, who could benefit from wider straps to give the illusion of a smaller head. The noseband is also adjusted a little bit low; bringing it up so that it rests an inch or two below the cheek bones would also make his head look more refined by shortening the distance between the browband and the noseband. In the same vein, this large-boned type of horse would benefit from a bit with bigger rings, such as a Hunter Dee bit, though obviously the horse's response to any type of bit is the most important factor. The bridle looks to be clean and in good repair.

The girth does not appear to be as clean as the rest of the tack. The outside of the girth receives dirt and sweat transferred from the rider's boots and the horse's elbow, so it's one piece of tack that really should be cleaned between classes if there is a break.

I am impressed by how white the leg markings are considering they do not appear to have been clipped. Brushing them and possibly applying baby powder or corn starch prior to entering the show ring would help to eliminate the slight brown tinge just above the hooves, and clipping the legs would make the whole process much easier. The white markings would be set off nicely by applying a fresh coat of hoof oil to the feet just before entering the show ring.

Frequent readers of the blog have probably noticed the presence of my pet peeve, the too-long excess stirrup leather. This should either be trimmed or tucked back under the saddle flap to keep it from swinging around and distracting both the judge and the horse. The stirrup irons are a classic style appropriate for both hunter and equitation classes.

This horse has been braided in the hunter style, but over the course of the show day several of the braids have been rubbed out of place. There are a few different ways to prevent this from happening. The first is to make sure that the mane is very clean prior to braiding; this will dissuade the horse from rubbing the braids out himself. Next, when pulling the braids up, make sure that you are inserting the pull-through perfectly parallel to the braid. Any tiny angle will encourage the braids to move out of place. Finally, the shorter the braids, the more sturdy they will be. Long braids leave a tail that can be easily moved around, whereas the bottom of short braids is very close to the knot, making them much more secure.

The tail appears to be flowing nicely as if it has been fully brushed out. For a thick tail like this, the easiest way to keep it from getting clumpy is to shampoo it frequently since dirty hairs tend to stick together, and then brush it out all the way from top to bottom before every class on a show day.

This horse's coat shines deeply, showing that he is well-cared-for. Based on this photo, it looks as though he could use a little bit more weight to cover his ribs better and suit his heavier build. I am also slightly concerned about his feet, which appear to be somewhat chipped. Jumping can be hard on feet and it's possible that this horse might feel more comfortable in shoes, though of course it's impossible to tell from a photo and he could be doing perfectly well barefoot.

Our rider is neatly dressed in suitable conservative attire for the hunter ring. The sleeves of the jacket are too short, but it is very difficult to find a jacket with extra-long sleeves for a long-armed rider off the rack without going custom. The jacket seems to be very clean and nicely fitted through the body, though the overall length might be just a tiny bit short (though in two-point position it is difficult to say for sure). For her next jacket, this rider might consider finding a brand that offers a tall option if her current jacket isn't a "tall" already.

Her breeches are an appropriate beige colour and are again very clean. While her field boots are beautifully fitted, they sport a layer of dust that should in future be wiped off at the in-gate.

The helmet is again a good conservative choice, though at least one big cluster of hair has escaped containment to detract from the overall neatness. It is nice, however, to see a chin strap that appears to be properly fitted instead of hanging too low to be of any use. The rider's black leather or leather-like gloves are also a very appropriate choice for hunter or equitation classes.

It appears that the nostrils and mouth have been wiped off prior to the horse entering the ring, which is very good. It's at this point that the rider's boots should also be included in the towelling.

A few of my suggestions in this critique have involved what to look for when replacing certain pieces of tack or attire in the future. None of these purchases need to be made immediately; they are simply recommendations for what would complement this particular horse or rider that much better when those items do need to be replaced. The remaining suggestions really are very minor changes that will make this pair look that much more professional.

Thank you very much to this week's featured rider for sending this photo in for a critique! Riders interested in being featured in future turnout critiques can e-mail their photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #14

This week's featured rider is competing in a schooling dressage show, which is not something that every reader of this blog will do, but there is still plenty that can be applied to the turnout of a hunter or jumper.

The very first thing that jumps out at me is something that I see on a large proportion of the horses at any given horse show, and that is a saddle pad whose edge is sitting under the saddle. I'm glad to be able to show an example of this because most riders seem unaware of what this could mean for the horse. The edge of a saddle pad is almost always thicker than the rest of the pad thanks to the layering of finishing materials (and even if it wasn't, there is still a difference in height between the pad and the horse's back). If the saddle is placed over this ridge, it creates a pressure point so that rather than having the saddle evenly disperse pressure across the back, this ridge will dig deeper into the back. While I have never seen a study linking back pain to this type of saddle pad arrangement, it's easy to imagine that it mustn't feel as good as it could for the horse.

For this reason, care should be taken when tacking up to keep an inch of two of saddle pad behind the back of the saddle. If the saddle tends to slip back during the ride while the saddle pad stays in place, a non-stick pad can be created very simply by sewing pieces of grippy non-stick shelf liner to the top of the saddle pad, or by cutting out a pad shape from the shelf liner and placing it carefully where it is needed. The girth tightness should also be checked throughout the ride because this can also be a cause of shifting. I do like the way that the black edging on this pad sharpens the outline on this colour of horse.

I like how neat and tidy this pair look for a schooling show. While I would recommend braiding even for a schooling show when it comes to dressage (and because any kind of braiding is acceptable for dressage, it doesn't have to be time-consuming), the horse is clean and well-brushed, as evidenced by the flow of the tail. It is difficult with some cameras to detect shine indoors, so I will give this pair the benefit of the doubt as the horse appears to be in good condition.

This horse's feathers could be trimmed to present an even cleaner look, which would also help to minimize wet sand from the warm-up ring sticking to the legs as it has here. This is one reason why I like to keep a stiff brush in the ring kit for last-minute leg cleaning. If this were a hunter or jumper show, I would recommend hoof polish to complete the clean picture, although this is a less common practice in dressage.

The tack looks to be clean and well-fitted. An all-purpose saddle like this one is perfectly acceptable for the lower levels of dressage, as would be a jumping saddle for anyone looking to try their hand at it. The bit looks a little bit high, but I suspect that it is just being lifted by the rein contact judging by the movement in the cheek piece.

The rider has presented herself very cleanly and with very well-fitted clothing. My preference, even for a schooling show, is for the rider to wear light (in this case white or beige) breeches, but the black breeches here are spotless. The white polo shirt is very appropriate for an informal schooling show. This rider's field boots are beautifully fitted, coming as far up to the knee as possible and fitting snugly through the leg. They appear to be polished, but the bottoms could still benefit from a towelling just before entering the show ring.

This rider's hair is neatly contained and her helmet appears to be well-fitted, with its strap secured in the keepers where it belongs. Black gloves such as the ones seen here are a good choice for the lower levels of dressage because they help to make hand movements less conspicuous.

The rider appears to be carrying an ordinary crop, which would be acceptable for a hunter or jumper class but will not be very useful in this case. There is no point during a dressage test when it would be appropriate to put the reins in one hand in order to use a crop behind the leg, and hitting on the shoulder is not appropriate in the dressage ring. Riding without a crop or using a dressage whip that can be applied behind the leg without taking a hand off the reins would be more correct.

Overall, for an informal schooling show, this horse and rider look very tidy and most of the changes that I recommend come down to personal preference. I commend them for broadening their horizons beyond the hunter/jumper world.

Riders interested in being featured in future turnout critiques can e-mail their photo(s) to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #13

This week's Turnout Critique is interesting because we have photos from a couple of different shows, showing the horse at two different levels of turnout and at two different body conditions.

This rider strikes me as someone who has recently had a growth spurt because while all of her apparel appears to have been chosen with care, several elements are too short. The jacket, while a good dark colour, appears too short, with the waist sitting too high and the bottom not coming far down enough. A good rule of thumb is that the bottom hem at the back of the jacket should just barely brush the seat of the saddle. The field boots are several inches too short and as a result they have dropped below the bottom of the rider's knee. Boots that are too short break up the lines of the leg and can give the illusion of strange proportions. For equitation classes in particular, care should be taken to choose boots that are not too short. When purchasing new boots, plan for them to drop an inch or two (which means that they will feel uncomfortably high on the knee at first).

The upper part of the boot is clean and well-polished, but the foot area appears dull. Unless the ground is so wet that it washes the polish away, polished boots should redevelop their shine after being wiped down. Care should be taken to ensure that the entire boot is polished before showing (and be aware that some leather conditioners can dull the finish and make it difficult for the boots to hold a shine). For an equitation class (which this appears to be), a small spur, even if it is a "dummy" spur, would help to draw the judge's eye to the nicely lowered heel.

This rider's hair is neatly contained in a conservative helmet and hairnet, and she could bring some hair down over her ears to complete the full "hunter hair" look.

She appears to be wearing a belt with her tucked-in show shirt, as is appropriate, and the breeches are well-chosen for their colour and fit, and are clean. Her black gloves are also well-chosen to complete the outfit.

Another reason why it appears that this rider might have had a recent growth spurt is that the saddle seems to be too small, both in the seat and the flap. You should be able to fit about a hand's width between the cantle and your seat, and the flap is almost entirely hidden by the rider's leg. I recommend that this rider work with her trainer and a good saddle fitter to evaluate whether it's time to move to a larger saddle. This does not have to be a huge expense because good quality saddles can be found used for much less than they would cost new.

This rider pointed out herself that the saddle pad is too large, but if the saddle needs to be replaced, the pad might actually end up being the correct size. The outline of the saddle pad, to me, matches the rider's leg better than the flap of the saddle does.

The excess stirrup leather is too long for my taste; I find this to be distracting particularly as a horse canters around, causing it to flap up and down. I would either trim the stirrup leathers so that the ends just extend past the edge of the saddle pad, or tuck the ends under the flap to visually shorten them. The silver-coloured stirrup irons are the correct choice for the equitation ring.

This horse is wearing leather boots, which are appropriate for equitation classes. If this horse were to enter a hunter class, the boots would need to be removed.

The bridle appears to be well-fitted and all of the tack seems to be clean and in good repair.

The horse is nicely braided and appears to have his face trimmed. His tail is sparse and to bring his turnout to the next level, I would try a fake tail when braiding to fill it out a little bit and balance his outline. I'm impressed by the turnout of all of the horses seen in these photos; for a local circuit final, these riders are doing a great job with their overall presentation.

The horse's coat is dull and he is lacking weight. In a case like this, I would seek advice from a vet in case the cause is something health-related such as worms or ulcers. If the horse is deemed to be healthy and just needs more weight, I would try adding oil to the feed for extra calories and to add some shine to the coat.

This final photo was taken some time later, after the horse had gained weight. In my opinion, he could still benefit from gaining a few more pounds and his coat is still on the dull side, so I would continue to lean towards adding oil to the feed if all else has been ruled out and the horse is being deeply groomed on a daily basis.

This time the horse is not braided, but he does have a pulled mane. While I'm told that this was just a local county show, I would still be tempted to braid the mane. Not only is it a good opportunity to practice your braiding skills where slightly less-than-perfect braids won't stand out, but when the horse is looking a bit rough temporarily yet is still capable of showing, putting those extra touches on the turnout is a way of making up for the dull coat or slight thinness. We also know that the peanut gallery will often be quick to criticize without knowing the full story, so putting added effort into the horse's turnout when there are minor issues that you can't control can be a way of expressing that you do care about your horse.  

Most of my comments from the earlier photos also apply to this one. The rider is now wearing spurs, which improve the look of her leg, but she should either trim the straps or tuck them in so that the ends don't hang down so low. The horse's tail looks fuller, either because it has grown out or because it is unbraided. It could probably use an extra brushing out before tacking up to make sure that the strands don't clump together.

When doing "hunter hair", this rider should make sure that some hair comes down to cover the tops of her ears along with the hairnet. In this photo, only the hairnet is over the ear, which creates a line splitting her ear in two.

The horse's white socks look fairly dirty despite the footing not appearing to be very wet, so I would suggest clipping the socks in the future to help keep them clean. Applying baby powder would also help to whiten the socks the day of the show.

Thank you very much to our featured rider for submitting these photos. She's doing a great job and with time and a wardrobe that better suits her height, she and her horse should look like winners. 

If you are interested in being featured in a future Turnout Critique, please send your photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #12

The first Turnout Critique submission of 2014 is a lovely example of good hunter turnout, with only a handful of minor improvements that could be made.

This horse is in good condition and is groomed thoroughly on a regular basis, as evidenced by the deep shine of his coat. If anything, he might be a little bit too fat, but jumping photos can sometimes be deceiving in that respect. He appears to be quite hot and sweaty, and could possibly benefit from being clipped if this show did not take place on an unusually hot day. The braids are nicely done as far as the photo shows.

All of the white markings have clearly been meticulously cleaned, and this good work would be highlighted by a fresh application of hoof oil to the feet.

The tack all appears to be properly fitted, clean and in good repair. The noseband would flatter the face better if it were put up a hole or two so that it sits just one finger's width below the cheekbone. We are often fooled into judging the size of the head by the length from the browband to the noseband, so the noseband should be kept up near the cheekbones to minimize this distance (bridles stretch over time, therefore this should be checked every so often).

The saddle pad is just the right shape for this saddle, with a very acceptable 1 1/2 inches of pad showing all the way around the edges. The excess length of stirrup leather is just short enough to be tidy without needing to be tucked or trimmed. The tack is a great example of not needing to have everything in the exact same colour. The saddle and girth match, making neither stand out to the eye. The martingale and bridle are darker in colour, but since they are on a separate part of the horse and are in a similar colour family to the saddle, nothing stands out as being different.

This rider is beautifully dressed in well-fitted beige breeches, belt, dark jacket, white show shirt with the now-common wrap collar and conservative black gloves. Her hair is neatly contained in the hunter style and she sports an appropriately conservative helmet by today's standards. My only problem is with her boots, which don't show the high shine of a pair that have been recently polished. She could also ask a groom to brush off the bottoms of her boots after she mounts for a cleaner look. The boots appear to be made of a thin, supple leather, which produces a lovely slim profile but could also require extra time spent polishing due to the leather's more porous surface.

The quality of this horse and rider combination is so high that any turnout faults are very minor. This rider appears to be a great example of someone who puts a strong effort into presenting herself well in front of the judges.

Many thanks to this week's featured rider for putting herself forward for a critique!

Any readers who are interested in being featured in a future edition of Turnout Critique can send photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #11

This week we have a featured horse and two riders who show excellent turnout for a cool season 'C' circuit horse show. There are a few improvements that could be made but overall we're looking at a team that puts a lot of effort into their presentation.

This horse is clipped appropriately for a horse show outside of the summer, leaving just the legs and a saddle patch unclipped. This is perfectly acceptable for a show at this level, and should also be appropriate for most shows at the 'B' level as well provided that the clip is done smoothly like this one with no visible clip lines. For an 'A' show, I would expect to see a full body clip, but at the lower levels the horses aren't presumed to be showing full-time and therefore it's understandable to leave some areas unclipped. A partial clip is certainly preferable to a shaggy, sweat-soaked horse.

The quality of this horse's coat is lovely, with the shine evident even indoors. All of the white markings are quite clean, which is impressive given that the legs aren't clipped, and the hooves have the rich colour that comes from being oiled prior to the class, helping to set off the white markings. He also appears to be in good weight.

Unfortunately, the mane is unbraided, which is a shame given the quality of the rest of their turnout. It is at least pulled to a short length so it is relatively neat, but braiding it would likely give him a better-looking neck since the hair sticking up near the top of the neck makes his crest look more upside down than it really is. It's difficult to see the tail but it seems to be brushed out nicely, though I suspect that it could use a trim based on those few longer hairs at the bottom. If the tail is quite long, trimming those thin hairs at the bottom should make the entire tail look fuller.

The tack shows the deep glow of well-cleaned leather. The bridle is adjusted properly, complementing the horse's head. I do find the yellow plastic of the bit's mouthpiece to be somewhat distracting, but if that is what the horse goes best in, it's okay. I have mentioned previously that some brands of peacock safety stirrups aren't intended for the weight of someone larger than a small child, so these riders should keep on eye on those stirrup irons if they wish to continue using them to make sure that they don't start to bend and lose their integrity. The extra length of stirrup leather should either be trimmed so that only a few inches extend beyond the edge of the saddle pad, or it can be tucked neatly under the saddle flap.

This saddle pad shows a tendency to slip back, though it does seem to be the correct size and shape for this saddle. Perhaps the girth is a bit too loose (it might need tightening once the rider is in the saddle) or the straps on the saddle pad might need to be adjusted differently or more tightly (sometimes even passing just one of the girth buckles through the girth loop instead of both can make a difference if the loop is positioned too far forward). If that doesn't work, there are non-slip pads available for purchase or they could try sewing a patch of non-slip kitchen drawer liner to the current pad.

Both riders are dressed in very well-fitted, clean clothing. Their boots are clean and polished and are a good height for each rider's leg. The breeches are an appropriate beige colour. Their jackets are both nicely fitted through the waist, and while a white show shirt would be a more classic pairing, especially for an equitation class, the light blue shirt is acceptable. Both riders are wearing stock pins, which have become out of style due to the risk of the pin coming undone during a fall or other accident and causing injury. The collar can be left plain, or you can add monogramming or piping if you feel that you must have something there.

Both riders have the number string up around the ribs rather than around the waist. While there is no rule against the number being a bit high, the normal position for it is around the waist. If the string is run through a button like this to hide the bow, it's important to thread the number in such a way (i.e. no double-looping through the holes) that it can be slid along the string to move it slightly to the inside or outside during flat classes so that the judge can read it. The gloves are clean and black, complementing the riders' boots and helmets. While their hair appears to be fairly neatly contained, I don't see a hairnet on either rider and the rider in the blue shirt has pieces of hair sticking out the back of her helmet. A hairnet would help to keep the hair neat. To have a really polished hunter look, they could try putting their hair across the tops of their ears. The white-shirted rider needs to make sure that her chinstrap stays up in its keeper instead of hanging down her neck. If it doesn't stay in place, adding a braiding elastic to the chinstrap should help.

The crop is appropriately conservative. During a flat class, however, it would be a good idea to leave the whip at the in-gate. In Canada, whips aren't allowed in hack classes, which many people also extend to under saddle and flat classes even if it isn't expressly written in the rules. I'm not sure whether any such rule exists in the U.S., but a judge won't see many good reasons for you to be carrying it in an under saddle class anyway, and you risk being placed lower if the judge thinks that you are using it.  

Overall, well done! It's very nice to see riders so well turned-out at this level and I'm sure that the judges notice this pair when they walk in the ring. Thank you very much to these riders for submitting their photos!

If you would like to be featured in a future Turnout Critique, send one or more photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Style Advice

As the summer approaches, some of you might be wondering about trends for the show ring in 2013. Frequent readers might have noticed that I try to stay away from mentioning particular brands or giving fashion advice outside of staying neat and within the rules. To be quite honest, I am hardly qualified to give fashion advice and I want to avoid giving anyone who stumbles onto any particular blog post here the impression that trends will matter to the judge once you step into the show ring.

If you are interested in show ring fashion and trends, I do have a recommendation for a fantastic site that is very on-trend but still worth a visit even if you don't care about fashion, because Carley is hilarious:

GetMyFix.org

On a similar note, remember as the show season gets closer that you can send me photos for a turnout critique to make sure that you're presented at your best for that first show. You can send a photo (or more) of your horse and yourself in horse show attire to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #10

This week's featured rider clearly makes a very good effort towards her turnout, resulting in a nice, workmanlike pair. A few minor changes could improve their turnout further to make them really shine.

All of this horse's tack appears to be well-fitted, with every piece showing the deep shine of clean, well-conditioned leather. I'm not a big fan of breastplates on hunters; I find them to be mildly distracting. They are legal if they are made entirely of leather, but I wonder if a well-fitted saddle would really move very much anyway in an under saddle class without one.

I don't like to see a hanging bridle tag on a hunter; I much prefer a discreet name plate, which can even be placed on a cheek piece so that it can be covered by a strap. If the hanging tag is not easily removable, I have had success tucking them out of the way between the cheek piece straps between the buckle and the top keeper after bridling the horse.

The saddle pad is nicely chosen to fit this saddle. I find the excess stirrup leather to be on the verge of being too long, so I would tuck it under the saddle flap.

The hooves are nicely oiled and the small amount of white on the legs has clearly been cleaned and shows just a small amount of show ring dirt.

What worries me is how dull this horse's coat is, given the shine on the rider's boots and tack and how much effort this rider puts towards their turnout. I expect a healthy horse who receives a lot of elbow grease to have a deep shine as a result. If this horse is healthy as far as can be told, and shows no signs of ulcers, adding some oil to the feed in the form of flax, black oil sunflower seeds or vegetable oil could make a big difference to the shine of the coat.

The mane is nicely braided and tidy. The tail is thin and doesn't fall like a tail that has been thoroughly brushed from bottom to top shortly before heading to the show ring. This horse could also benefit from a fake tail to balance out his proportions.

I can't tell whether the horse's open mouth is simply an atypical moment in time or if he goes like this frequently. If the mouth gapes frequently, a dental check-up and/or change of bit might be of benefit.

The rider is very well-dressed with a classic navy jacket that fits well through the body, clean beige breeches and very shiny field boots, with spotless soles. This is the reason for having someone at the ring with a towel following your warm-up; when the entire boot is clean with no dirt or horse slobber, it brings everything together. The outfit is completed with conservative black gloves and a black helmet, and a lovely demonstration of neat hunter hair.

Overall, I really appreciate the effort that this rider has made and I'm sure that the judges notice it, too. They will be especially eye-catching when her horse matches her level of shine.

Thank you very much to this week's featured rider for submitting this photo! Anyone interested in participating in a future Turnout Critique can send any photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #9

In this week's Turnout Critique we'll be looking at a horse who looks more ready for the dressage ring than the hunter ring. Some details are difficult to see through the photo quality, so some aspects of the critique will be fairly general.

The number one change that needs to happen to transform this horse into a hunter is to switch to a shaped saddle pad instead of a square pad. This would bring them in line with the hunter rules.

This horse looks like he's well groomed with his deep, shiny liver chestnut coat. His mane and tail appear to be brushed out very nicely with no clumping, but a hunter's mane really should be braided. Some riders like to keep their horse's mane long for breed standards or based on personal horse-keeping practices. If you are serious about showing in the hunters, however, pulling or shortening the mane will bring your turnout in line with what is expected. At the schooling level, a running braid done tightly against the crest of the neck will make a full-length mane look neat and similar from a distance to those done in traditional hunter braids, while keeping the rider's hands from getting caught in the mane over fences. There is a lovely example of a tight running braid here (under "French Braid"). The tail looks like it might be braided, which is a nice touch for the bigger classes.

This horse is not wearing any boots or bandages, leaving the legs naked as is appropriate for a hunter class.

The bridle is all leather of a similar colour, which is good, but a raised noseband and browband would complement the horse's head more than the plain, flat leather. Raising the noseband to within an inch or two of the cheek bone would bring the proportions of the head into balance, making it look less long and more refined. Trimming some of the facial hair would also help to refine the head. The straps should also be kept in their keepers. If the keeper is too big and the strap comes out in the show ring, adding a braiding elastic beside the keeper can help to keep the strap in place. As far as I can tell, the reins are laced leather, which is appropriate for the hunter ring. The D-ring bit is also very appropriate.

It's a good idea to check the stirrup leathers for evenness every so often because they can get stretched to different degrees. It might just be that that the horse was posed in such a way that they only appear uneven in the photo, but I suspect that they would not be of equal length if the horse was halted square.

As far as the rider goes, the classic combination of navy jacket, white shirt and beige breeches is a good one. The jacket is a bit too baggy; a more fitted body would look more polished. Even the shirt seems large in the neck area. Brass buttons aren't usually seen in the hunter ring since buttons that match the jacket colour are more conservative. The black gloves are a very good choice with this outfit.

I'm not sure whether this helmet doesn't fit properly or simply has been pushed back by the rider. A helmet should be worn so that the base of the front of the helmet lies parallel to the ground. In other words, looking at a rider face-on, the bottom of the helmet should make a straight line across the forehead instead of a line that's curved upwards. This is done both for safety and aesthetic reasons. In addition, the helmet strap is hanging down, which can be corrected with the addition of a black braiding elastic on the strap.

The final step is to clean and polish the boots. Even the soles are dirty, a problem that can be solved by having someone use a brush or towel to clean them after you get on. Always polish your boots before a horse show as it's one of those things that is very noticeable if not done. It's easy to remove dust and slobber from well-polished boots with a towel at the in-gate to bring out their full shine.

Overall, this is a cute horse who would really shine in the show ring with just a little bit more work to even out the whole picture.

Thank you to this week's featured rider for submitting these photos! Anyone wishing to be featured in a future Turnout Critique can send any photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #8

This is our first jumper Turnout Critique. Jumpers are more difficult to critique because so much is allowed that it really comes down to personal taste. I, personally, like a very clean and fairly conservative turnout for jumpers, and this critique will reflect that. As long as your turnout falls within the rules, however, it will not affect the judging of a jumper class. I believe that good turnout still shows respect for the judge and the horse show and I therefore like to make the effort.

The first thing that strikes me is how nice and clean this very cute pony is! The ends of her tail could be a little bit whiter, which usually comes from shampooing the tail frequently well ahead of the horse show, but as far as I can tell without knowing this horse's coat markings and assuming that the orange jump is reflecting off the back legs, especially after looking at all of the photos, I think that this rider has done a good job with her grey horse.

I would like to see the tail brushed out better, starting from the bottom and working all the way up to the top so that it doesn't fall into clumps as we see here. The mane could be pulled and/or shortened to make it neater and less likely to catch the rider's hands during a release. I like to braid jumpers' manes for big classes, but an unbraided mane is perfectly acceptable, and the norm, for a casual class.

Hoof polish would add a nice finish to the turnout, especially in contrast to the light coat.

The bridle appears to be well-fitted to this pony and I like the conservative fly veil. My preference is for a conservative base colour for a fly veil, and then personality can be added through coloured trim if desired. A true white fly veil can make even a clean horse look yellow, so the best colours to use on a grey are usually (depending on the lightness of the grey horse) off-white, grey or black.

I am not a big fan of this patterned saddle pad for showing; I think that a plain white pad or a white pad edged in black, or even a black pad edged in white for a casual class, would look very clean and professional while suiting the overall colour scheme.

The saddle looks like it might benefit from a good conditioning (although it might just be a trick of the light) and I would tuck the excess stirrup leather under the saddle flap so that it isn't flying around. As I've mentioned in previous posts, it's a good idea to keep an eye on the peacock irons over time as some aren't meant to take the weight of more than a young child. I would prefer to see a girth that is closer in colour to the saddle and bridle.

This rider's helmet is fairly conservative and appropriate for the jumper ring. Her hair appears to be neatly contained in a braid, which is perfectly acceptable for long hair, although putting it up inside the helmet is the neatest option.

If it's warm enough to show in short sleeves, my preference would be to remove the bulky vest before entering the ring. My personal practice is to wear a thin V-neck sweater over a polo shirt on cooler days so that the collar of the polo still shows and the lightweight fabric means that you're less likely to overheat once you start riding. The V-neck makes it easy to pull over your helmet if you get too warm and want to take it off.

This rider is not wearing gloves, which is perfectly acceptable if that is how she prefers to ride. If she ever wants more protection for her hands, she should choose black, brown, or even beige gloves depending on the rest of her outfit to remain conservative.

The breeches are an appropriate beige colour and are clean. Her boots, however, are a different story! If the light colour on the toes is dirt, they should have been cleaned before the horse show and preferably again after mounting. If it's discolouration from wear, the boots should have been buffed with black polish. I like for a rider's boots to be polished at all times in the jumper ring. Also, when half chaps are used, they should ideally be the type that look like tall boots from a distance, and they should be polished as well.

Overall, I think that this rider has done a very good job of presenting herself for a schooling-level jumper show. It will only take a few minor changes and polishing to bring their turnout up to the next level.

Thank you to this week's featured rider for submitting these photos! Anyone wishing to be featured in a future Turnout Critique should e-mail any photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #7

In this Turnout Critique, we'll be taking another look at a horse and rider who we've seen before at their very first horse show. Now we'll be looking at their turnout for the cold season.

Clipping might not be an option for certain horses depending on their living conditions (indoors vs. outdoors, blanketing, etc.) and workload. If you choose to show in the colder months without clipping, you need to go a step further with your turnout to show the judge that you haven't simply pulled your horse out of the field and onto the trailer. In this particular case, the step further would be to braid, even for a schooling show. The messy mane and forelock add to the overall hairiness and make it look as though all of the effort has gone towards the rider rather than the horse. Braiding at least the mane would demonstrate that an effort has been made. The hooves should similarly be polished as a finishing touch.

It's difficult to tell based on these photos alone whether the tail is dirty or simply has dark colouring. Even in cold weather, it's possible to partially wash the tail without making the horse wet by using a clean, damp sponge. Spread the tail across your knee and wipe each section down with the sponge until it comes away clean (rinse the sponge when it gets dirty). You could even use shampoo on the sponge if you're careful to rinse it away with another sponge afterwards. Using this method, it's possible to get quite a clean tail that can be easily brushed out, even in the winter!

Trimming the whiskers would also help to refine the turnout, but some riders do prefer to keep them, especially in the off-season.

While the feathers look like they started off clean and white, which is great, long hair does tend to capture dirt and you can see in the bottom photo that they did not stay white. If you do not wish to trim the leg hair, you can bring a stiff brush to the ring to remove most of the dirt from the warm-up and then apply baby powder or corn starch to the white socks to further whiten them.

If the coat is long, it will usually form a wavy pattern as the horse sweats. If you are showing a horse with a winter coat or whose summer coat has not finished coming in, bring a hard brush to the ring and run it over the horse right before entering the show ring to remove that waviness, making the horse appear sleeker and neater.

This bridle is not acceptable for the hunter ring, with its contrasting padding on the noseband and browband. The bridle should be brown or black with no accents of any other colours. I also wonder whether these reins are leather; I can't zoom in closely enough to confirm but they strike me as possibly being rubber or webbed, which would be illegal in the hunter ring.

The saddle pad is very clean and fits the shape of this saddle as well as can be expected, given the saddle's all purpose shape. Further down the line, this rider might think of switching to a proper jumping saddle that would help her to maintain the position and balance desired for the hunter ring. Her peacock irons are acceptable for a junior rider but I suggest that she keeps an eye on them as she grows as many brands are not designed to take an adult's weight. The excess stirrup leather is short enough that it is acceptable as is, but if it were any longer I would suggest either folding it under the saddle flap or trimming it.

I prefer the fit of this jacket to the one that we saw this rider in last time; it is slightly more fitted at the waist and through the arms. Paired with a clean white shirt and beige breeches, it is a classic combination that always works. The black crop is also appropriately conservative, and the clean black leather gloves add a polished subtlety to the hands.

From what I can see from these angles, the rider's hair appears to be appropriately neat and contained.

Several inches of the helmet strap hang down, and this is distracting. If it does not stay in the original harness set-up, I suggest trying to add a black braiding elastic or something similar to keep that excess strap contained.

The black field boots are very well-fitted, but they should always be polished before a horse show. It's the small details like polishing boots and hooves that really bring turnout to the next level.

I suggest that this rider practices braiding before her next show. That, combined with a change of bridle and a bit of polish, will make a big difference to her turnout, especially if she develops some special routines just for winter shows. 

Thank you very much to this week's featured rider for submitting these photos!

If you would like to submit one or more photos for a future Turnout Critique, send them to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #6

This week's featured rider clearly tries hard to have good turnout and is doing a lot right, but she needs to focus on a few more details and ensure that she is using her safety equipment in a way that allows it to work as it should.

This was this rider's very first Bronze-level show and her turnout is extremely good for a rider starting at that level. 

Her pony is in excellent condition, shiny and in good weight. He is very clean and has nicely oiled hooves. The tail is brushed out nicely and is an excellent example of what a properly brushed out tail should look like. Each hair flows freely with none bunching together, which comes from working through the entire tail from bottom to top. I also appreciate that the mane is braided, and although I cannot tell much about the quality from the resolution of these photos, I can tell that they are thin with no frizz. It's possible that some of the braids have turned, which can be remedied by starting with a shorter mane if that is the case. The pony also appears to be nicely trimmed.

I'm not sure that the shape of the saddle fits this rider (although shortening the stirrups might help to put more bend in her knee and therefore use the front half of the saddle more), but it appears to be clean and in good repair. My biggest issue is with the stirrup irons. In two of these photos, the peacock safety stirrup is positioned so that the open (with rubber band) side is facing the pony. It may be that the stirrup leather was twisted for the flat phase, but it's important for that open side to face outward. If this rider were to fall, the only way that the rubber band could pop open to help release her foot would be if it was on the outside, the direction in which she would move in a fall. If this rider wishes to continue using safety stirrups, she should make sure to keep on eye on the peacock irons as she grows. Most brands are not designed to take more than a child's weight (due to the open side) and could bend, especially with the forces involved while jumping. There are other types of safety stirrups available, and a properly-sized solid stirrup iron can be very safe as well.

This rider actually commented to me that her saddle pad was too small, but I disagree. The flap area of this saddle pad is actually too large for this saddle (even when it slips back there is still about an inch of pad showing in front but three or four inches too much in the back), both in width and depth. The pad might be too small under the back of the saddle where I don't have a clear view of it, but simply going up to a horse-sized pad from a pony pad to fix that would make the flap area even more distractingly large. I would instead try different brands of pony-sized pads to find one that fits all the way around, leaving an inch or two of pad showing everywhere.

The bridle appears to be properly fitted and clean, and a converter is being used with the pelham as is allowed under EC rules for juniors. I would double-check the length of the standing martingale just to make sure that it isn't restricting the pony in any way. He is hitting the end of it while landing in the photo below, but this might be the highest that his head ever goes on landing. Personally, I would lengthen it by a hole or two just to make sure that the pony stays comfortable.

The rider is correctly turned out for the hunter ring in a classic combination of dark jacket, white shirt, dark gloves and beige breeches. It's possible that her boots could use a coat of polish because I can't detect much shine in these photos.

I am not a big fan of Tipperary helmets for the hunter ring, personally. I find that the sun's reflection off the shiny finish is distracting and the shape of the helmet can make it appear that the rider is looking down, which could count against you in an equitation class. There is such a variety of safe helmets available in all price ranges and fits, so I recommend that this rider search for one that is more conservatively-styled when the time comes to buy her next one.

This rider's hair is up in a bun, which is much better than a loose ponytail. I find that the bun is a bit large, though, so I might experiment with different styles to find something that stands out a little bit less. Some long-haired riders like tucking a long braid inside the shirt collar, while others find different shapes of bun to work better than others. I understand that very long or thick hair does not always fit inside a helmet, and some riders simply aren't comfortable with putting it there for safety or comfort reasons.

Overall, this rider is doing an excellent job so far and there really isn't much to change. The effort that she puts into her turnout is obvious and I'm sure that the judges notice it, too.

As always, a big thank you to this week's featured rider for submitting these photos! If you would like to participate in a future turnout critique, please send your photo(s) to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #5

This week's featured rider appears to put a lot of effort into her turnout. We're going to look at a few ways to further refine their look with a little bit more attention to detail.

One of the first things that I notice is that the tack all appears to be properly fitted to this very cute pony. The noseband is correctly placed at the right height, and everything looks clean. I would like to see the long excess stirrup leather either tucked under the flap or trimmed so that it doesn't flap around. Also, make sure to check the keepers on the bridle before entering the ring because one has slipped down and that might cause the cheek strap to flap while you're showing. If your keepers have a tendency to slip, it can sometimes be better to push them up slightly higher than normal where the leather might be thicker, filling the keeper better.

The saddle pad appears to fit the shape and size of the saddle nicely, which can be difficult to do with an older saddle like this one.

I assume that this show took place during a cold part of the year based on the pony's long coat. Clipping the coat would really sharpen their turnout while helping to remove the yellow tinge that can be very difficult to remove from long hair (although this rider has done quite a good job of cleaning this long-haired pony up). If this pony has a long coat during the warmer seasons, clipping would be a good idea both to keep her clean and to keep her comfortable.

I recommend shampooing grey manes and tails frequently, even outside of shows, to keep them as white as possible. Once stains have set in they can be very difficult to remove, and frequent shampooing can help to avoid the yellow tinge that we see in this pony's mane, which is practically impossible to get rid of in just one or two pre-show baths.

I am always a fan of braiding the mane, and I think that a row of hunter braids would suit this pony very well, especially since her naturally frizzy mane is difficult to keep neat. I also think that oiled hooves would show off her clean grey coat nicely, as would trimming the long hair on her legs.

While the rider's boots appear to be perfectly clean, they don't shine as though they've been polished. I recommend polishing field boots before every show. Wiping them off with a dry rag will keep them polished while removing any dust that settles on them while you're riding.

I feel like a broken record, having said this in just about every turnout critique so far, but I feel that this rider's jacket is too big and looks a bit messy because of it. The only location on a jacket that really needs to be spacious is the shoulder area because of all of the arm movements associated with riding. The rest of the jacket really doesn't need to be anything but fitted, especially with the stretchy materials that are commonly used today. Some jacket brands offer slim cuts, and some brands simply fit slimmer builds better than others. If all else fails, you could always ask if a tailor could bring the jacket in at the waist. If this particular jacket's buttons have a tendency to pop out, which has happened here, looking down and checking them before heading into the ring might be a good habit to get into.

I like that this rider is wearing clean, dark gloves, and her white show shirt is clean and classic.

While I commend this rider on wearing a hairnet, it's distractingly low. The hairnet should just cover the hair, which means that it shouldn't come any lower than the helmet on the forehead, and shouldn't cover the entire ear if the hair isn't. One more little detail can be fixed with the helmet's chin strap cover, which is sitting off to the side instead of in the middle. In an equitation class, that sort of thing could make her look crooked.

This looks like a rider who puts a lot of effort into her and her pony's turnout, and I think that they will turn heads in the ring if they put just that much more emphasis on the details.

Thank you very much to this week's featured rider for submitting these photos! As always, if you're interested in being featured in a future turnout critique, please send your photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Turnout Critique #4

This week's featured horse and rider are dressed for a casual schooling show. We'll look at how to dress them up for a more formal hunter show while making a few equipment changes to bring them in line with hunter rules.

The first thing that draws my eye in these photos is the rider's bright blue polo shirt. While I'm told that polo shirts were the standard attire at this particular show, I would much rather see a show shirt and jacket to enhance the overall picture and keep the focus on the horse. If polo shirts are to be worn instead at a hunter schooling show, I would prefer to see a more subtle colour like white, black or navy blue be worn. The polo shirt is correctly tucked into the breeches and worn with a belt, as any show shirt should be.

I also notice that this horse appears to be clean and well-taken care of, looking neither too fat nor too thin. Oiling the hooves before entering the ring would add extra polish to their turnout, as would braiding the mane. As it is, the mane is neat and short, but braiding would really make them look like they came to win. The legs look trimmed and tidy.

This horse is wearing bulky saddle pads. The shaped pad is too large for this saddle, with several inches of white showing in certain areas instead of the more subtle and preferred one to two inches. On top of that, there's what looks like a black foam pad on top. Not only does this add extra bulk, but the black colour makes it stand out even more. For the two minutes that it takes to go around the show ring, most horses should be able to go without extra padding. If it's needed, perhaps a saddle fitting or change is in order, or a more advanced shaped pad with inserts or natural sheepskin to protect the back.

The tack looks clean and the excess stirrup leather isn't overly long. I personally prefer the look of a solid stirrup iron in the show ring, but I understand why some riders prefer to use safety stirrups.

Elsewhere on the horse, this rider is using a pelham bit without a snaffle rein. This set-up is not appropriate for the hunter ring; there should be attachments to both the snaffle ring and the curb ring, using either a bit converter or two sets of reins, depending on the rules of the class. Using a pelham in the way that we see here means that only the curb (leverage) action of the bit can be used. Because of this, every touch of the reins is amplified in the mouth, and poll pressure is constantly applied. Using a converter allows some of the pressure to be gained through direct contact, lessening the leverage action, and using two sets of reins allows the rider to determine when to use snaffle vs. curb action. This is especially important with a horse that likes to over-jump like this one, because it's so easy to get left behind and end up pulling back on the mouth.

Returning to the rider, I would like to see her wear gloves in the hunter ring. Her hands are very noticeable against her dark horse's neck while jumping, and wearing gloves would harmonize things. Dark gloves should almost always be a standard part of hunter attire. Her breeches and boots are appropriate, with the boots nicely shined. Her hair is neatly contained in her helmet as far as I can see. 

Overall, this horse/rider combination is almost there! Just a few minor changes would bring them from a casual but workmanlike appearance to a polished, formal hunter turnout.

As always, a big thank you to this week's rider for submitting her photos! If you would like to participate in a future turnout clinic, send your photo(s) to showringreadyblog@gmail.com