Trainer Conflicts

When there are several rings running at a horse show, it can be difficult for a coach to get to every ring on time. This results in what we call "trainer conflicts".

You are not expected to warm up and enter the show ring without your coach being present. The in-gate person will generally try to accommodate you in the order, provided you have informed them of the conflict and tried your hardest to get there on time. If you are ready and at the ring, the show management will be more likely to help you out than if you and your horse are absent and not ready to go at a moment's notice.

If the conflict drags on for too long or if you are taking too long to prepare once the conflict has been resolved, the show could institute a time limit for you to enter the ring. In order to avoid this, be organized and plan your day as well as you can!

It's always a good idea to find out which ring has the highest priority of the show. This ring usually has the most important classes, the most classes, or a posted order. Because the show wants this ring to run smoothly, long waits are less likely to be tolerated and trainers should make sure to be on time for that ring.

The lowest priority ring is likely to have longer waits and be more lenient because some trainers must be at the higher priority rings. If you will be showing in a low-priority ring, prepare yourself to wait through conflicts and try not to stress out when it seems as though the conflict will never end. As long as you keep in touch with the in-gate person, the class is not likely to end without you.

Communication is key!

What Happens if I go Off Course?

Hopefully, you will never make the mistake of going off course during a round, but what happens if you do? Regardless of whether you are competing in the hunters or the jumpers, going off course incurs elimination.

Going off course includes jumping the fences in the wrong order, jumping a fence that is not part of the course, omitting a jump, etc.

Hunters

If you are aware that you have gone off course:

Once you know that you are off course, you should stop jumping immediately and exit the ring promptly.  

If you are not aware that you have gone off course:

At most shows, you will be asked by the announcer to leave the ring: "Rider in Ring _, you are excused." Once you have been told to leave the ring, you need to stop jumping immediately and exit the ring.

At some shows, you might be asked to leave by the in-gate person instead. In such as case, as soon as you hear the shouting from the in-gate, you need to stop your round.

Jumpers

As soon as the judge notices that you are off course, the bell will be rung repeatedly to indicate that you have been eliminated. Once the bell has been rung, you should not continue on course.

Going off course in the jumpers includes not crossing between the start timers and missing a mandatory turning point (generally seen on banks). Carefully checking the course diagram before the class can prevent some of these errors of course.

You can correct your deviation as long as you make a change before jumping the first wrong jump. Circling back or crossing your path when you notice that you are about to go off course will incur four faults but you will at least avoid being eliminated. Once you have taken a jump backwards or in the wrong order, no corrections can be made to avoid elimination.

Bling

You might be tempted to wear some flashy clothing or tack into the show ring to get noticed, but are you allowed to have "bling"?

Here are the EC rules that apply to this situation:

GENERAL RULES FOR NATIONAL HUNTERS AND JUMPERS

ARTICLE G109 DRESS

2. [...] Only approved helmets (see Article G102) of a conservative color are allowed.

EQUITATION RULES

ARTICLE G1003 DRESS

1. While exhibitors and judges should bear in mind that entries are being judged at all times on ability, it should be noted that neatness is a first requisite regarding rider's dress.

2. Jacket - conservative colour; Jodhpurs or breeches; ties, stocks or chokers must be worn; boots; black or brown smooth leather half chaps are permissible providing they match the boot colour.

3. Conservative-coloured protective headgear (as per Article G1004) with no additional adornments.

MEDAL CLASSES

ARTICLE G1103 HEADGEAR

Conservative coloured protective headgear (as per Article G1004) with no additional adornments.

HUNTERS

ARTICLE G202 TACK AND EQUIPMENT

7. Browbands: All leather of any description but not coloured or jeweled.

Horse-wise, in the jumper ring, you can use as much "bling" as you'd like and you will still be allowed to compete.  

In hunter or equitation classes, any "bling" on the horse is not appropriate. The bridle should be plain brown (or black) leather with no metal clinchers or jewels on the browband (or on the noseband, for that matter). The padding should also be brown or black, not coloured. It should be the horse that is flashy, not what you've put on the horse! Some riders will put a small charm in one of the braids. This is a personal choice, but make sure that it's subtle if you choose to do it.

The official Equine Canada rules really only take into account flashy helmets as far as the rider is concerned. In all rings, including the jumpers, helmets must be of a conservative colour. In equitation and medal classes, there must be no additional adornments, either, which means no jewels and no coloured stripes.

In equitation classes, jackets must also be of a conservative colour. You should be fine as long as you don't stray from the standard colours (navy, black, grey, dark green, etc.). While most riders will wear a white show shirt for equitation classes, there is no rule requiring it.

Belts with bling are also quite popular. These should not be worn for equitation classes, and judges for the hunter ring might also disapprove if they find the belt to be distracting. There is nothing to stop them from being worn in the jumper ring.

Tack Boxes

Tack boxes are very handy for getting your equipment to and from each show while keeping it all neat and organized. They come in all shapes and sizes and which type you use will depend on your budget, available space and preferences for weight and style.

Most tack trunks fall under one of the following categories:

Vinyl Trunks - These are usually the most stylish option, often made with custom colours and the rider's name or initials printed on the trunk. They are available in a variety of sizes and the largest ones can generally fit anything that you'd like to put in there. The downsides to this option are their space requirements and their weight. The larger models can be very wide and therefore don't fit in the more narrow tent aisles. In such a case, you would be forced to put the trunk outside or in a tack stall (it will take up a lot of space in there!). They can be difficult to carry around even for two people, so they are not a good option if you'll be doing most of the loading or unloading yourself. They are also very expensive.

Wooden Trunks - These also look very classy when they are done well. Again, they can come in a variety of sizes but I have found there to be a lot more narrower widths available than in the vinyl category, which makes fitting them in tent aisles much easier. They can be quite heavy, so again, usually two people are required to move them around. The cost varies depending on the size and quality. If you can build one yourself, it can be a very inexpensive option.

Plastic Trunks - These provide a lighter alternative to the vinyl or wooden trunks while still providing some bigger sizes to fit all of your equipment. They tend not to look all that nice and a lot of riders will use a special trunk cover to improve the look. They are generally a bit cheaper than wooden trunks. The Stanley brand is very popular.

Rubbermaids - This is my tack box of choice! They are inexpensive, very light and come in a variety of sizes. They tend not to look all that attractive, but they are practical. One strong person can often lift even the larger ones without help, so they are great if you will be working solo. I also like being able to empty some of them into the tack stall and then just tossing them back into the trailer for storage. Not necessarily the best choice if you're worried about looks. 

Whichever type you choose, make sure that the box will fit through the tack room door of any trailer that you will be using. Some of the wider trunks will not fit through your average trailer tack room door and therefore need to be transported specially!

Jumper Tack: Reins

As far as reins go, anything goes in the jumper ring! You can use whichever combination of whichever reins you'd like and be perfectly legal.

The most popular are probably rubber reins due to their excellent grip. If you use them, make sure that you don't use saddle soap or any sort of conditioner on them as it can make them grungy. The rubber will eventually wear down over time with use and you will need to either get them re-coated or buy new ones.

Some riders prefer to use web reins. They are not as bulky as rubber reins and are less likely to become slippery when wet than leather reins.

Leather reins, laced, braided or plain, are always an option. They provide a thinner alternative for a curb rein but don't tend to be as grippy as the other choices.

If you are using a running martingale, make sure that your reins have rein stops on them (seen on the reins in this photo). If either of the rings gets stuck on the end of the reins or on the bit, your horse is likely to panic and using rein stops between the martingale and the bit will prevent that from ever happening. Most rubber reins tend to come with leather rein stops already attached, but if your reins don't have them you can buy rubber ones that are quite easy to slide on to the reins. It really is important for your safety not to use a running martingale without them.

Hunter Tack: Reins

Hunter tack tends to be very limited in its options, and reins are no exception. The rules state that the reins must be made entirely of leather, so that means that rubber or webbed reins are definitely out (unless rubber reins are allowed in bad weather, which is extremely rare).

The EC rule:

ARTICLE G202 TACK AND EQUIPMENT

6. Reins: entirely leather of any description, buckled, studded or sewn; single rein pelham and pelham converters are only allowed in junior and amateur classes in 3’ (0.90m) or below. In the case of bad weather, at the discretion of the judge, steward and/or competition committee, rubber reins may be allowed.

So which reins can you use?

Laced reins

The most commonly-seen reins in the hunter ring are laced reins. Each side is made of a long piece of leather that has two narrower strips of leather woven through it for grip. They are relatively easy to keep clean and, while they are not as grippy as rubber reins, they are easier to hold on to than plain leather reins.

Braided reins are not as popular as laced reins, but they are made entirely of leather and are allowed in competition. Rather than having a solid piece of leather down the entire length of the rein, braided reins consist of a length of braided narrower strips of leather.

Plain reins

Plain reins are just a solid piece of leather and are generally used as a curb rein because they provide less bulk and allow the rider to feel the difference between the two sets of reins. They are less grippy than the others and so are not generally used as the main reins. Plain leather reins with rubber on the inside for extra grip are not entirely made of leather and are therefore not legal.

Whichever type you choose, the key is for the reins not to stand out. They should be the same colour as the rest of your bridle. Whether you go with a buckle attachment or a stud attachment is your choice, but I find that the stud attachments blend in better and provide a cleaner picture.

Most reins are available in different widths, and because there is no rule about rein width, you should just choose whichever width feels best in your hands.

Jogging for Ribbons

In sanctioned or rated hunter divisions, horses are required to jog for soundness before receiving ribbons. In schooling divisions or unsanctioned divisions, jogging is done only at the judge's discretion, which is very rare!

In order to jog, you will need to remove your horse's saddle and martingale completely (detaching the martingale from the girth and keeping it around the neck is not acceptable). If you have the time, try to remove any saddle marks. Keep the bridle on and done up completely, and then use the reins to lead the horse.

The in-gate should have a standby list near the end of the class with the numbers that are expected to be asked to jog in for ribbons. This list can, of course, change as the last riders complete their rounds, but you should be prepared to jog regardless if you are on that standby list. After all of the horses have finished, the in-gate will call the numbers of the horses that need to jog and you must enter the ring in that order. 

If you are jogging in second place or lower, all that you will need to do is follow the first rider's path through the ring. If you are jogging in first, ask the in-gate where you should jog to if you're not sure. You will generally jog diagonally across the ring from the in-gate to the far end, passing in front of the judge and then circling back and coming to a halt before you obstruct the judge's view of the other horses. The horses should remain lined up in the same order in which they were called.

For a more in-depth look at where you should jog to, see How to Jog.

Wherever you end up in the line, ensure that you leave enough room for all of the horses to jog and line up. If the first horse doesn't go far enough or if the horses are too spread out, the last horses might not have enough space to get a jog going.

If you are not sure whether your horse jogs well, practice at home. It helps to have a crop in one hand at first so that you can give the horse a little tap on the side as you begin to jog rather than trying to pull him forward with the bridle.

The rider should be dressed completely while jogging, including wearing a helmet (absolutely necessary for junior divisions) and number.

If you are showing multiple horses in the same division, you can have another rider jog one of your horses for you. For amateur classes, that spare jogger must be an amateur, and for junior classes they must be a junior.

Here are the EC rules relating to jogging a hunter for soundness:

ARTICLE G401 GENERAL RULES PERTAINING TO THE CONDUCT OF HUNTER CLASSES

5. In all hunter classes except miscellaneous hunter, horses and ponies must be jogged for soundness (see Article G406.2). Juniors showing any horse in a jog for soundness must wear approved protective headgear with the attached safety harness fastened.

6. All horses and ponies showing in junior classes must be jogged by a junior.

All horses and ponies showing in amateur classes must be jogged by an amateur.

ARTICLE G406 JUDGING WORKING HUNTERS

2. Horses must be serviceably sound in eye, wind and limb. Horses are required to jog for soundness in all except miscellaneous hunter classes.

ARTICLE G202 TACK AND EQUIPMENT

1. When required to return to the ring for conformation or soundness, entries will be refused an award unless they return in the complete bridle in which they have shown.

[...]

15. Bandages and Boots: No bandages or boots are allowed; in the case of bad weather, at the discretion of the judge, steward and/or competition committee, tendon, ankle and bell boots may be worn in hunter classes but boots must be removed before the horse jogs in front of the judge for conformation and/or soundness.