Passing in wp classes?

I know people tell me that you can pass in wp classes, but do people really do it? Like do judges get annoyed or turned off by someone who passes the person in front of them?
I've never had to do it, but since I'm going to be riding my on pony instead of my trainers horse, I might have to since his gaits are faster.
Do you do it?

Well, considering WP wants the sort of hokey pokey trot/lope/walk, passing certaintly points out that you are not going as slow and pokey as one whom you are passing. Now, on the other hand, if the someone you are passing has a too slow trot where their horse is cheating, you may be better off. (Cheating as in, troting in the front, walking in the back) Or if at the lope, the horse isn't using their back end, and takes on a choppy stride. So yes, passing is definitely alowed, but not always frowned upon. You just have to take the class as it comes - If you pass, you pass, if you don't, you don't. You never really know if it will knock you out of the ribbons or not.

Well, since I compete against QH (mainly) and I ride an Arabian.....I pass all riders the time!

I pass. I don't ride the rail and go around, I move to the inside of the rail and ride so that I'm not weaving. Some horses are not physically capable of crawling at the same speed as others. As long as your horse is correctly moving and holding a consistent steady pace then they will not ping you... UNLESS you are actually cantering rather than loping!

Since you are being judged, stay to the inside so the judge can see you. Don't vanish by going to the rail. I was forced to stop in a corner in one class as a group of riders with faster horses had bunched up and I didn't know if heels would fly. My mare waited quitly until the bunch had passed then stepped back into a lovely lope. We took 2nd. Have to admit the horse that took first was just a tad better.

WP....you stay on the rail. HUS you come off the rail. Don't worry, the judge can still see you on the rail...LOL.

As for passing, it's perfectly fine. I've passed horses in WP and I've had horses pass me in WP (which is usually the case). Nothing wrong with it, and judges actually would rather see you ride strategically and pass, then try and hang back behind a horse that is going slower than you.

The judges basically want to see you do what's going to make your horse look the best. So if you have to pass in order to keep your cadence, it's way better than having to shut down to an ugly gait in order to stay behind someone slower. But on the same turn, if you're zipping around everybody on the inside, you're likely not fitting in with the class and are going to be marked down.

I stay on the rail at all costs. The biggest "cheats" you can do to not pass is to go deep in your corners (a lot of people cut them, which adds several strides), and to do a "crawly walk". I have different speeds of walk that I do in order to position myself appropriately. If I squeeze my knees in, my horse will slow down to the slowest moving walk in order to let the horse in front of me gain some ground. Also, at the turn-around you have to gauge whether you're going to do a pivot or a rounder circle. That could help put some distance between you. And of course, not changing gaits until the person in front of you has changed (within a reasonable amount of time).

So if you have to pass someone, just keep your cadence and pass them, but then go right back on the rail afterward.

Your job as an exhibitor is to show the judge your horse to its best ability. If you need to pass another horse to maintain the integrity of your gait, then you pass.

Pass wide enough to give the other horse room, and don't cut anyone off. Be a good sportsman. In addition, don't run up someone's tail because you are afraid to pass.

For the record, when the gait is called, you should make every effort to take the gait in a timely manner. Judges frown heavily on those riders who wait, wait, wait, wait, wait and fail to go the called gait. Also, you should not stop and pivot to reverse.

Judges would much rather see a horse knocking it out and passing than a horse that has been sucked down because the rider is afraid to get off the rail.

You can most definitely pass a slower horse.Just do it smoothly ,maintaining cadence,just a subtle moving out enough to pass & then back to take your place on the rail, it is just a continuing on along just as there was never any horse there in your way.If done properly it is not frowned upon,but can actually show the control & consistent smooth way of going of your horse that judge will take notice of,the same way he can take a negative notice of if passing is done in sloppy manner or if you try maneuvers to fit in behind slower moving horses.