Is this silly?

[ERollison]

Okay so here's the deal, I have just moved to a new area and have not been able to get in a lot of jumping practice but I have a greenie that I need to get out to some shows. There are a few small shows around here that I can take him to, but I don't want to haul in just to ride around. Is it silly to take him and just do a few flat classes if he is not ready to show over fences yet?

He has only jumped a few gymnastics but he is very willing and doesn't seem to mind anything. I will eventually want to show him in the baby greens (2') then the pre greens. I just don't want to blow his baby/green status. Ideas?

Here are short clips of him jumping gymnastics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDL0-JrwrEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khTu9mx0JmA

Thanks!

[shawneeAcres]

I do it all the time! Get the young ones out to shows, sometimes even just the local western/english "open" shows and get mileage, the classes are like $5 and there is a little "circuit" that does these shows every other weekend or so just a short drive from my place. Nice parking, lots of shade, nice arena, perfect!

[ERollison]

He has gone to a few "open" shows and shown well in them. Like I said NOTHING bothers him. I guess it has something to do with being hauled between SC and NC a bunch as a weanling/yearling for surgeries. Then hauled to TX as a 3 year old to be with me. He is a pleasure to deal with, I just know we are lacking a lot of needed schooling experience before we show over fences. Thanks for the help. I will take him in the flat classes for now :-)

[sansibar]

I did a few months worth of just taking sansibar to hack around or do flat classes before jumping him at a show

I think it is personally a good choice to do especially for greener horses so then by the time they show they are ready

[kellyb]

Sure why not. Also the local shows always have decent cross rail classes, might not be a bad idea to try some of those and get him used to seeing 'new' jumps.

[JLC7898]

Not a silly idea at all! It's actually a great idea. Especially if you want to get a horse acclimated to the show horse life, which it sounds like he has a future in. :) By the time is he ready to really jump at shows he will be a cool customer in the show ring and on the show grounds in general. Maybe you could even pop him over a few tiny jumps in the schooling ring. Have fun with it!

[hunter1985]

I do the same thing with my greenies, I usually school all the jumps as well if the ring is not too crowded. If he is being absolutely amazing on the flat I always school all the jumps.

[Queen Latisha]

When I started my green bean, that's exactly what I did.
The more exposure you can give him now, the better off you'll both be later.:D

[Seven-up]

Check the prize list to make sure you can just do the flat classes. Some shows require you to show in at least one o/f class. If there is no such rule, go for it.

[rabicon]

check the rules. But its not a bad idea at all. Actually I wish more people understood that they don't have to jump the first time out when their horses aren't ready. Check some local open shows also. Usually some will have a small xrail class with just for jumps that would probably be a good place to start before going and trying in the h/j shows.

[katie16]

I would absolutely take one to do "just flat classes" if I were looking to get him more mileage. We even take greenies just to go hack around/school at the show and don't show in ANY classes. We let them just soak up the atmosphere in a no-pressure situation. Any positive mileage you can get is a plus.