I want to open a debate on schooling horses during a show.

I have had two incidents this year where I have schooled a horse.

The first one was where my horse developed an acute fear of umbrellas during a very wet show. On this occaison I asked the judge if he minded me going two handed and getting the problem sorted. He was fine with this and I continued to run the pattern with ovals instead of circles (not bad as the horse wanted to roll back and run every time we came towards the judge).

The second incident involved the same horse. On this occasion he decided that he no longer knew how to spin. Again I picked up both reins and guided him around the spin, I then continued with the pattern and finished the run.

On both occasions I remained on pattern and took no more than my allotted time.

Given the general lack of facilities in this country and the limited number of shows available. I personally think that schooling to this extent is quite nescessary to improve the show ability of the horse.

I have heard comments that as soon as the 0 score is applied the rider should stop and exit. As was the case on the latter of the two runs.

Is this not encouraging horses (especially some of the more switched on horses) to deliberately penalty so that they can then stop work?

I do believe that schooling past the pattern or in some cases alloted time is unfair to judges and other competitors.

Any thoughts?

Haven't done any western shows but groomed for many English and entered a few low keys one.  In English I have found officials and judges to be very helpful.  In dressage if you make a mistake the judge will often tell you where to start again.  In jumping you can have another go.  At show shows I have been allowed to keep going at a jump (only little) until the horse jumped it.  All this gives confidence to the rider and tells the horse he has to do it.  From what I am gleaning it appears that in Western a degree of knowledge may be assumed from the officials that isn't there from the riders.

I agree billywhiz, if it doesn't hold up the class, constructive schooling like you describe should be acceptable from time to time.  I suppose the main problem would be keeping the schooling within reasonable limits if the practice was formalised, i.e. defining what schooling is permitted, only remaining on pattern etc and also ensuring those entering classes were genuinely intending to compete, not just looking for an opportunity to school their horse in a show environment

Am I right in thinking that at some shows you can pay to take your horse into the arena for a practice run prior to the classes? Would that help?

In addition, brollies etc can be worked on at home- I get my poor longsuffering bloke to help me with umbrellas, tarps and black plastic etc when my nags are in their field. The fun never ends eh?!

Well done, you. If only more people did this. Sadly too many horses kept primarily for showing and competing become worried by all sorts of perceived 'hazards' principally because they are drilled and drilled in arenas, rarely hack anywhere or have any familiarisation work done with them.

We go to great lengths to acustom all our horses to the different experiences, over the last year we have:

Set chairs and umbrellas in the school arena

Use open areas of space to practice with allsorts of farmland distractions

Played loud music during training sessions

We train in all climates to account for the unpredictable weather

The problem is that the show set up is different, horses know this, there are far more people and horses, there are spectators, there trade stalls, even the little white cards on the other horses backs.

No own wants to go to a show pay an entry and then end up schooling a horse, but the hard truth is that if you let a horse get away with something in the class, then you have just taught that horse that this is acceptable and they will do the very same thing the next time. What is more important getting it right or winning a ribbon?

No matter what you do at home it is always different at the show ground.

Yes very few shows have paid warm-ups and even these are slightly different than the actual class. Sometimes the only place to put things right, is exactly where and when it goes wrong.