Leading pony producer Gill Thompson has her say on good behaviour and schedule changes for this season
We made our season debut at North of England Spring Show recently, and I was very pleased to see strong classes with generally good entries across the board – especially in the native sections – despite the rising fuel costs. Let’s hope this continues throughout the season.
I’ve read several columnists in Horse & Hound recently refer to our social licence as equestrians, particularly with regard to welfare, and I was disappointed to discover first hand at the show why this is clearly something that needs to be high on the showing community’s agenda.
Conduct on a showground and, in particular, in the show ring itself reflects on all of us, and it’s disheartening to learn that not everyone takes that responsibility seriously, nor pays as much attention to their horses or ponies’ welfare as they should.
I feel very strongly that any handling or riding of horses in a way that compromises their welfare or deliberately causes discomfort is not acceptable, however frustrated we might be at the time. If a horse doesn’t perform as we wish, we have to look at our own groundwork and training at home, and do better.
What truly worries me is that if people believe that rough handling is acceptable at a show, what do they think they can get away with at home?
I really hope that the relevant societies take action in such cases, and feel sure that they will in this instance.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Going forward, I would urge everyone to be mindful of their behaviour at all times, not only for fellow competitors, but for spectators, too, and most importantly, for the horses.
HOYS mixed height show pony qualifiers
Going into this season, I am disappointed that Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) didn’t revise the decision to run the mixed height show pony qualifiers.
Last season, I expressed concerns that these classes would be dominated by 148cm ponies, and my fears were proven correct. Every one of last year’s mixed qualifiers was won by a 148cm pony, meaning that the finals were quite unbalanced.
It takes a really special 128cm pair to hold their own against 148cm combinations, where at the top end, riders can have left school and drive a car.
I have a 148cm this season, so I could be tempted into the class, but I would have to be pretty sure of my little rider’s ability really to hold their own before entering one with a smaller pony.
An excellent stepping stone class
On a more positive note, I have to congratulate the British Show Pony Society and the Royal International (RIHS) on the introduction of the first ridden of hunter type class. Unfortunately, I don’t have a combination for this class this year, but I wish I did!
As a concept, I think it provides an excellent stepping stone for those children coming out of the lead-rein hunter type as the leap into the open 123cm class is significant, and too much for many of them.
Some ponies also can’t make the step up, as they don’t quite meet the mark as a type in the open classes. This new class gives those ponies a second string to their bow, and means that children can stay on that pony a little longer, which has to be a bonus for parents in this current financial climate.
Anyone who has dealt with young children new to first ridden will know that you really have to work at getting them to use the whole ring. On a practical level, requiring that the children negotiate the obstacles in the ring independently teaches them to use the arena without necessarily realising it.
It also gives them a good grounding should they go down the workers route and into cradle stakes, and requiring that they only canter on one rein is just enough for them to manage.
From speaking with fellow producers who do have these ponies this season, the children are loving this class, and get excited even walking the course. Irrespective of all the other benefits, this alone has to make the class a success.
● How can the showing community respond more effectively when welfare concerns arise? We’d love to hear from you at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Gill Thompson has shown ponies and horses at the highest level and is a leading producer of ponies. She has produced and ridden multiple HOYS and RIHS winners.
