Everything you need to know about the hack classes, from turnout to pinging round the ring!
Kindly written by Lara Berrie
The hack classes, there isn’t another class quite like it. This really is where beauty pageants meet the show ring. Often seen at your county shows along with your qualifying classes, there is just something about the Hacks that grabs you and pulls you in, leaving you thinking “Id love to have a ride on that horse!” The classes are becoming increasingly popular, showing us just how elegant and glamorous some horses can be.
A hack class is a flat class, where horses should have elegance, manners and most importantly, quality in abundance. There are two height sections in the classes, the first being a “Small Hack”; these horses should measure no more than 148cm but must not exceed 154cm. The second section is the “Large Hacks”; these horses should exceed 154cm but must not exceed 160cm. Both height sections must be 4 years old and over to compete. Often, the horses that are seen in these classes are of Thoroughbred breeding; some may also be part-bred Arab. Hacks should be finer than Riding Horses.
These classes are judged on the horse’s manners and way of going, and also include a conformation section. For this section, there is no mark system. However, the BSHA does encourage judges to use 40% for ride, 40% for manners and 40% for conformation. The result is based purely on the judge’s decision. Within this class, you will complete an initial go-round with your other competitors, where you will walk, trot and canter on the left rein before changing rein to show the other side. The walk is the first and last gait the judge will see; don’t forget to practice this! You will then be pulled into line before being asked to dismount for the ride judge. This is where your horse must be light in front, in self-carriage whilst being powerful from behind, all whilst maintaining the picture of elegance. To achieve this, your horse must be extremely well schooled. A mannerly ride can go a long way! You will then be asked to strip the horse of the saddle for the conformation judge. Here, the judge is looking for clean limbs, with no lumps or bumps, straight moving and free from the shoulder; the movement should be smooth and flowing with a pointing of the toe. You will then be asked to remount and give a show for the judges; this is where you get to really show off what your horse can do! From walk to canters, change of canter leads, rein back and a free walk to finish, this is your last shot to show them why you deserve to win!
For me, I would rather see a good show done well with fewer tricks than a show with everything thrown at it, done badly. Pick what you are good at, and do it well! Remember, in these classes you do not have to gallop, however, to stand out from the ground you can lengthen, this helps to show how mannerly your horse is that he or she can come back to you and continue to do as asked after being allowed to open up. Remember, manners, manners, manners!
Now let’s talk about turnout! Previously I referred to the hacks as the “Supermodels of the show ring” which, if you’ve seen them... You’ll know what I mean! They are beautiful!
A show hack should be plaited, and tails should be pulled and cut to the point of the hocks. If your horse does not like having its tail pulled, I would highly recommend the Smart Grooming “Smart Tails” rake; this gives the illusion of a pulled tail without any hassle. Ears, bridlepath, heels and the jawline should all be trimmed, it is personal preference if you want to trim the whiskers, some do, some don’t, personally I think it really gives a polished look having them off.
I like using a black hoof oil over their feet to give a more polished look; hacks do not have to be shod, but many are!
For plaiting, I like to use a good gel to hold my plaits. This holds any flyaway hair without attracting dust and debris to the hair. For this, I love my Smart Grooming Plaiting Gel; a little goes a long way with this product, and 1 bottle lasts me a whole season. You will want your horse to be shown in a Havanna straight cut saddle, a Black Country classic or a Fylde Marjorie are the go-to saddles for this class, both being very comfortable whilst allowing the horses shoulder to move, encouraging the free movement that is desired for the class. For bridles, you will want a finer cut bridle and a coloured browband. For these classes, including a novice class, unless the schedule states otherwise, you are permitted to wear a pelham or a double bridle. Choosing which bit you think your horse will like is always hard; however, I like to keep it plain and simple and work my way up. I would always rather need to add more than have too much! Browbands although should be coloured, less is always more, there is nothing more off putting than a brightly coloured browband with huge rosettes on the side of the head, for me it takes away from the finer details.
Some simple gloss over the eyes and muzzle will give a lovely finish to the face; here I use the Smart Grooming Enhancing Gloss. Over the coat, Super Shine is my favourite product to give the ultimate “Glass Coat”; you’ll never see my grooming basket without this! Quarter markings are something that can make or break a horse's back end; if done well, you can really enhance the quarters and have the appearance much fuller than what they are. For a hack class, you want small squares in an upside-down triangle shape, then shark's teeth at the bottom. For this, the All-in-One Quarter Marking Comb is your secret weapon! Not just for the hack marks, but for you riding horses, hunters, and Cobs; all marks can be done with 1 little tool! To set the marks in place, I use the Quarter Marking spray from the SG range. I will guarantee these marks won’t go anywhere!
You want to give an immaculate finish, so cleanliness is key. There is no magic product on the market that can make a dirty horse shine, so get scrubbing!
The rider will be turned out in a navy jacket, with a small discrete button whole on the left side along with a strapless hat such as a Beagler or Patey; however, check your rules! Some schedules stipulate that you must be wearing a strapped hat; don’t get caught out! No piercings or jewellery are allowed in the ring, so make sure you take these out before competing. A subtle tie, brown gloves and beige breeches with long, black, straight-cut boots will have you looking the part. In addition to this, the rider may wear spurs, if your horse does not need these, you can get your hands on “dummy spurs” that have no end point on them so are there purely for aesthetic reasons.
If you are new to showing and would like to give it a go, I really recommend going along to some shows and watching the professionals; they are professionals for a reason. My favourite hack has to be Forelands Hyde Park, who, if you like the Smart Grooming range…. you’ll have seen him before! For me, he is everything a hack should be. Watch the shows; you can pick up so many tricks from watching. Many of the professionals will also want to help you if they have time; you will be pleasantly surprised with how much help they are willing to give.
So, let’s take a deep breath to digest all of this and look back on our main points.
Super models, when compared to a Riding horse, or Hunter, a hack is much more refined in its limb, they should be polished and extremely elegant.
Good conformation is essential; you can build on this with way of going, muscle definition, etc., but your horse must have good conformation to build that foundation from. They need the WOW factor; you want the judge to watch you!
Turnout is key; a little goes a long way on the gloss front, and you will always get the best out of your products if your horse is clean! On the rider front, you want to be neat and tidy, simple yet effective. Most importantly, go out and have a go; have fun whilst doing it!
Dejar un comentario