The Uk’s Big Showing Survey Results Are Now In

It's clear that horse showing in the UK is facing a serious decline, with fewer people participating and a lot of negativity around it. But why is this happening? We decided to get answers through a huge, nationwide survey, and now we have the results to share.

We had over 20,000 people from all walks of life take part in the survey.

They came from all corners of the UK and included local horse show enthusiasts, novices and beginners, judges, event organisers, seasoned showers, experienced producers and more. This mix of participants ensures that our survey gives us an honest and unbiased understanding of the challenges in the world of horse shows.

Here they are, the results we promised to reveal. Our hope is that these findings will inspire changes within horse-showing communities, event organizers, and others involved. The issues highlighted in the results are significant, and we believe that by making these changes, we can bring back fairness, rules, and enjoyment to horse showing once again.

So please, share these results, share on your social media, share with your local showing society, share into their Facebook groups, share with national showing societies, and share with your friends and family. Let's get these results out to the people that can actually make the changes.

So, without further ado, here are the results in full. Each answer will have a percentage, this is the percentage of users that chose that answer.

Q1 - What do you believe are the main reasons for the decline in participation and interest in horse showing in the UK? (Choose all answers that you feel are appropriate)

• Changing societal trends and shifting interests (9.7%)
• Poor judging and lack of knowledge by judges (57.8%)
• Producers winning shows due to personal connections (82.5%)
• Welfare concerns, including overweight horses and cruel training practices (50%)
• High costs associated with horse showing (52.9%)
• Absence of a central governing body for showing (29.6%)
• Shows being cliquey and exclusive (59.7%)
• Lack of awareness about horse conformation and breeds among judges (36.9%)
• Long travelling times to reach qualifying events (26.7%)

Other: Comments under 'other';

• Stressful for horses
• Times - of classes always over run.
• Rules not being abided by, there is no point in printing them!
• Adults not allowed to show anything under 14.2 at alot of shows. Surely riders wieght should be the issue not riders age. For inhand classes we are constantly marked down for our youngsters being "too well behaved" 1st place is always the ones rearing and kicking on the end of the rope.
• Lack of knowledge on way of going, basic biomechanics of the horse, I find a lot of judges know what they like as a type but way of going only matters so much, the amount of horses and ponies in showing going with their chins in, hollow backs and hind legs trailing behind is shocking, and damaging
• Unable to show my traditional cob has she has her feather clipped for welfare reasons
• Judges who aren’t proper and simply been invited to judge due to showing themselves, they often lack knowledge of other breeds leading to inaccurate pulling
• If the jinx team break rules it’s ok the society just change the rules anyone else discipline measures taken
• Judges markings need to be guidelined better. How can you get 30/50 for wrong legging it (bad day) then 27/50 for a foot perfect ridden show. Joke.

Further comments from participants;

• Overweight in animals is very real and serious
• More knowledge from judges and competitors
• People feel showing is exclusive so new people (like me) are very nervous to try if they don’t have many showing connections
• Too much focus on un-natural presentation. Horses not allowed to be horses.
• If there was a single database similar to how dog shows work it would make sense. People who are travelling the length and breadth of the country chasing qualifiers is also a welfare issue. But no one does anything about it.
• I don't feel first time owners/riders feel encouraged to start trying, even at the bottom rung, when competitors with obviously no lack of funding, who come along and win everything, appear at a level they are well qualified to win, who should be moving up a level, are pushing them back, and judges are allowing it to happen
• 40 years of showing experience. I know I could have the best horse and a producer could bring a 3 legged llama and they would win. I’ve been told in the ring when the judge knew I was friends with a well known producer “you’d have won today if you’d let X bring it in the ring” that day X won I was way down the line. The bias isn’t even hidden anymore so what’s the point spending hundreds of pounds entering when I can pick with 100% accuracy top 3 unseen from the catalogue . The obsession with horses being “furnished” ie overweight is also ridiculous. I have a 3 yo ID who is slightly overweight and have been told time and again in the ring he isn’t furnished enough.
• I think it will be very hard to find a body of competent people willing to go against top producers and judge fairly. Also they can do a yearly test and show no bias but will that transverse over into the real world, and would doing a yaerly test aggravate the problem as they could argue they have passed a test showing they are not biased?? its very clique environment at all levels i have however found the lower levels more bitchy and bias
• One example: royal highland 2023 the price family inland winner was a SHP it was morbidly obese. You can see the celulite and fat pads from across the ring. Yes it moved nicely but so did every other contender for that prize. All others were of a good weight. We were really disappointed ti see that win
• Shocking lack of knowledge around equine welfare - obese horses consistently winning, ponies so sharp they are worked by adults for hours, sponsors winning classes, lack of importance in manners (i.e stallions drawing etc) . Unfriendly atmosphere, first time I qualified for London a well known producer who was placed 3rd refused the lap of honour and left the ring ranting "how has THAT qualified" . Doesn't exactly encourage others. Most of my friends have gone to dressage/fun etc and breeding much less
• The governing bosies that we already have should work together and not have seperate agendas.
• I have had some awful experiences showing, one was very recent with a judge asking if the pony I was showing had had laminitis to which I responded yes, and we controlled it well with weight management, she told me she prefers them with more weight on... regardless of the fact I advised it was due to health, so I responsed to say I prefer my pony healthy. We then didn't place
• Wouldn’t bother again. It’s who you know
• "Spread the qualifiers around.
• Have more amateur classes.
• Drop badly behaved competitors regardless of who produced them "
• I think horses in show condition or overweight and even obese and this needs to change for their health
• My horses breed was marked down due to being unregistered. Even tho there is nothing else wrong with my horse.
• "Showing is a subjective discipline it has always been the same it is just more people seem to think nowadays that they are entitled to win without putting the hard work in and if they winge enough about unfairness then they will get there own way.
• Without producers who would novices learn from ? It is in fact things like this survey which are killing our sport"
• It needs a massive overhaul.
• Yes please make sure that the ride judge has ridden to high standard so they know how a pony should go ie wrong leg wrong bend over bent
• Lameness being brushed over is a major issue, along with rude judges
• Horse behaviour should be taken into account when placing them. A horse displaying awful behaviour in the ring should not be winning classes despite their confirmation and appearance imo.
• Corruption in judging is the main factor in the decline in entries imo
• As an equine msk specialist i see lots of welfare and training issues. A lot of horses have some leg deviation in the show ring, assymetric pelvis', atrophied and hypertonic muscles all which show me training practices are incorrect. Correct biomechanics is crucial and is overlooked. Conformation is another factor that is overlooked.
• While showing is still corrupt people won’t spend the money especially with cost of living
• There is no drive to encourage new comers. I’m a new comer who does very well and it’s earned us isolation and worse. Children are to be kept safe and encouraged.. nothing else
• There are too many judges that know the competitors and classes are being won on who is holding the lead rein and not the quality of the horse/pony in the ring. You can tell before you go in the ring who is going to win and then you see them sat having drinks with the winners after the class. It really is not on. The problem is judges are afraid to put people down in a class for fear of retribution and not being asked to judge anywhere ever again.
• I feel that producers should be only allowed to qualify one horse in a certain class than qualifying a numerous of horses in same class
• Judges should not be able to judge classes where they are friends or know the competitors well and should declare conflict of interest
• It should be made public how detrimental facey judging is the the breeds
• I think all horses and ponies should be screened to be of a determined condition score before being allowed to compete so that they are fit and capable of the job that they are being shown for e.g. hunters should be shown in hunting fit condition.
• "I recently looked into showing my ex racer but having contacted a couple of societies (racing & veteran) was pretty much told not to bother as he’s a finer TB and still pretty fit and wouldn’t do well. That’s put me off showing completely. I want him to live as long as possible and not put strain on his joints etc.
• I also was part of a conversation recently where a vet asked an owner of show ponies (ridden by the kids in the family) if they felt a pony (who was having breathing difficulties) was overweight. The reply was that they were show ponies so of course they were overweight and they needed to remain so for qualifications.
• What chance do the ponies have when winning and qualifications is more important than health."
• My daughter has heard a judge say in the ring that her horse looks like shit. That’s a direct quote from a panel judge. It’s not worth her entering showing classes as we’re not connected to the right people. There is an open secret that showing is corrupt and if you get on the wrong side of certain people you will never achieve anything so it’s no worth the hassle
• "Show attire - regularly have seen people enter classes with muddy horses, tape holding boots on, jeans etc and coming away champion
• Lame horses winning classes etc.
• You know who is going to place where just by seeing who is parked up, why bother entering if it isn't worth it. Cost of clases have gone up but people can always find the money if they want to, why bother finding the money if lame, muddy horses win over horses correctly turned out.
• ...maybe i am just old fashioned in thinking horses and handlers/riders should be correctly rurned out regardless of the show level"
• Random checks should be done on judges having their own friends in the ring, people they have sold horses to. Horses they produce themselves
• I get sick of being told the result before I even leave home
• "It's old fashioned, cruel in many ways and out of date. The bitting needs attention, the training of horses needs attention and the quality of it.
• It's unbelievably clicky which is why I don't do it anymore. I don't miss it at all "
• Very common to see "not what you know but who you know" going on at all levels, particularly in lower local level, it puts people off entering at all. I've witnessed some very unsavoury practices going on in the warm up, this I feel should be monitored too.
• Have been a show h&p sec for many years and have seen varied changes in horses over the years, what they think the judges are looking for as in big apple bottoms and thick cresty, tied in necks....unhealthy & unnatural for any horse and definitely doesn't show them at their best for comformation!
• Class rider should be the warm up rider, and closer watch by stewards in the warm up for rider size and weight for animal they are riding
• I do think there needs to be a rule about ponies qualifying for HOYS but continuing to do Qualifiers as it prevents others from qualifying.
• Some judging is questionable but then some of the home produced people need to step back and look at the faults in Thier own ponies rather then just blaming producers for them not winning
• it's sad but you see who's judging and think oh well, you know xyz will go and they will win as they are always out to dinner with the judge etc.
• Adults and teenagers riding lead rein ponies for hours around the show ground, prior to going in to be a child’s lead rain pony ! Not acceptable
• Would like classes for traditional cobs with clipped feather. Breeding horses with lots of feather is causing traditionals to have CPL which is hidden under feather for show classes. These horses are then bred from contributing to the problem
• Seen sashes given after money exchanged outside rings.
• We’re a home produced family winning at top level. It’s not been cliquey or corrupt in my opinion but there is scope ti improve things
• The corruption and facings of showing is why I have no desire to chase qualifiers. And the reactions of societies, in particular the WPS when you lodge complaints and issues is awful.
• "Independent whistleblowing to report corruption in showing, free of charge and anonymous should be available. Bribes, favours and general corruption is widespread amongst various societies and is not being addressed. In the corporate world this would amount to a criminal offence but seems commonplace in the showing world.
• Judges should commit to their responsibilities in this capacity and not be eligible as owners or competitors whilst active on a panel to help prevent conflicts of interest."
• Stopped chasing hoys q due to producer biased judging
• Based at a championship show, not proper judges were chose leading to bad pulls and lack of knowledge as they only know the standards for the horses they show. Your face means a lot if you aren’t known you don’t pull. Stallions have a fast track path to being in the top of the line, personally believe they should be of even higher quality as they should be viewed as breeding stock. Even local shows should be encouraged to use qualified or “proper” judges to give people an accurate representation of their horse. Marks given at every show so people are able to acknowledge whether their place was due to movement/behaviour or confirmation, this would allow you to compare at lots of shows to see if the judges are consistent or have the same basis of judging without bias, however this still allows room for judges to fiddle marks for their friends/ well known faces.
• I’ve had many of negative experiences with showing recently to the point now I’ve stopped completely. They experienced include biased judges places their friends aswell as other known judges, lack of breed knowledge which can be shown through my friend being told her horse wasn’t a lightweight hunter but a heavyweight which could t be accurate as the horse for one has no feather and second hasn’t got the bone and I was told my horse wasn’t a traditional cob but a cross of Welsh which isn’t true as I’ve got her bloodline. I’ve also had the experience of the same people constantly winning due to connections
• A governing body would help a lot I feel as someone needs to be in charge of judges.
• Officials for society’s should not be aloud to compete or judge and judges should not be aloud to compete period even if in different sections as this makes the sport open to corruption, rules should be tougher doping results should not be buried for a donation to the society as currently done and those breaking the rules should be banned, judges should be proven possibly even evaluated by a dressage judge before being allowed to pass judgement.
• Some local county shows pointless as you know who wins before you enter ring waste of your hard earned money and time effort
• I'd like the survey to be published. Too much information is kept from the exhibitors.
• "It is a shame but I do believe that showing has been killed by the producers and the corruption within the game. If the societies had tackled the problem rather than get drawn into the problem we would not be in this dire situation that we are today.
• As a competitor if you are paying thousands of pounds in sponsorship you will expect favourable results.
• As a producer if you are paying thousands of pounds in sponsorship you will expect not to have positive drug tests.
• As a show if you don’t have sponsorship you can not be profitable, especially with declining entries.
• As an amateur you have declining odds of a win and have to seek out the remaining straight judges.
• With the decreasing chances of a win and the increasing cost of entries and associated costs it is inevitable that the number of people still showing is declining at pace.
• If you make a valid complaint to a governing body it is very very rarely upheld, if ever, and I can evidence this.
• I showed as a child and adult some 40 plus years ago and although there were producers then the sport was not dominated by them.
• These days almost the entire line up is made up of producers ( and I must add there are some fantastic and straight producers out there) and they have no regard for any rule be it doping, heights, markings and connections, you have to ask what is the point of an amateur who shows for the love of it, and their animal, and abides by the rules in paying their entry fee to be beaten time and again by producers bending the rules.
• Last years 138 HOYS winning SP measured 141.5 this year!
• Sadly I think it is too late to save showing but a an overall governing body might help."
• "I enjoy getting out with my youngster however I feel many judges have a type they like & if your horse doesn’t fall under that ‘type’ then you don’t stand a chance.
• My youngster is always foot perfect at every show, she has manners and always trots up well. I’ve been placed against some that buck, rear, nearly kick the judge etc and they’ve gotten first to second…. Which is rather annoying and off putting. I just feel the judges need monitored like dressage is. "
• I only show inhand Shetlands and it is so clicky you know whos going to win before they even enter the ring sure half the time its the handler they judge not the pony, not sure how you can stop this but it can be very dishearting
• "It's not just the judges alot of equestrian need to be pulled up on weight height and what type of horse is the suitable for you. The lack of standard has dropped through the floor as well
• Personal experience- local show, entered a ring with one other who being a country shower , who was having a good old chit chat with the judge , knew then I’d wasted my time & money entering. Showing is biased, I’ve enough experience to know what is a good breed standard & when a producer is placed above all others it makes a complete farce of the judge , I’ve witnessed wrong leads, hollowing, you name it ive seen it & then they get placed higher than someone who has done a perfect show piece. Total joke.
• I believe a breed judge should be doing conformation at every qualifier. Judges should not confer, conformation judge should stay away whilst horses on go round. Marks should be scrutinised. Look at area 25 marks for Nps this year Hoys M&M most top level ponies scoring 20 for there ride but winner on late 40s and this was Julie Templeton who regularly write about fairness in showing .
• As newbies to the showing world, we struggle with a lack of helpful feedback from judges. It would be great to have more advice on how to improve.
• Showing is all about who's riding or handling and NOTHING to do with the animal.
• Both non-producers and producers can have a connection with a judge. I don’t see it as a main issue
• I think judges should not be allowed to compete in the same sections they judge. I have witnessed on many occasions judges awarding the HOYs tickets to other judges & then they themselves are awarded the same tickets back when then competing under their winners somewhere else. I actually cross referenced these instances one year and took my finding to Granstand Media. I did get a reply and they agreed it was something they were aware of as it was very obvious the same names came up yearly on a regular basis. This was made back in 2012. As you can see nothing has been done about and certainly no change!
• Should follow driving for hoys - the combination who qualify have to do the same at hoys.
• "HOYS tickets are now the only classes full Every wants to win with no effort.
• Ready made pony ."
• It speaks volumes when you can predict the first 3 in classes by who is sat on the horse, NOT the horse itself.
• "At a recent show my horse was pulled in 3rd. I asked as to why the decision for 3rd had been made when I had been pulled in 1st earlier. The answer was that the judge liked greys and the horses 1st 2nd were both greys! This has nothing to do with confirmation or the way of going and is completely unsatisfactory judging.
• At another show I was pulled 1st the ride judge commented on how obedient and response my horse was and what a good ride he had. I was not placed. Again I asked as to why and was told my stirrup leathers had to have a loop put in for the ride judge! I am 5ft 9 the ride judge was 5ft 3! Not to be placed at all I feel was completely unjust because of stirrup leathers "
• Judges should be allocated through the breed societies after passing a test on breed standards. Producers and non produced should have separate classes as one is a professional job the other a hobby.
• "Get rid of the British Show Hack and Cob Association. All are corrupt, biased and incompetent.
• Also, the editors and writers of horse magazines, particularly the Showing Journal. Always favouring producers and the influential money rich sponsors. "
• Producers are driving amateurs like myself away from doing higher level showing
• No I think you covered all bases but the producers aspect is hugely off putting and the faceyness of it
• Once a horse/pony has qualified it shouldn't be able to contend further qualifiers, this stops others qualifying
• "I believe that judges shouldn’t compete at all. I also very strongly think that any pony or horse that competes at county level should be able to attend riding club shows also.
• Sadly showing is not what it was. Too many young judges with not enough knowledge or the strength to judge fairly without repercussions. Sports in general will always be bent where possible as that’s what people are about . Fairness does not happen in life very often. People are too weak to speak out. Only in such areas as jumping or cross country can you find fairness as faults are awarded and times are given.
• Too many societies to join it’s ridiculous the amount of money that’s charged just to compete in one or two classes! "
• There will still always be bias but something does need to be done as it is unenjoyable and becomes a waste of time and money when the judging is so unfair and comments are plucked out of thin air without anything to back it up, to favour which ever producer/rider they want to win. People will always know people and be friendly with people so it's hard to eliminate but it definitely does put people off even trying to qualify, when so much prep goes in and with diesel costs shows can cost a significant amount which can't be justified.
• Have now stepped away from showing due to poor judging, biased judging, horses with poor ways of going still winning due to who rides them. Now competing BD
• Its so disappointing as an amateur to walk in the ring and know who will be placed top of line up because of who they are regardless of how the horse behaves
• "It is very demoralising for the amateur to participate in showing as producers are always placed first.
• It is too subjective rather than objective. Marks should b e awarded more objectively as in dressage. Showing is expensive, time consuming (especially when classes can be 4 hours late!) and can be demoralising so no wonder people are turning to other equestrian pursuits which are more enjoyable, less frustrating and the overall mark is given for performance rather than what the judge ‘likes’!"
• Clear rules for judging. I was once eliminated by a well known ‘experienced’ judge after travelling 2.5 hours for one class, for her only apologise and say she shouldn’t have eliminated me but in the moment she was frustrated and seems like the right this do - big qualifying show, loads of us won’t be going back! There should be clear rules of what gets you eliminated, and if there are, they should be enforced! Another local qualifying show didn’t enforce groom hat rules for RORs, top 3 had flat caps on (all producers) and qualified, then the next class they announced if you’re not wearing a hard hat you’ll be eliminated!
• Knowledge on conformation is severely lacking
• Take a leaf out of the Veteran Horse society. They have already done all of this! 👍
• Cost factor for judges (yearly memberships, reassessment etc) will put off many renewing
• Frustrated with names winning all the time
• Tired of producers getting the wrong leg and still being placed, riders should only be allowed to qualify the horse/pony they intend to compete in the final.
• It’s so obvious that even on the marks systems for hoys that producers easily get 10 marks more on conformation that amateurs just because of who they are
• l resigned from judging because of current practices concerning welfare.
• Judges that are in committees should not be allowed to judge other committee members
• Well I bit the nail this year, being a amateur/home produced all my life. I've paid a producer to ride my pony at shows. Must admit, she's done wonders with the pony, but her results are no way near as good as last year, when I had a amateur on her. But for welfare of the pony, she's in better care with the producer. And alot happier. This is this ponies final year under saddle, she's knocked on the doors for hoys all her life. So it's this year or nothing and I'm paying for it.
• It is incredibly hard for your voice to be heard without being in fear it will affect your showing results! The BSPS complaints procedure is biased towards protecting producers and the doping issues remain . The JMB rules are broken and my recommendation would be to check horses heights at shows and their passports. Last Sunday I witnessed a judge given the nod from a producer when their pony passed on the go round. The pony was pulled top and remained top ! It is time for change !
• The same judges at the same shows year in year out. Favourite judges used over new judges
• Whatever you do, there will still be favours, Judges buying their way onto panels and tactical Judging.
• People can no longer take constructive criticism, social media undermines any true judging and nobody strives to improve just disprove judging comments
• I work in equine nutrition and it’s heartbreaking seeing horses with purple feet that people are feeding like cattle with the defence of “oh, it’s fine! he shows…”. Something has to change for equine welfare sakes
• A yearly assessment would be costly and may put off people judging. Surely you can do judhe with someone and if that judge feels on any level they aren’t judging what’s infront of them
• "Often in mixed classes of native breeds the flashy overweight Welsh cobs dominate the ring whereas true native breeds not engineered through breeding to have cresty necks etc get overlooked e.g new forest and dales
• "People showing can't take constructive criticism so judges shy away from telling people the ponies faults. To many people complain bitch and snipe at shows and after so it's puts people off going.
• Some judges can just see the shape of the pony and when you see ponies with poor legs and movement winning it makes you think why bother.
• Too many people willing to put anonymous complaints about judges rather than just asking politely why there pony is down. "
• Horse turnout and health, tack condition and rider turn out are a very important factor and should be included in scores. Last show, completely biased judge disregarded beautifully clean and turned out ponies to put not so cared for horses higher. Disgusting judging
• Judges who sell ponies to competitors and placing them first due to bias perspective .
• All classes should be filmed and that would aid to stop the unfairness
• I think we need to have higher standards and judges training on correct way of going, lameness and correct muscle development. Proper feedback from classes. An ability to report, when we have heard a pony will win.
• Unaffiliated judges should still have formal training as to type way of going & basic rules
• Showing at all levels is very biased, or certainly appears that way. Too often it isn’t what you know, it is who you know. I’ve seen horses win classes that really shouldn’t have. Also horses/ponies with their heads tied in and clearly uncomfortable. Over weight riders etc etc. I am very pleased the weight issue is being brought to light. However, there are clearly some very cruel practises going on behind the scenes. Horses and ponies should not be going in a strained, head tucked in manner with their heads held in so in some cases they are visibly shaking. This is plain cruelty. Judges need to be trained on what is proper collection and what is forced. What is a good way of going and what is not. Tight tack etc etc. It all needs addressing.
• A lot of people these days do not like getting wet at outdoor shows, indoor seems to attract more competitors
• I've seen judges place obviously lame horses in first place because they knew the rider, I've experienced loads of times judges turn away and not watch my individual show because they're not keen on that breed of pony, it's rude because I pay to be there so the least they could do is give me their undivided attention for 2 minutes. I've also recently experienced a steward coming up behind my pony and flapping their clipboard at them (we'd just been asked to trot on and had only taken 2 strides before the steward hurried us) this scared my pony and he bucked at the steward (didn't kick out at all, just a buck) and the judge raged at me about how naughty my pony is and that it kicks people. She then placed us last in every class we were in and didn't even bother looking over my pony but told us to trot immediately in our individual show and then didn't even watch. I found this unfair as not every horse is ok with someone coming up behind them flapping so no-one should just assume otherwise, and I found it unfair to label him a naughty pony that kicks when he didn't actually kick anyone, it was also rude to not even bother walking around him stood square or even watching him when he walked and trotted. When you travel over an hour to get to the show ground and then be treated like that throughout all your classes it's extremely disheartening.
• Bullying is out of control
• It is seriously corrupt and abusive at this point I see rarely anybody using correct methods. This will end up with the sport being banned. I love showing but it’s seriously disheartening.
• Showing is so subjective that it puts people off - it’s not like a straight forward clear round or well ridden dressage test, it’s someone’s opinion. You can go in having tried your absolute best and one judge would put you at the end of the line up, another put you at the top of the line up. It doesn’t matter how well turned out you are, your horses conformation, ability or how well you rode, if the judge doesn’t like you or your horse that’s it. It is so time consuming and expensive, and if your don’t have a good day it can cloud your view of it, and people show up on perfect little ponies they have just plonked their child on after paying ridiculous amounts of money, and had the pony produced, whilst others will work so hard to get the perfect show, to get their horse pearly white, just to be beaten by these People and their kids that can’t ride something more spirited than a rocking horse.