Grooming

Clipping

-Hair coat clean, well-brushed.

-Bridle path, eyebrows and long hair of head and legs may be clipped.

-Poorly groomed

-Not clean

-Halter poorly fitted

-Halter dirty

-Appropriate western attire.

Posing

Show animal to best advantage

-Work should be performed accurately, and smoothly with reasonable speed.

-Horse should lead, back, turn and set-up briskly with minimal visible or audible cueing.

-Horse should be led directly to or from the judge in a straight line. Head and neck should be in line with body.

-Stop should be prompt, and smooth with horse’s body remaining straight.

-The ideal turn consists of horse pivoting on right hind leg.

-The horse should set up quickly with the feet squarely underneath the body.

-Excessively stiff, artificial movement around horse.

-Holding chain portion of lead.

-Changing hands or placing both hands on lead (except to show teeth).

-Drifting of horse when being led.

-Stopping crooked.

-Horse not set up squarely.

-Excessive time required to set up.

-Dropping hip when stopping, setting up or standing.

-Backing, leading or turning sluggish or crooked

-Failure to maintain pivot foot during turns.

-Leading on the off or right side of horse.

-Obstructing view of judge by failing to move around horse.

-Exhibitor touching horse, or kicking or pointing at horse’s feet during set up.

-Standing directly in front of horse.

-Omission or addition of maneuvers.

-Knocking over cone.

-Working on wrong side of cones.

-Loss of control of horse that endangers exhibitor or others in ring.

-Escape of horse.

-Willful abuse of horse.

-Excessive schooling of horse (shanking unnecessarily).