Best-Dressed Horse

[Stern]

There are two classes that can be entered - You may enter in either one or the other. Your posts are the only thing allowed either way - No photos allowed! The two classes will be shown separately, with Classical entering the ring as a class first, being judged, and Costume following (but you can post whenever you get to it).

"Classical" - The horse must be tacked up to ride. They are shown in hand. Turnout of the handler is also judged. Western or English tack is allowed, horses will be judged together no matter what discipline, but with respect to the discipline's grooming standards.

"Costume" - Free for all. Handler and horse are judged on costumes. Saddles not required, horses are shown in hand.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

After returning to the barn, Cara finished with Pyre and turned the mare out in the pasture so that she could spend the rest of the day at rest. She then walked back into the barn and turned her attention to Tex, the gelding looked anything but happy that he was still in his stall when he watched his friend walking outside.

It took a bit of work, but Cara brushed out the lattice braid she'd put the gelding's mane in the night before and nodded as she like the way his golden mane now had a slight wave through it, though she left the french braid in his tail, as it kept it looking neat and tidy. She then groomed him till there wasn't a hair out of place and his white socks all but glowed. Applying some hoof oil, she silently begged the gelding not to thin about rubbing his hooves against his legs, she then tacked the pony up, making sure that the plum coloured shaped saddle pad was flat and slightly in front of his withers before she placed the havana close contact saddle on his back and slid the pad back into place so that she knew the hair under the pad was lying flat. Next she slipped the bit into his mouth and the headpiece over his ears and she did up the throatlatch and noseband, making sure that both were loose, yet still tight enough to look tidy, all straps tucked away in their keepers.

Leaving the pony, she raced to the tackroom for her clothes and then into the toilets where she changed from her cross country outfit. Walking out of the room, she brushed down the waistcoat she was wearing over a long-sleeved white shirt with a mandarin collar and plum stock - to match the gear on the pony - she left her dirty clothes in her locker, pushed her feet into her paddock boots and picked up her velvet covered helmet.

Returning to the pony, she placed the helmet on her head and fastened it under her chin. She knew that she wasn't going to be riding, but this is how she had dressed to show horses in hand in England. She removed the cross-ties and led the gelding out of the barn. Shaking her head as he pranced along beside her and they walked to the arena they were required in. She walked forward confidently as the class was told to enter the arena, and she knew that she didn't need a crop to encourage the gelding to do whatever was asked of him, he knew that this was all about him and he was more than happy to show off as they circled the arena before the lineup.

[Martijn van der Berg]

Tijn smiled at Ritske as he approached with a large black blanket, tattered in places to form streamers, "I know it's warm, but this is just for a bit." He'd used the lightest material possible for their costumes, knowing the summer sun wouldn't be too kind to the black costume he'd picked out this time. After he'd placed the blanket over Ritske's saddle pad (he didn't want to risk rubs!), he lifted up the black dressage saddle, and settled it into place before connecting a black breastplate.

Once the gelding was ready, done up as a Ringwraith's mount, Tijn had his own costume to get into. He donned the black cloak, just as ratted at the ends as Ritske's, and drew up the hood, his black clothes now completely shadowed. He returned to Ritske and prepared the gelding's bridle, and the leather straps for across the neck that he'd whipped up from old harness extras. Once that was done, and the pair looked suitably frightening, they left and headed to the arena, where the classical class was just finishing up. Tijn gave Cara a small smile as she passed, forgetting that his hood would hide his face, and then entered the arena once it was their turn.