How to Show an Arabian Horse in Sporthorse in-Hand

Showing Arabian horses is a glamorous and exciting business, but it is not easy. A great deal of preparation and training goes into the showing of these beautiful and sensitive equines. This article will give you some tips on how to show in the Sport Horse In-Hand Division.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Halter
• Lead rope
• English bridle

1. Begin with a well-trained horse. He must be able to lead, stop, stand, back-up, trot fast and slow all on command from you. A large portion of the points awarded for the Sport Horse division are based on disposition and tractability.

2. Set up two sets of cones. One will be a smaller triangle within a larger triangle.

3. Practice walking your horse on the smaller triangle. He must walk on a loose bridle, but show good reach and overstride. He must be alert, but quiet.

4. Halt the horse at the starting point and make sure he stands with all four legs slightly apart from one another, so the judge can get a clear look at his legs from all angles. He must bear weight on all four hooves.

5. You will then trot the triangle, making sure your lines are straight. This takes lots of practice as you will have to turn the horse around each cone and straighten your line to show the judge the full movement of your horse. You must be fast, so your horse can show the best movement possible. Again, quiet but alert. You will stand once more for the judge and then exit the arena.