Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 4 - Pure & Partbred Arabs

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!

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While big hairy cobs and fuzzy ponies will always be my favourite, there is just something about a nicely turned out partbred Arab that never fails to impress me.

I really need to recreate those browbands for some of my models...

I think I remember this one from last year - I love that little bit of roaned mapping around the patch on her quarters.

I'm no expert on Arabian showing and call me biased, but I greatly prefer the way they are shown over here to what you often see over the pond, where half the horses seem to be wearing ten foot hair extensions with glitz and glitter everywhere. XD

As gorgeous as this horse is, I can't help feeling that the white girth was a poor choice as it is a bit distracting.

This one was massive! Very dishy head too, although I don't like it as much as...

...this one!

Back to the partbreds!

Oh to be a judge! I'd have thrown all the rosettes in this one's direction - absolutely stunning!

Winners!

I did a bit of photoshop tweaking on this one. :P

Part 5 coming soon!

Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 3 - Connemaras

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!

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 While the other two classes were going on, a few Connemaras were being judged in the last third of the main ring. I'm not as big a fan of Connies as I am of the other native breeds (probably not hairy enough :P) but there were some really outstanding examples being shown this year.



Gorgeous cremello - just look at the difference when the sun came out!









I didn't get any more photos as the light was acting up and I'd headed off for a snack. XD


Part 4 coming soon!

Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 2 - Welsh Ponies In Hand

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!

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Right next to the Ridden Highlands were a variety of wonderfully coloured little ponies - how could I resist? I think I took more photos here than anywhere else at the show but they were just so photogenic, it's really no wonder. (I was having a little trouble getting the white balance right to begin with as the light levels kept changing with the sun coming out, then going in again so apologies for some of them being so dark.)

I'm not sure if I'd missed all the Sec As or if their class was on later (I think I remember seeing Sec A stallions at one point) but I'm pretty sure these were all Sec Bs.

That little braid behind the ear is a Welsh speciality.















Smutty palomino is one of my favourite colours on ponies and there were a fair few at the show this year.








Keep an eye on this one... :P



I remember this little palomino stallion from last year - those bend orr spots are so distinctive! I managed to find him online and identified him as 'Cadlanvalley Georgie Boy' - such an elegantly put together little pony.



He was mostly well behaved, but threw his head up a bit when being asked to turn at the trot.



He wasn't the only one either...



...several ponies acted up when cornering...



...or just trotting in a straight line!





After they'd all been trotted up it was time for the judges to get a closer look. Legs were straightened out, necks extended and every pony put their best hoof forward...





...well...



...nearly...



...everyone...



...anyway!



I don't think he meant anything by it, he was just getting a bit too excited. I loved his handler (who I kept thinking looked a bit like Hodor from Game of Thrones XD) and his attitude though, he didn't freak out or act aggressively towards the pony, just calmly held his ground when he went up, kept him in check and didn't lose his temper. In fact, no matter how many times he reared, I don't think the smile slipped from his face. (..and he reared rather a lot. XD)












I call this sequence 'Help, I've forgotten how to horse!'









Somewhat unsurprisingly thanks to his behaviour, the little dappley monster left without receiving a rosette



I don't think 'Hodor' seemed to mind though. :D





Part 3 coming soon!