Ryan Roy offers her advice on showcasing your horse’s movement and tips on proper hack class etiquette.

“I always say that if you have a good mover, the judge will find you, but it is important that you get in the ring and show off your talents before the class is called to order. Don’t rush, don’t crowd to get there, but be aware of your horse’s best assets so that you can showcase them as you enter. Whether your horse’s best gait is the trot or canter, you want to get noticed and get written down as soon as you make your first pass by the judge’s booth. As soon as you know the judge has seen you and written you down, you can relax the horse and wait for the class to start; you don’t necessarily want to work the whole time. Be sure to move your number about two inches to the outside so that it’s not hidden from the judge.

As far as positioning goes, you want to try to be on your own and away from the group as much as possible. Circling in front of the judge will annoy him or her, so avoid that; the judge will find the good movers. I make sure that when I am in front of the judge I’m not right on the rail, but a bit on the inside so the judge can see the whole picture. I’m always aware of where the judge is looking. Generally, judges don’t watch the short side and far side, so you can train there a bit if you need to, but when you’re in front of the judge, you want to be at your best. The horse should be on a nice loose rein with not too much flexion, have a nice pleasant expression with ears up, and be moving from your leg. It should look effortless.

Advertisement