Thursday, February 21, 2013

Horse Show Etiquette

Our family is huge football fans.  Some may be shocked to see how my husband and I act at a game.  Face paint and a coconut bra are not unheard of for my business owning husband.  I was watching the people around me at Maddie's horse show last weekend and paying close attention to how they acted at such an event.  I can say I was highly impressed at the conduct of not only the spectators, but also all those participating.  It was a wonderful environment for my young daughter.  I was doing some research on horse show etiquette and found a wonderful article which on posted below.  I know there are going to be times when individuals will act in an inappropriate way.  We are human and all make fools of ourselves at times.  But it feels very comforting to know my family will be in an environment where I don't have to worry to much about what they are being exposed to.

 http://ezinearticles.com/?Essential-Horse-Show-Etiquette&id=3329055

Pasted from website if you can not open the link:

"Just like any other social occasion, attendees at a horse show are expected to maintain certain standards of behavior. For the safety and enjoyment of everyone involved, both you and your horse should follow established horse show etiquette. Behaving well at a horse show comes naturally for some people. These folks naturally look out for others. Most people, however, need to take a look at some guidelines for good manners. Here's a list of ways you can show good etiquette at a horse show:
Give the right-of-way. If you're walking your horse through a show, keep an eye out for spectators and always give them the right of way. Remember that your horse could potentially injure someone if he isn't under control. Not every spectator is horse savvy.
Look out for other riders. When riding in a class with others, be aware of where other horses are and avoid getting in their way. Also, be sure to keep a safe distance from the other horses. Two to three feet is a good guideline.
Be aware of your surroundings. Know your horse and his behavior, and be aware of anything in your surroundings that may frighten or excite him. The safety of everyone around you depends on your being able to control your horse in under every circumstance.
Keep the in-gate clear. Don't congregate or starting mounting or grooming your horse at the entrance of the arena, called the in-gate. Leave the area free and clear for other riders to enter and exit.
Warm up right. When riding in the warm-up arena at a show, ride left-shoulder-to-left-shoulder to avoid crashing into riders who are going the opposite way. In other words, stay in the right lane of the horse traffic. If other riders are schooling over jumps (jumping practice), be conscious of staying out of their way. Anticipate where they will land and make sure you and your horse aren't in the landing zone at the wrong time.
Be a good sport. Horse shows are supposed to be fun. If you don't win, don't be dour about it. Throwing ribbons on the ground and loud, angry comments is the height of bad form. Losing your temper only succeeds in makes you look bad to everyone watching you.
Some Horse Handling Guidelines
Your horse doesn't know much about human social niceties, so you're responsible for making sure he behaves. Keep the following in mind when handling your horse at a show:
Tie a red ribbon on horses that might kick. If your horse has a tendency to kick at other horses when they get too close, tie a red ribbon at the base of his tail to warn others to keep a distance. Likewise, if you see a horse wearing a red ribbon, keep your horse far away from the horse's back end.
Give your mischievous horse some space. If you have a horse who likes to pin his ears at other horses and nip at them, keep him far away from the others. This courtesy also applies when he is tied at the trailer or just standing about in between classes.
Unload and load properly. Please don't even bother taking your horse to a show unless he easily and willingly gets in and out of a horse trailer. A horse who flies out of a trailer backwards when he unloads is a hazard to all around him. Fighting to get your horse back into the trailer at the end of the day only makes things difficult for those around you. People may try to avoid the chaos, but may find themselves innocently involved in the cross-fire between you and your horse."


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3329055

Do you agree with the ideas above?  Are these things you try to do when showing?  Are there others which were left out?

No comments:

Post a Comment