judges speak
Q.
What counts for and against a horse in the Liberty class? I’ve
observed at shows a mini who just gallops around and requires
the owner to walk up to catch, place higher than a mini who
performs both the trot and gallop and then comes directly to the
owner for the catch. Can you clarify what you are looking for in a
Liberty horse and a “sure fire” way to score higher in this class?
JUDGE SANDY CURL
In Liberty I like to see a horse that performs
on his own with a minimum of help from the
handler. I want to see all three gaits but especially the lofty extended trot. So many times
we see handlers chase their horses and then
not let them trot. The catch is important but
in my opinion not the «winning» highlight
of the performance. Use of the entire arena
is important as the more space used the more
free-moving the horse is. Music to me is least
important as long as it is upbeat and your
horse «likes» it.
JUDGE MARGO SHALLCROSS
Liberty classes can be both beautiful and
exciting to watch and judge. My preference
is a Miniature that uses the entire ring and
shows both an animated trot and lofty canter. I want the handler to bring the horse
deep into the arena and wait for the music
to be