Show Presentation

PRESENTATION OF WELSH PONIES & COBS - SHOW CONDITIONING

Conditioning ponies is very important for overall presentation. Just being in very good health with a glowing coat and well topped up gets you more than three quarters of the way to a ribbon. Most ponies keep themselves in pretty good order and it may only be necessary to bring them in 6 – 8 weeks before a show, but if a pony has had a foal weaned, or been sick (colic etc) they may take up to 12 weeks before you can get that glow and condition back on them.

Time of the year also makes a huge difference where coats are concerned, but just remember that our ponies are natives and you can expect to see some coat on them. If your pony is not fully coated then probably nobody else’s are either. Don’t get too desperate about it. A Welsh judge will take into consideration the time of the year and won’t put you down for it.

Start by a good worming and/or oiling out, get the teeth done and feet trimmed and introduce some hard feed slowly. It depends on the pony whether you can feed a bit of protein or not and must be added carefully but nothing gets muscle and topline quicker than a little protein. There are some excellent extruded feeds such as Mitavite Economix which is excellent for ponies. This can be used in moderation for ponies that have suffered from laminitis.

This is the time to do a little careful trimming, under the gullet and jaw line for example and it has time to grow back in a natural coat. If the pony is used all year as a performance animal it may be necessary to fully clip the pony out but if you are planning to show that animal in pure Welsh classes you will have to make sure that you have done it early enough for that pony to be in full natural coat by the time of the breed show.

It can be done but it takes a lot of work. Common sense in required here. Rugging will be necessary to keep the coat flat and shiny. Don’t over rug. The pony has been able to keep itself warm and over-rugging doesn’t help the coat. Lights can be used to help the coat to fall but in my experience being consistent in your rugging does about the same thing. You can keep a good coat longer under lights but if you have breeding animals it can interfere with your breeding cycles. You need to have a bit of an understanding of the solstices to do this very successfully or you can end up with the pony growing a winter coat in the middle of summer. Have you ever noticed how those ponies out in the paddock all year without a rug seem to lose their coats at the same time or even earlier than yours that are in the stable and mollycoddled.

TRAINING Start training the pony as soon as you get them into the stable. The whole effort is wasted if your pony will not perform for you on the day. You need to teach them to trot from the shoulder and really go forward into the bridle. Stand square and still, and not get upset if you want to move their legs around. You will also find that this will get them used to the head gear you need to use on them. Practice occasionally with the bridle you wish to use at the show. Some youngsters still get scared at the show and will let you down from time to time. Don’t punish them, be patient but firm and they will learn to enjoy their showing time. If you punish them when they are scared they will get even more scared and then it becomes a bad experience for them.

SECTION A’s Headgear – These ponies are traditionally shown in the white webbing halters, however colts once they are the age to be bitted will be in a leather in-hand bridle or halter, with full buckles. Stallions can be shown in the full in-hand bridle with brass browband and rosettes. Stallions can also be shown in a leather roller and side reins (the special show variety – not the lunging type). You can also show the mares in little leather bridles, half buckles for female and plain browband. Absolutely, no bling. (diamante’s or ribbon brow bands).

Trimming – No bridle paths, a discreet plait can be used to separate the mane from the forelock. Jaw line and muzzle can be trimmed carefully and ears can lose the long hairs but must not be fully cleaned out. Feathers, if they are prolific can be carefully tidied up, long hair under the tummy or cat hairs can be carefully plucked or singed (if you are game). Mane can be evened up but should not be pulled short. See what suits your pony best. The idea is that they look neat, tidy and “finished”. Make sure chestnuts and ergots are levelled. Oil the chestnuts. Tails should finish about mid hind cannon bone and should be natural (not banged off). You can carefully thin the top of the tail to enhance the buttocks. You don’t want the top of the tail to look like a bottle brush but it should not look pulled like a show pony. Natural is the key word. Finishing – Oil or clear hoof polish on the feet. Not blackened. Socks can be whitened (be careful they do not look “gluggy”). Oil and discreet makeup on the eye’s and muzzle. Practice this prior to the show to see what looks best. It should not look obvious when they are finished. Racoons live in North America, not in the Welsh ring. Once again, no bling (glitter sprays etc).

SECTION B’s Headgear – These ponies are NEVER shown in white webbing halters. A neat leather in-hand bridle or simple leather snaffle bridle or leather halter is used to show these ponies. See the A’s above to show stallions and colts. Plain leather browbands, once again NO bling.

Trimming - These ponies can have their manes shorter than the A’s however all else remains the same as above. Finishing - All the same as for the A’s SECTION C’s Headgear - This is the same as for the A’s Trimming - Same as for the A’s Same as for the A’s however, big news from UK is that the cobs have their tails shorter. Just brushing the hock when carried. It must be natural and not banged.

Finishing – Same as for the A’s SECTION D’s Headgear – Same as for the A’s Trimming – Same as for the A’s however, big news from UK is that the cobs have their tails shorter. Just brushing the hock when carried. It must be natural and not banged. Finishing – Same as for the A’s SECTION E’s Headgear – Leather in-hand bridle or halter – no coloured brow bands.

Trimming - Trim the same as for their particular sections above Finishing – as above PARTBREDS Headgear – If your partbred is a Riding Pony or Riding Pony type show it in a bridle with ‘bling’ browband and all the bells and whistles. If your pony is cob type or A type show it as such. Trimming - The same as above goes for the trimming, but a partbred can be fully trimmed if that is it’s type. See what suits your partbred best. All whiskers, feathers can go. Ears can be fully clipped out. However when you fully trim a pony out it should be plaited and have a pulled or plaited tail that is banged.

Finishing – A partbred can receive the ‘works’. Just be sure it shows the pony to advantage and does not detract from the overall picture. It can be fully made up – the racoon look is still not desirable.

HANDLERS Handlers should be neat and tidy, with no stilettos, garden party outfits or beach ware. Ladies can wear a sensible skirt or slacks with a long sleeved top or jacket. No flashing the flesh. Hair tied up neatly if it is long. Sensible hat that will stay on and gloves. Shoes that you can run in and suit the outfit. Runners are not allowed at the Perth Royal show. Gents can wear slacks with long sleeved shirt, waistcoat or sports jacket, suit with tie, Tweeds are a good choice with Welsh ponies, hat either ‘cheesecutter’ or panama etc., NO baseball caps, bowlers or beachwear. The handler should not detract from the pony. A short whip or cane is permitted or an in-hand cane which has a short lash on the end. No dressage whips.

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