I almost threw out the Scottsdale infromation when it came the other day--I'll have a pregnant mare, so no way I'll be able to take horses. But I ended up keeping it and looking through it while waiting for the working cow arena to be drug on Sun. And I'm very glad that I did!

They have split the SHIH classes into dressage type and hunter type.

What a wonderful idea! It's always incredibly disappointing to take my hunter horse out in the ring with all those dressage horses...in front of a (usually) dressage judge.

Wish I could take horses this coming spring.

There is a resolution being presented at Convention to split the SHIH into two divisions...right now the only resistance to the idea seems to be the costs of an addtional set of awards and judges. I hope and imagine that it will pass though.

I think it's a great idea as well! Before the judge would ask what discipline you represent (although the bridle might/should? be a giveaway!) when you first approached them. I can't imagine the cost should be THAT much more for ribbons and judges?...does anyone have a breakdown of what those costs are??

I've seen horses shown in a particular bridle/braid and stand up depending on the judge. So, not always a give away. Plus, most judges officiating SHIH judge according to their "type", not the horses potential or use. That is the main problem. If a dressage judge judged a hunter prospect according to that discipline, the split wouldn't matter so much.

As a side question now, we have one we might bring that is an eventing prospect. Could do dressage or hunter/jumper. He's Anglo Arab, will be probably 16.2 ish by then. Do we enter dressage type or hunter type? We has a pretty fluid way or going, I would think probably dressage type?

There's a lot of costs when you have to consider another judge. That means another scribe (if classes are running at the same time) and potentially an entire 2nd set up. That will depend on how they plan to run the classes. You have flight costs, hotel costs, all that other good stuff that really adds up.

That's the problem I've had. Most of the sport horse judges are dressage oriented. A few have picked out my boy as a hunter...but most spend their time telling me how ill suited for dressage he is. Yes, I know, he's a hunter. But dressage is their background...and it's what they automatically look for. It's not wrong...and truthfully most horses in the classes usually are dressage type. But it can be frustrating for the hunters in the class, because they simply aren't built like or move like the other horses in the class. Kind of like showing a stock type half arab against a NSH.

I would say for the eventer, it would be more what the horse is built like. I have an eventing prospect that is built like and moves like a dressage horse. So I'd put him in the dressage split.