Horse Show Hunters
Objective: For the horse and rider to meet the ideal standard of manners, style and way of going, either over fences or on the flat, that is pleasing to the judge or judges.
Scoring is subjective and entirely up to the discretion of the judge. The ideal show hunter needs to go in a balanced, long and low frame without being too heavy on the forehand. Their frame is much different from a dressage, show jumper or eventing frame. A hunter needs to have a long stride that covers ground without excessive knee or hock action. An ideal hunter is sometimes referred to as a "daisy cutter" because of the way the horse glides just barely over the ground. Hunters are not limited to any particular breed or color.
The qualities of a good show hunter harkens back to the days of field hunters, where a horse that moved efficiently would have the stamina to last an entire day on a hunt.
Jump Courses - Unlike show jumpers, where the cleanest, fastest round wins, hunters are judged on pace, manners, jumping style and way of moving over course of 8 to 12 jumps. Faults are scored according to the judge's opinion and an include missing a lead change, jumping out of form, trotting while on course, bucking or dangerous jumping.
A regular hunter course typically has a consistent 12-foot stride between jumps and horses must have the pre-set number of strides between jumps at an even rhythmical pace in order to score well. Obstacles are more natural looking, without the brightly colored jumps you see in show jumping. There are no open water obstacles or liverpools in hunter classes and no major changes of terrain.
Class Specifications - There are dozens of different types of classes available at recognized hunter shows. The class can be judged on horse conformation, rider's ability, the horse's way of going and much more. Classes divisions include age of rider, age or horse, whether the rider is a professional or an amateur, and other qualifications. The two main classifications to be aware of, however, are equitation and pleasure.
- Equitation - the judge bases his or her decision strictly on the correctness of the rider.
- Pleasure - ribbons are awarded based on the horse's manners, way of going and behavior. For instance, even wringing their tale or pinning their ears can cost you a ribbon.
