A Horse Show
From The Judge's Viewpoint

Find out how to give the Judge what he wants to see in a Horse Show.

We let you in on the 3 Key Factors that help a judge separate the winners from the runners up.

Put Yourself in The Judge's Shoes

• Confirmation - the way that the horse is put together and whether it has any obvious skeletal faults that could restrict his movement or ability to do his job.

  For horse show classes (as opposed to jumping or eventing), the Judge will also penalise unsightly blemishes, scars, lumps or bumps that detract from the overall appearance of the horse. In other words the horse or pony should be a "near perfect" specimen of the breed and/or type being judged

• Movement - also called "Cadence" -this is the action and expressiveness of the horse through the gaits of walk, trot, canter and occasionally gallop and of course his ability to halt on request!

  Movement should be straight and fluid showing off the horse's stride. The judge will observe the horse's responsiveness to his rider when being asked for upward or downward changes of pace (known as transitions).

  He will observe the horse's manners and composure despite the noise and bustle of the show environment and particularly if ridden by a different rider such as the Judge himself or a Steward.

  Manners (human and equine!) are highly regarded at a horse show so plenty of practice at home will pay dividends.

• Presentation - this is the factor you can do most to enhance. For example, if a Judge assesses a class and finds 3 horses all with comparable movement and confirmation, the deciding factor will be the presentation.

  He is looking for a horse that stands out from the others, one with "presence" or the "look at me" factor. This would be the horse that the Judge would most like to own/ride himself, so it becomes his natural choice for a winner.