Arena Hunter
Horses are judged on their way of going, manners, conformation and appearance as they negotiate a course of fences in an enclosed arena. The idea mount with the ideal jumping form is the frontlegs nicely tucked and coming together over the fences, forearms at horizontal or above, good use of head and neck. Mount must be willing, and foreward movement throughout the course using a steady, ground covering canter and overall quality of the horse. Arena hunters should present an overall elegant picture of conformation, way of going and turnout. Judges are suppose to pace the entry to determine the implied takeoff point in which a perfect jump should be roughly the same distance from the fence as the fence is high.
Tack & Elements:
Forward seat saddle with a numnah and saddle pad, snaffle, pelham or double bridle with a cavesson noseband. Obstacles should be painted in neutral or natural colors and enhanced by plants of flowers. Post and rail, brush, coop, wall and similar fences are typical and all should have a ground line on the approach side of the fence (a pole, flower box, or wall that meets the ground) Hunter fences are not flagged nor numbered. Fences should scale to not less than 2'6" and than more than 4'6" and should be sized appropriately for the age and or skill level of the model.
Rider:
Attire should be black, brown, brown tweed, dark green or navy hunt coat, light colored shirt with choker (stock pins optional; monograms fasionable) light colored beeches with full boots or beige jodhpurs with jodhpur boots. (This means no white beeches and red coats on the OF Brenda Breyer) Black hard hat, any long hair should be tied up in a bun or hairnet. Shadbelly coats, bright colors, top hats and bowlers are NOT SEEN with the exception of a male rider who may wear a bowlers if they are also wearing a tweed or casual ring attire. This is often seen in the English countryside. Attire may also be of a school uniform such as French Officer Training School uniform, Spanish Riding School, Oxford Academy, or Canadian Mountie. These uniform consists of uniform coat, beeches, full rifing boots, and the style of cap or hat worn by that school. It is suggested when using doll riders wearing these type of uniforms that the photo have a comment line used.
Points of Interests
Major faults seen in this event are boots on the horse, brightly colored tack or striped obstacles. Nosebands other than cavessons, excessive speed by the mount. A standing martingale is allowed in this class and as become a style since around 1980. Running maringales and double bridles are permitted but never seen. Trotting horses may be shown in Arena hunter with a note describing "handy hunter" Walking and standing horses may be exhibited as participating in aline up for conformational judging (Conformation Hunter Class. There is no "saluting the judge" or similar activity in the hunter class. Standing, walking or trotting models may be shown entering or exiting the arnea as well. Extra credit should be given to any comment line saying, 1st or 2nd year green hunter (low fences that are brod and inviting) working hunter (most advanced level) conformation hunter (wherein conformation of the entry should be given more credit than normal) ladies hunter, working hunter, hunter pony, children's or amateur hunter (lower fences)with consideration that the model matches the type of hunter. You wouldn't have a 17 hand scaled model as a children's hunter.
Field Hunter
Mounts are evaluated on their ability for use in the actual hunting field. Classes are judged over fences and horses should appear to be sound and capable of lasting a day over sometimes heavy terrain. Gaits should be smooth, regular and effortless. Jumping style should be workmanship like and reliable. Key conformation attributes include a sloping shoulder (smooth ride) good bone (broad and solid cannons, measured just below the knee) powerful hindquarters and a willing nature. Good field hunters should be unflapper and yet engertic. Judge's pace the entry to implied takeoff just as an arena hunter is.
Tack & Elements
Forward seat saddle with a numnah and saddle pad, snaffle, pelham or double bridle with a cavesson noseband. Obstacles should be painted in neutral or natural colors and enhanced by plants of flowers. Brush fences, brown or green pole with matching wing standards, stone walls, post and rail, brush, coop, wall and similar fences are typical and all should have a ground line on the approach side of the fence (a pole, flower box, or wall that meets the ground). Hunter fences are not flagged nor numbered. Fences should scale to not less than 2'6" and than more than 4'6" and should be sized appropriately for the age and or skill level of the model.
Rider:
Only a male rider can wear "pinks" (scarlet coat) and these should have a brass buttons. Attire should be black, brown, brown tweed, dark green or navy hunt coat, light colored shirt with choker (stock pins optional; monograms fasionable) light colored beeches with full boots or beige or canary jodhpurs with jodhpur boots. (This means no white beeches and red coats on the OF Brenda Breyer) Black hard hat, any long hair should be tied up in a bun or hairnet. All participants wear black hard hats (tweed caps are permissable only if entry is historic), junior riders have the ribbons at the back of the hard hat. Attire may also be of a school uniform such as French Officer Training School uniform, Spanish Riding School, Oxford Academy, or Canadian Mountie. These uniform consists of uniform coat, beeches, full rifing boots, and the style of cap or hat worn by that school. It is suggested when using doll riders wearing these type of uniforms that the photo have a comment line used.
Points of Interests
Major faults seen in this event are boots on the horse, brightly colored tack or striped obstacles. Nosebands other than cavessons, excessive speed by the mount. A standing martingale is allowed in this class and as become a style since around 1980. Running martingales and double bridles are permitted but never seen. Sidesaddle entries are legal and valid. The mane is typically braided using sber colors as is the tail. Roached manes are also seen. Historic etnries can have a docked tail. Hunting itmes just as flasks, snadwich cases (clipped to offside of the sadle) hunting crops and a red ribbon in the tail denotes a horse that kicks and all should be given extra credit.
Photo Credit
DA Ruby Cairo, warmblood mare, approaching palasades
in Arena Hunter. Horse, doll, obstacles and tackmade by Karon Grieve andowned by Karon Grieve.
Resourses:
NAMSHA Rulebook
AHSA Rulebook