judges speak
Questions for our judges came via Facebook.
Our readers want to know:
Debbie Hamilton
Q.
Do the judges dislike
it if you bait the horse
with food as opposed
to training them to arch
neck and give ears? And how
important is it really if the
horse’s ears are up during a
halter class if they are showing
well otherwise?
Q.
If a horse doesn’t trot
in a halter class does it
affect the placing of that
horse or just the overall
impression that the judges get?
Q.
In a halter class, does a
horse’s behavior matter?
I ask because while
watching a Junior Mare
halter class, one horse reared and
flipped into the sand. The (now
filthy) filly placed higher than
many of the others who were well
behaved and showing well.
16 Miniature Horse World
SUMMER 2017
Baiting the horse doesn’t matter too much
to me but it can be a little annoying if over-
done. Overall it doesn’t affect the placing
of the horse. Ears up do add to the overall
pleasant picture of the horse. If the ears are
flat back, it indicates the horse could be sour
or stressed.
Trotting in a halter class is a required part
of the judging criteria that must be fulfilled.
So it absolutely affects the placing of that
horse. Not trotting might be sign of lame-
ness and they must perform the gait. If it is a
single judge , they can ask the exhibitor to re-
try the trot. Judges try to help out can take
into consideration if it is a weanling in the
show ring for the first time, etc. We some-
times take whatever movement we can get
with a baby.
For me, manners matter, but I will not
place a horse all the way down if his/her
conformation is superior to all others based
on behavior alone. If there are several good
choices in the ring, then it could affect the
placing and I will take it into consideration.
However, if the horse never stands still and
I never get to see the conformation, then I
can’t consider it for a placing. Remember,
halter is a conformation class. Especially
with stallions and mares--horses that affect
the future breeding program--it is impor-
tant that we promote good conformation
and bone structure. And keep in mind this
was a junior mare, so not quite an adult in
the brain yet.
Margo Shallcross
I have no issue with baiting if the result is
a horse that presents well and it is not over
done. Ears up just make for a good impres-
sion and shows the attitude of the horse. A
horse with sour ears can still place well as the
overall conformation is what we are judging
and the movement of the horse.
I want to see the trot as it is a required
gait in the class and will ask an exhibitor to
come back and try again. Many times we will
assist with hand movements or light clapping.
Just a few steps fills the class requirement.
Manners are important but many fac-
tors can play on when a horse rears or mis-
behaves. Were there any other distractions
or disruptions in the arena or by the railing?
Was it a junior class or did the handler shank
the horse, causing it to rear? Each situation
can be very different. Did the judge see the
horse misbehave or was the judge looking
elsewhere in the ring? Was it a one-time
incident? If a horse is really ill mannered or
aggressive it would affect the placing for me.
But a judge has just moments to evaluate
all this information. If the horse was a well
balanced individual with great conformation
and movement and I considered it the best in
the class, it might still win.
Karlyn Kanewischer
I’m not opposed to an exhibitor baiting the
horse for show. I respect the exhibitor who is
trying to get the best pose from the horse for
that moment in time- in front of the judge. A
horse that is just standing there like a bump
on a log will not impress me. I am more im-
pressed when for that small minute horse and
exhibitor are giving it their best.
If the horse does not trot, then I wonder
if movement or soundness is an issue. Again,
judges have that moment to make a judg-
ment and trotting is a required element of
the class.
I’ve have previously used a horse that
acted up and went over backwards in a hal-
ter class. It’s been my experience that after a
temper tantrum the horse usually improves
and performs better. But if that horse con-
tinued to be bad and the behavior escalated,
he would go down the page and maybe out
of the ring if it became a danger to exhibi-
tors or the judge. If this horse placed above
the other horses that were showing good at-
titude then this horse must have had better
conformation. Manners do matter but only
to a certain point.
Teresa Palmer Visser
There is no rule against baiting in the
AMHA rule book. So I am fine with an ex-
hibitor who does bait to get the most enthu-
siasm from his horse. A horse that uses his
ears and neck adds to the overall balance and
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