Show Tips #1
5 weeks out from the Kununurra Ag Show, here’s some tips to get you and your horse show-time ready!!
- Grooming: nothing says ‘look at me & my horse’ more than clean, glossy presentation! Start with a good shampoo now, follow up with regular (daily if possible!) full body brushing and you will be amazed at the transformation in 5 weeks! Try not to brush manes & tails too much, and if they’re really tangled, try a good equine de-tangler.
- Feeding: if you are already feeding your horse or pony, (and a lot of us are!) you can try adding some extra goodies to help bring out the best in your horse. There are a gazillion around, and most are readily available in town already, and they are pretty much the same at the end of the day. If you think your horse could do with a little more weight, now is the time to start him/her on a show diet!
Show Tips #2
So, you’re on track with your feeding & grooming regime and you start to wonder what classes to enter. If you are new to all this, and a lot are, here’s a very basic thumbnail guide to Knx show classes!
All in all, no matter how competitive you may be, or how new you are to showing, the MOST important thing is to remember to have FUN and that's what the Kununurra Ag Show is all about!
- Led Classes: (listed as Inhand) in a nutshell, it is a beauty parade of un-saddled horses. The judge will be looking at the shape, or conformation, of your horse, it’s presentation and it’s movement. You will need to be able to have your horse walk & trot alongside you for this class, so if you need to practice this now is a good time. Use a nice bridle, and wear neat clothes that compliment your horse, or your riding outfit.
- Ridden Classes: (listed as Hack) in these classes the judge is assessing the horse, not the rider (although a good rider will be able to get the best out of a horse). The horses manners, smoothness of transitions (as in from walk to trot, or trot to canter etc) and education will be scored.
- Rider Classes: this is where the rider gets judged. Your position (as in the way you sit on your horse) and the way you get your horse to do what you are asked to do are important in this situation. Again, a good horse can make a rider look better, but it is not always the case!
- Dressage: to ride in a dressage test, you will need to know the arena and your test very well. The tests are designed to showcase the level of education you and your horse have in an individual arena. Each rider works off the same test pattern and is scored for each step, or movement, on the test. The tests are readily available on the KAS website and we encourage everyone to give them a go!
All in all, no matter how competitive you may be, or how new you are to showing, the MOST important thing is to remember to have FUN and that's what the Kununurra Ag Show is all about!