What boots to wear?
 

Im 15 years old and have a 15hh Welsh D x Thoroughbred which i am willing to show this year, i usually ride little show ponys and ride in jodphur boots, considering my age and the size of my horse, what boots should i be wearing? I will be in the 15hh and under show hunter, light weight hunter and working hunter classes? what boots should i wear? HELP

Jodphur boots and a nice pair of half chaps would be fine if it's just a schooling show.

For hunter pony, or riding as a junior, then jodhpur boots with clips. However in open hunter under saddle classes, traditionally it is adults riding, and therefore long boots or (at lower levels) jodhpur boots with gaiters are appropriate. Half chaps are never appropriate in a show ring, particularly rough out chaps. The same dress is required for working hunter, excepting that a body protector may be worn over your tweed and your velvet hat must have a harness (although as a junior that is a requirement for you anyway in flat under saddle classes). That's UK rules anyway!

[QUOTE=minstrel;1925741]Half chaps are never appropriate in a show ring, particularly rough out chaps. QUOTE]

Even leather Half-Chaps? Interesting! Not like that in Canada, although I am un sure of where the OP is from..

[quote=Fulford15;1925743]Some low level showing shows might not notice the difference between a smooth leather half chap and a gaiter, but it is a rule. British Eventing and British Dressage both have a written rule against half chaps but allow gaiters, as well. Half chaps, even leather ones, aren't considered 'smart' enough. However, long boots are the most acceptable and smart form of footwear for most disciplines, so safest to stick to those if your calf allows it!!

Jodhpur boots always used to be the correct footwear for pony classes and 15hh is pony class for hunters - working or show but in recent years more and more 15hh competitors seem to be wearing long leather boots - you could get away with good quality synthetic ones at local shows
Half Chaps are a NO NO though you might pass at a local show with the leather ones that match your boots but they are quite expensive.
This is a 133cm pony class
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MaO0LgxsQw

and this is a 153cm pony class
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zWuoKoilPE

Surely it depends on class height restrictions? Small hunter classes (not hunter pony) vary on required height but are often 15-15.2hh, and since they are expected to weight carry would be considered adult classes, so long boots. A specific hunter pony not exceeding 15hh is a jodhpur boot class (and often this would be your working hunter height split) but a small hunter or lightweight hunter (again depending on height restrictions) would be long boots. Often you find height restrictions vary, as its the amount of bone that matters most.

I'd missed the part where she mentioned the lightweight hunter class - yes you would wear long boots in those classes as they are considered to be an adult/horse class.
I asked a few friends who's kids compete in WH and apparently you dont see so many jodphur boots now in the 15hh classes as the upper age limit is now 20 for that class
Its not that common at higher levels for 15hh hunter ponies ridden by 'children' to also compete in the adult horse classes ridden by the same child but no reason why not. The Hunter pony classes (affiliated) come under the BSPS registration whereas the hunter horses now come under the Sport Horse GB registration but obviously at local shows this wouldnt have any impact - though you rarely see the weight/height classes split at local level as not enough entries to warrant that.
It gets a bit confusing at higher level as a lightweight hunter can be up to 16.2 and should be able to carry 12st 7lb and have 8.5 inches of bone so a 15hh horse might struggle in that class.
A small hunter class might be better for the OP's horse as they should be 15.2 max and look like a smaller version of the middleweight hunter - the section D x TB can be a good mix for that look if its inherited enough bone from the cob side
OP - not sure if theres anything in these that might help you?
http://www.poniesuk.org/images/ruleb...e_Book2012.pdf
Turnout Guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaC0DkpCaa4
Not a great video but gives an idea of the build of the horse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69xBqRpCvG4
Should be a link to pics of small ridden hunters
E.S.Photography | National Hunter Supreme Championship Show 2012 | 08 Evening - Small Ridden Hunters

It's getting more common for there to be a lightweight and heavyweight hunter class at smaller shows, with middleweights competing in a heavyweight class and smalls in the lightweight class. I'm not convinced about that personally, but there is a trend towards it. I agree with you that the small hunter class sounds to suit the OP's horse better, but at low levels that is usually the first class to drop.

I used to have a 15.2hh Welsh D x Irish Draught that was a classic small hunter - he literally looked like a middleweight with the legs cut off (: the Section D's really do cross well for hunter-type looks.

My UK informant (who is obviously not very busy at work!!!) now tells me that there is an intermediate class for hunter ponies 148cm to 158cm height for riders up to 25 years
I think its all getting very confusing
The big problem I see with the OP's idea (sorry we havent forgotten you btw) is that a 15hh hunter pony has to look like a pony but a small hunter has to look like a horse and so I'm not sure if it fits into one class its going to fit into the other
I bought Flo originally (19 years ago) to just bring on, have a friends daughter compete on her and sell for 15hh ridden or working hunter but she went and grew an inch and a bit too much. Shes a section C x TB but she never really had enough bone and body to compete in the horse classes though I think she looks more like a horse than a pony so nothing was on her side
Not sure why but I ended up keeping her
I did some local WH classes with her and she was OK when she wasnt showing off turning cartwheels for the hell of it!!