Ask the Judge: black stirrups, breastplates, open mouths and more

How do you feel about black stirrups in an equitation class?

I don’t like them, because it’s difficult to see where the foot is positioned due to the black boot. A stirrup could be lost and because there is no contrast, I could miss it.

What are your thoughts on a hunter wearing a breastplate that obviously serves no purpose?

Be careful about assuming it obviously serves no purpose. Without a standing martingale it may appear to serve no purpose, but some riders use the breastplate to prevent the saddle from sliding back. I don’t like the look of it, but it is allowed and it can definitely be useful.

In your opinion which is worse: adding a stride, or leaving one out?

I always hedge on the side of safety. A good and safe jump with an extra stride will trump a scary, sloppy jump that has dropped a stride. I think it is safer to add a stride than to remove one.

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The horses jog back into the ring and one gets loose, runs out of the ring and back to the barn. What happens now?

Great question. If he gets loose in the ring, and you can catch him and jog him – all is good. Say he jogged sound and then gets loose and returns directly to the barn: everything is still okay (you may miss the presentations, though!). If he gets back to the barn without jogging, he will have to be caught and returned so he can be jogged for soundness.

In a handy hunter or an equitation ride-off class you are asked to canter directly to the first jump which is directly in front of you, but the second jump is either to the left or right. Which lead should you start on?

The most logical and direct approach would be to start with the right lead if the second jump is to the right, and to start with the left lead if the second jump is to the left, but starting with the opposite lead is acceptable.

What do you think of a horse going around in a hunter class with his mouth open?

It’s distracting, annoying and unsightly, and in most cases the horse is resisting. The solution: get a hole punch. Put some extra holes in the noseband and shut the mouth firmly. You will find a lot less resistance and it will look much better.

Do you use or recommend a walk jump in a handy hunter or equitation class?

I never use it and would never recommend it; there is too much risk in messing it up. The horses usually end up collapsing over it, knocking it down or trotting or cantering it. You can lose an otherwise good horse or rider who has had a good class to that point, in my view.

What you are looking for when you ask for a hand-gallop?

First, I am looking for a two-point position. Second, you need to be moving faster than a canter, or even an extended canter. Additionally, it is important (in an equitation over fences class) to take the longest approach to the hand-gallop jump to demonstrate as much of a hand-gallop as you can. So many riders take a short approach to this jump and end up with no gallop at all!