From: tracy@scoraz.resp-sci.arizona.edu (Tracy Scheinkman)
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: showing my filly in dressage show (was: grooming for show)
Date: 30 Sep 92 06:52:39 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ


	This past Saturday I showed my 2 year old Arabian filly, Misty
Mithril, in the Suitability to Become a Dressage Horse In Hand class
at the Fall Festival recognized dressage show put on by the Tucson
Dressage Club.  There were 3 entrants, a weanling 3/4 Hanoverian colt,
a 2 1/2 year old 1/2 Saddlebred/1/2 Quarter Horse, and Mithril.  Mithril
placed 2nd after the Hanoverian and ahead of the Saddlebred/QH.  I was
very surprised at this placing as the Saddlebred/QH was at least a
hand taller than her and much more mature looking.  He also looked very
much like a Thoroughbred hunter, a type I thought was considered much
more favorably for dressage than Arabians, especially 14.1 hand 2 year old
Arabians.  I didn't expect her to beat the warmblood colt, but I was hoping
that her score would be a little closer to his than it was, he got a 73,
she got a 56.  
	For those who have never shown in hand at a dressage show the 
method is very much like an informal keuring.  You are called into the
ring individually, the judge asks the age and breeding of your horse
then with a scribe making notes comments on your horse's conformation.
After that you walk the horse around a large triangle, 20 or 30 meters
across, so the judge can observe the horse walking away, walking in
profile, and walking toward the judge.  Finally you trot the triangle.
	Grooming-wise you generally braid the horse's mane, and maybe
clip the tail along the sides so that it flows nicely, some people
bang the end of the tail as well.  I braided Mithril's mane, and did
a partial clip on the tail just to make it look neat but I did not
bang the end, I like the natural look better.  She was neat and sparkly
clean.  I left the inside of her ears furry and her eyes had both lashes
and whiskers.  I clipped her muzzle whiskers and feet.  I did not use
hoof polish or baby oil, but I did use a hair polish on her coat.
	The judge was Gabor Foltenyi (I'd love to hear from anyone who
has shown under him before), he is originally from Europe I believe
from his accent.  Anyway when we went up there for our turn he asked
me what Mithril's breeding was, I was confused she was obviously
Arabian, did he want to know who her sire and dam were or what line
she was from (Crabbet)?  Then I realized that while she is very typey,
she is also very solid and muscular, she could quite easily pass for
a Connemara, or a part-Quarter Horse.  So I said purebred Arabian and the 
judge said "Arabian?" and his look of surprise confirmed that he had indeed 
thought she might be another breed.  Later after the class I had a number of
people come up and ask whether she was pure Arabian, they thought
she might have been 1/2 Quarter Horse (she has a really well-muscled
rump and a tremendous hip).  Sometime after that I was waiting
for my dressage teacher to finish scribing for him so that I could
talk to her and had Mithril in tow when they broke for lunch, the
judge saw her, recognized her and immediately got a kind of a sheepish
smile on his face, he said, "You know, she is cute.  If only she were
about this much higher!"  Indicating about a hand width.  In retrospect
I wonder what he would have thought if I had said she was Connemara ....  

					Tracy and everybody
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian