What To Know Before You Show

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General Rules and Regulations

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Leave your dogs at home

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Observe all social distancing and mask requirements

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Formal attire is NOT required.  This is a schooling show environment.  Fun and learning is the goal!  Present yourself and your horse to the best of your abilities. 

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No riders under 18 may show stallions 

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No training aids permitted while showing 

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Lost Miner Ranch reserves the right to cancel or combine classes at our discretion

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English Classes Explained

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Junior classes are offered to riders aged 17 and younger as of January 1st of that show year.

Adult classes are offered to riders aged 18 and older as of January 1st of that show year. 

Riders that enter ANY Walk/Trot classes may NOT enter any classes that require horses to canter. 

Riders that enter Walk/Trot classes may trot Pile of Poles and/or Beginner Hunter classes but may not canter. 

Riders that enter Pile of Poles and/or Beginner Hunter classes may NOT enter any higher level jumping classes.

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Types of English Classes:

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Under Saddle (U/S): a class in which a horse or rider is judged at the walk, trot, and canter, going both ways in the ring. Multiple riders compete at the same time in the ring during an Under Saddle class, performing each gait at the judge's discretion. 

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Over Fences (O/F): describes a class in which a horse or rider is judged over a course of eight or more obstacles

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Equitation: classes are judged on the rider’s position, ability, and poise

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Hunter: judged on the horse’s movement, presence, manner of going and jumping ability

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Jumper: scored on speed and accuracy, with faults for knocked rails; jumper classes consist of two rounds - first round is untimed and must go clean, clean rounds compete in a timed jump off

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Pile of Poles:  designed for riders who are just beginning their jumping careers.  Entrants compete over a course of "jumps" that are best described as two standards with a pile of poles between them.  The most common gait for this class is a trot but more accomplished riders choose to ride the entire course at a canter.

 

Beginner Hunter, Schooling Hunter & Open Hunter: horses are judged over eight or more fences on manners, way of going and style of jumping. Horses shall be credited with maintaining an even hunting pace that covers the course with free-flowing strides.

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Equitation Over Fences Classes: the class objective is to judge the exhibitor’s ability over the fences rather than that of the horse. Only the effect the exhibitor has on a horse is to be considered. How an exhibitor elects to ride the course, the pace and approach to the jumps are used to evaluate the exhibitor’s judgment and ability. 

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Hunter Pleasure Classes: horses are judged on the performance, manners, and condition at the walk, trot, and canter, going both ways in the ring. Multiple riders compete at the same time in the ring.

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Equitation Under Saddle Classes: These classes are to evaluate the rider’s ability to execute, in concert with their horse, a set of maneuvers prescribed by the judge with precision and smoothness while exhibiting poise, confidence, and maintaining a balanced, functional and fundamentally correct body position. 

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Leadline:  Age 10 & under; child is led by an adult at a walk to show willingness and capabilities of young riders. 

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Walk/Trot Leadline:  Age 10 & under; child is led by an adult at a walk and trot.  For young riders who are not quite ready to perform rail work on their own. 

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Western Classes Explained

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Youth classes are offered to riders aged 17 and younger as of January 1st of that show year.

Senior classes are offered to riders aged 18 and older as of January 1st of that show year. 

Riders that enter ANY Walk/Jog classes may NOT enter any classes that require horses to lope. 

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Types of Western Classes:

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Leadline:  Age 10 & under; child is led by an adult at a walk to show willingness and capabilities of young riders. 

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Walk/Jog Leadline:  Age 10 & under; child is led by an adult at a walk and jog.  For young riders who are not quite ready to perform rail work on their own.

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Western Pleasure Go-As-You-Please (GAYP): class will be judged on the performance, manners, and condition of the horse. Class will be judged on the rider's gait of choice, but the judge may call for additional maneuvers such as extending the gait, back, or a pivot. A rider showing in a beginner walk/jog division may not lope. 

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Western Pleasure: classes will be judged on the performance, manners, and condition of the horse. All horses will be judged at the walk, jog, and lope (if appropriate), and back, as well as on all transitions.

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Western Horsemanship: classes are to evaluate the rider’s ability to execute, in concert with their horse, a set of maneuvers prescribed by the judge with precision & smoothness while exhibiting poise, confidence, & maintaining a balanced, functional & fundamentally correct body position.

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Ranch Riding: an individual pattern class where the horse/rider will be judged on its ability to perform a pattern and also being a pleasure to ride while being used as a means of conveyance from performing one ranch task to another. The horse should reflect the versatility, attitude and movement of a working ranch horse riding outside the confines of an arena. The horse should be well-trained, relaxed, quiet, soft and cadenced at all gaits. The ideal ranch horse will travel with forward movement and demonstrate an obvious lengthening of stride at extended gaits. The horse can be ridden with light contact or on a relatively loose rein without requiring undue restraint, but not shown on a full drape of reins. The overall manners and responsiveness of the ranch riding horse to make timely transitions in a smooth and correct manner, as well as the quality of the movement are of primary considerations. The ideal ranch riding horse should have a natural head carriage at each gait. 

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Ranch Horse Pleasure: a rail class where the horse will be shown individually.  Markers will be set up to designate gait changes. The course shall be set up to make approximately one pass of the arena in each direction. Gaits that may be judged are walk, extended walk, jog, extended jog, lope, extended lope, stop, reverse and back up.  All three of the horse’s gaits should have more forward movement and the horse should hold a more natural head-set. The horse and rider should demonstrate smooth transitions between all the gaits and always maintain a controlled, forward movement.