Conference noted::equitation

    I don't have any advice on making a horse stand up other than a lot
    of work over time. I have however seen trainers beat on a horse until
    it will always stand up out of pure fear. I lost a lot of halter
    classes at arabian shows to horses that I knew were abused into
    performance.....I gave up in disgust. I'm not saying all shows are
    this way, but  were ever there is money to be made some people will
    do anything to win !!!!

    
    I would say she just needs time and experience, she is still so
    young. Take to as many shows as possible, not even neccesarily
    entering any classes, just to let her see the sights and sounds.
    I have shown in halter with good results, my mare knows what stand
    means and obeys it well, but it took a long while to achieve. Good
    luck!
    

    Yes, but have you ever had a horse ROLL in a halter class?
    
    I had a quarter horse that I practiced standing/squaring off
    with constantly. I guess he was TOO relaxed with it.
    
    We were at a show and he simply laid down on the ground and
    began to ROLL in the dust.  The crowd got a good laugh, I
    was MORTIFIED.  We still came in 3rd - other than the rolling
    he was really well behaved, and it was a small class!!
    
    Hang in there, things could be worse!
    
    RF

    I have a youngster who was just the same as yours,UNTIL
    I praticed every day until he knew he had to do as he
    was told. I never even had to get cross with him.
    Our training was just to walk and stand, walk and stand,
    every day for about a month, now hes an angle...
    
    good luck

    
    RE. KAREN
    
    This is what i would suggest you might try..
    
    first i would lunge the horse and just get the edge off him/her
    and then try setting up.... then after that **everytime you stop
    the horse, whether you are saddleing or whatever, always always
    set up and make sure the horse is square.
    stop her and use your hands to set the feet if not correct, then
    start adding you cues.. also when you stop the horse back her up
    to get the back feet square and then the front feet, then walk around
    the horse and square her up with your cues and move to feet with
    your hands..
    
    if you square up everytime you stop the horse will get into the
    habit of stopping sqaure or readjusting to get square and make them
    stand and ask for their attention, then reward them and go do something
    else.. and then excerise them and then ask them to stand, sqaure
    get their attention and then put them away..
    
    if you have problems getting quiet enuff to move their feet with
    your hands, back them up into a sloid fence, building..
    
    hope this helps.
    
    

    One word of caution about lunging youngsters...it is hard on their
    legs.
    
    Good luck
    

    re/last
    
    		all our halter horses are lunged..
    if you start them out slow, and eventually work them up to 30-45
    that includes loping and jogging, mostly extended trotting!
    
    you gotta watch em, and see how they go from day to day
    put bell boots on em and splint boots on them... 
    i think they get less hurt under controlled exercise
(here i'm talking about 6months-1 1/2..
    
    a three year old that she is talking about (esp aqha)
   can take a couple hours of work..
    
    

    Thought the horse was a yearling.  Would still be careful if the knees
    aren't closed which they should be at that age.
    To condition our halter horses we do a lot of long lineing, even with
    the
    yearlings.
    

    Re:  1106.3
    
    Rolling; we haven't tried that yet, I'm sure it just hasn't crossed
    her mind yet.  Some very good tips here, I guess I just have to
    keep practicing and not be discouraged.  I do longe her almost every
    time I ride her (only if I'm really pressed for time do I not) and
    I usally practice setting up after we ride and she is nice and mellow.
    I guess it is just her personality to try to check out every piece
    of action.  
    
    I try so hard to be very patient with her.
    
    Thanks
    
    Karen

    
    Model hunters are usually shown in a snaffle bridle.  MODEL usually
    means they are not trotted on the line.  But depends on the show and on
    the judge.
    
    Seems that Practical Horseman had something on showing for conformation
    in the last two years.

    I'm taking my mare in a few halter classes next month, just for the fun
    of trying it while our TB is on lay up and won't be ready for a while
    yet. I have taken her in Fitting and Showmanship once before, she
    pinned 2nd but it was a small show with only 10-12 people in the class.
    In order to avoid making a fool of myself in the ring (I can always do
    that some other time!) I am wondering if anyone can advise me as to
    the proper handler moves?? I do know enough to groom/clip carefully,
    and I have trained my horse to plant all four squarely underneath her
    when I scratch her chin and say "Stand Up"...*can* I speak to her in
    front of the judge to accomplish this after trotting out?? What
    position should I be standing in when the judge examines the horse?
    Do I turn and face the judge, or remain in position at the horses head?
    I really don't expect to get a first or even pin, I just want my mare
    to relax in crowds (she's a raving maniac at the least opportune
    times!), but I feel that if I am going to enter a ring with her that
    I should at least know the proper procedures, etc. for the classes I
    take her in. One class will be Fitting and Showmanship, the other a
    conformation class. Thanks!
    

I watched a fitting and showmanship clinic at our barn last year and the 
clinician emphasized that you should be standing on the side opposite to where
the judge is. Divide the horse into 4 quadrants, with one leg in each quad. 
You stay at the head, and move between the two sides, depending on where the 
judge is.  You never want to block the view the judge has of the horse. You also
want to keep your eye on where the judge is at all times, even if he's not
at your horse at the time.  He may be looking at your horse from farther down 
the line.

Now, this clinic was QH/western oriented, as opposed to hunter, so some 
particulars may vary, but I think the basic idea remains the same - don't 
block the judges view of the horse.

    May I ask what breed you have?  I probably know but the mind is like
    a sieve these days.
    I know for the Arabs, Morgans, Saddlebreds, etc. each is a little 
    different.
    

    She's a Standardbred mare, being stood as a hunter...she looks very
    much like a small Thoroughbred, most people assume that's what she
    is...
    

    
    
    I agree with the message in 1268.4!!!!  I used to show 4-H fitting and
    Showmanship years ago and would win the blue quite often...not only
    did I have my horse immaculate but I would use the 4 quadrants idea....
    no question....and one key message was KEEP ONE EYE ON THE JUDGE AT
    ALL TIMES!.....I'm a 4-h club leader these days and have attended a
    number of shows .... the kids just stand there and don't use the 4
    quadrants philosophy.....my message regarding that is .... DON'T BE
    LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING.....!!!  Also...
    please don't overdo this....but try to get the horses ears up when
    the JUDGE IS LOOKING.....put your best foot forward and almost pretend
    you need to have the horse look its best for a photo....don't overdo
    this though....and don't bore your horse when you know the judge won't
    look.....
    
    Another thing....when you're leading your horse away from the judge
    and must turn to come back....turn to the right.....when you are
    leading the horse towards the judge and must stop and "pose" turn
    the horse to the left......in other words....the horse is between
    you and the judge at all times.....
    
    I don't see anything wrong with softly speaking to the animal to help
    them stand correctly.....
    
    REMEMBER....a lot of kids at these 4-H shows don't do well with their
    showmanship....work at fitting and showmanship as if you were in an
    A class show......this should work in both model as well as this
    class.......
    
    If you would like to watch someone....check out some A class show and
    watch the model classes....a lot of these people are professionals and
    know how to make the horse "look its best".....
    
    GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!
    
    Remember, fitting and showmanship is not a model class...it's
    cleanliness, conditioning of horse, cleanliness and conditioning of
    tack and SHOWMANSHIP.....
    
    Are you showing your horse as a hunter type?  Is this show a small
    show?
    
    

    Well, I will defineatly go with the quadrants theory, thank you both
    for mentioning it! It doesn't sound too complicated, as long as I avoid
    blocking the judges view of the horse at all times. As I mentioned in a
    previous reply , the horse is a Standardbred mare being stood as a
    hunter-type (looks for all the world like a small TB). I do intend to
    braid mane and tail, and have tack, horse, and myself spotless. She's
    an attractive mare, and although I thought her condition had dropped
    off some this past winter she's really looking good now. The show is
    unrated, (I think anyway!) not a 4-H show,but there seemed to be some
    nice horses and good competition there last year. The pleasure and
    equitation classes I went in with a different horse last year were 
    huge (20+ entries in some), but I paid no attention to the halter
    classes at the time. I really just want the experience anyway, I'll
    be back to under saddle classes with the other horse in a few months
    but I thought this might be an interesting experience (any sort of adventure
    with this mare usually is! :-) in the interim. Thanks again everyone,
    if we don't fall on our faces I'll let you know how it goes!