Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Why doesn't judge place us?

From: Nancy Varnell

Hi agian, I have another qustion. We not only have quarter horses we have one beautiful gaited palimino. She stands over 16 hands high. She is plantationn shod. She is 1/2 fox trotter and 1/2 walker. We only show her in little association shows. The times she has shown in fox trot shows she places high but when we take her to association shows she either places high or not at all. She NEVER breaks down and works perfectly. The class she is in is Slow Gait/Fox Trot. We don't know what we are doing wrong. When I ride her in Ladies Gaited she places every time but she does not carry a package. What could be wrong?

Thanks,

Nancy Varnell

Hi Nancy -- I don't know what you are doing wrong either, I would have to be there to see it for myself! I don't have enough information to make any specific suggestions about your riding or training. But I DO have a suggestion for you:

The next time you take her to a show and she doesn't place, TALK TO THE JUDGE. Most judges are very happy to talk with you if you approach them nicely and at a moment when they aren't busy doing something else. If you say "Hi, I'm the rider of the palomino mare in class 14, and I've been trying to figure out why we don't do better at these shows. It would help me SO much if I could understand why you didn't use her -- would you mind telling me what we need to change about what we're doing, and what we should work on with her?

This kind of approach generally works very well, and you should be able to get the information you need.

Good luck!

Jessica

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