Royal Highland Show 2018! - M&M and Part-Bred Arabs

I'm a little late to the party this year, due in part to the fact that I came home from the show with 2644 images to sort out and a super nasty sunburn on my face which is still visible over a week later! Flickr was also an issue as it took the best part of a full week to upload everything.😖

As ever, all photos sans commentary can be found -here- and feel free to use any for colour/drawing reference. 

The RHS' official facebook page had -this- wee video which gives you a feel for what the whole show was like.

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #11 - All the rest!

Pretty much everything I couldn't fit into the other posts!

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #10 - Clydesdales and Unicorns!

After oohing and ahhing over all the fuzzy ponies, we wandered over to the heavy horse area. The indoor stables were closed off as everyone was getting their horses ready for the harness classes, but we were able to walk behind them and see a few being groomed and tacked up outside.

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #9 - Ponies, ponies and yet more ponies!

The post you've all been waiting for - lots and lots of fuzzy pony goodness!

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #8 - Mini Major

We unfortunately missed this class but caught the ending and lap of honour. I don't know much about it but I think it involves a horse and pony pair jumping. We literally saw the last pair finish jumping to wild applause but had no idea what was going on!

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #7 - The Most Majestic Floof!

I was going to include this particular pony in the last post but felt he deserved a thread of his own!

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #6 M&M Working Hunter Pony

As I've said before, the Working Hunter classes are some of my favourites as let's face it, tiny ponies jumping is just as, if not more entertaining than the adult showjumping!

 

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #5 Warmup Ring

I always love watching the warmup ring for the jumping classes often more than the classes themselves as you can get a much better view for the most part!

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #4 Anglo-Arab and Partbred Arab

After the purebred Arabs came the partbreds. I have to admit that I prefer the partbreds to the others, especially the ponies.

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #3 Purebred Arabian

I'm not the biggest Arab fan in the world as I like my horses with more bone and hair, but I really like seeing them at the RHS. Part of the reasoning for that is that they look like actual practical horses, unlike the oiled up and blinged out showhorses you tend to see in America especially, with loads of mane and tail extensions floating about.

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #2 Welsh Sec B

Despite being a Highland fan through and through, there's something about the dainty features and sometimes snotty attitude of the Welsh ponies that always makes me smile. This class was no exception!

Royal Highland Show 2016 - #1 Ridden Highlands

It's that time of year again!

Like last year, I met up with fellow collector Magdalena after I arrived and we spent the day ogling ponies and trying to work out what interesting variation of dun most of the Highlands were!

The first thing I saw when I arrived was unfortunately the very end of a class, the Highland Ponies Under Saddle.

As usual there were plenty of beautiful ponies.

The prizes were being handed out when I walked up, and a quick google reveals that this triumphant and gorgeous beastie is Royal Caledonian of Fourmerk.

The equally lovely Reserve is Glenbanchor Somerled.

  

The lap of honour looked like great fun!

Short post is short but the next one will more than make up for it!

Part 2 - Welsh Sec B!

Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 1 - Ridden Highlands

I'll finally be posting about New Blades and whatnot later but for now, my yearly jaunt to the Royal Highland Show beckons!

------

As with last year I went on the Friday rather than the weekend as I've found it to be a bit quieter and with a more varied timetable. I got the bus to the showground straight from Glasgow but to my horror, realised that I'd missed the stop for the show literally just as the bus started to pull away. (I didn't see the sign and stupidly assumed people were getting off for something else) Luckily the driver was an absolute legend and pulled over at the next bus stop and told me which one to get on the other side of the road. It wasn't ideal, but twenty minutes later I was back on the road and on my way to the show! XD

I took millions of photos as usual, all of which can be found here. As ever, feel free to take and use as reference, just remember to credit!

The first class I found was the Ridden Highlands, always a favourite of mine as Highland ponies are my very favourite breed. There were a lot of really chunky ponies in the running this year, including one with so much feather I wondered if he had a hidden bit of Clydesdale in his ancestry! XD







I mean just LOOK at this! What a stunner - he looks like he could have been an Elven horse in The Lord of the Rings or something!











Most were various shades of grey but there were a couple of duns, including this incredibly striking mouse dun. (and just look at that neck, ye gads!)



The winners!





There was another lovely Highland in the 'Cuddy In Hand Supreme Championship' later in the day, which I think was a HOTY show qualifier, but more on that front later... :P



Part 2 will be up soon!