Coloured Showing Advice Please

[chrissiew]

Any coloured showing experts out there? My sister has recently bought a 14hh 4 year old New Forest x Coloured Cob gelding for my niece, he is eligible for CHAPS registration and on his passport is classed a Tobiano? This is our first coloured pone and we know very little about showing this type. We would like to show him a little bit (only local level for now) and are getting conflicting information on how he should be turned out. I read on the CHAPS website that he would be classed as a Pony Native so should be shown "au naturel", but we took him to an in hand show at the weekend and whilst the judge loved him (he has fab movement for his type) and placed him first out of 10, she said that he should have his feathers off and be plaited up. As this was only a small local show, we are not going to jump into taking this advice, but wondered if anyone knew the correct turnout for him?

Personally I think he is better left natural because then he is suprising, as he looks like a bog standard coloured pony, but when he moves he has a bit of wow factor that you don't expect for his type, however, if pulled and trimmed to look more mainstream, his movement won't have enough WOW to compete again the more TB types. However, we want to turn him out correctly whatever that entails and are happy to trim him up if that is what is needed.

Opinions gratefully received please, this is a photo of him last year before we had him.........

[xcolouredhorsesx]

hey chrissie, i have just read your coloured question, i have got 2 coloureds myself, a 14.2 gypsy cob with a lot of tail, mane and feather and a 15.3 Xcob with short but thick mane, a thick tail but not a lot of it and long fat legs with hardly any feathers, when we compete them we tend to hog their manes and forlocks, and my 14.2 has his legs hogged too. But this is for local level, however last weekend they went out to a county level show and they were left natural, weather its because we did'nt have time to do anything about it or wheather it was because we thought it would look better i dont know...however the judges did'nt say "hog them" "leave them natural" "plat them if your having their manes loose" so i dont quite know what to say...

[Carole]

It really depends a bit on his action as if he has the sort of welsh, knee type action then stay as a Native type, if he moves with longer lower ground covering stride then do him as SHP type.
He doesn't seem to have much of a feather there, though he looks a little short in the neck ie. more like a native type.
My daughter and I show and breed coloureds and to be honest without seeing your boy move and in the flesh its hard to say 100%, can you video him and put a clip on, trot and canter would be good but mainly the trot.
He looks a really nice sort and should do well for you.

[chrissiew]

Thank you both for your kind replies. We have decided for this year to keep him natural and see what comments we get. He's only a baby so showing this year is more for educational purposes than anything else and so far he is being a complete star!!

Went off to a PC rally for the first time on Saturday and behaved impeccably, cantering on both reins on the right leg etc with my 11 year old niece.

Then went to another in hand show on Sunday (all just local 5 minute trips) and he won the his coloured class again, bless him.

Thanks Carole for your offer of looking at a video. I am a bit un-video friendly where the PC/forums are concerned and don't have anything of him at the moment anyway, but if I work it out, I'll post as would welcome your opinion on him.

County level showing is not on the agenda at the moment, but we may have a go if he proves a good boy and up to the level next year.

Aim this year is just to get him out and about enjoying himself and bringing on his schooling.

Must admit not having been a coloured fan before, its a whole new world and we are loving it!

[colourfulpony]

i have a 15hh coloured mare (connemara X gypsy vanner) who i leave with her feathers, mane past her shoulder and tail to the ground (really could do with a trim!) i like her like this because it really does give her the wow factor and as she has quite a large head and ears genarally improves her overall look. looking at him i think he could go either way. i feel for you showing a coloured - all that white to keep clean! which is why i don't show mine that often!