Make room for yourself - overtake slow horses, or circle till you find a clear patch, so that you can go at your own pace & show your horse to best advantage

The judges usually will watch one of the long sides of the ring - they don't turn around and around with the horses - so watch the class before you to see which side the judges will be watching, and aim to show your best along this. Anything that happens in the rest of the ring will probably go unnoticed, so if you need to give your horse a clatter, do it behind the judges' back if poss. Also, if you need to use your stick, carry it on the side out of sight of the judges, so you can use it without them seeing.

Usually start at a trot. The Stewards will tell everyone when to change pace.

Expect to canter, then to gallop (just a faster canter down one long side)

After that, you usually come back to walk, and the stewards will start to call people in to the middle, in the order of choice of the judges. Watch the steward, and he'll show you where to line up

Horses normally stand side by side in a long line. You dismount at this stage, and wait for a judge to come and ride the horse. If the judges aren't going to ride, the stewards will tell you. Watch also to see if each judge is riding each horse, or whether they're just riding the first ten in the line, or whatever.

The judge will adjust your stirrups etc., and you should hold on to the horse until they are happy, then move away and let him at it!

After the judges have ridden all the horses, the next phase will be a closer look at the horse's conformation. This again is done in the order they have been pulled in.Take off the saddle. Organise someone to come in at this stage with a brush or cloth to wipe saddle marks off (and for moral support!)

Each horse now gets led out in front of the judges one by one. Lead the horse out by the bridle, then stand out in front of his head, with the reins gathered in one hand, and holding each rein close to the bit on each side. Stand the horse with even weight on all legs, and in an 'open' stance on the side the judges are standing. If the judges move around to the other side, ask the horse to back up a step to change the 'open' side to follow the judges. (see picture). Warning - standing like this takes practice - so PRACTICE!

'Open' stance, nearest legs are furthest forward & back, showing the legs on the other side

You will then be asked to walk the horse away from the judges in a straight line, then to turn it around and trot back and probably on past the judges until you're round at the back of the line. You then go back to your place in the line, and the next horse comes out.

Saddle up again & mount up. Pals should now leave the ring

A few tips on leading in hand. Step round from the horse's head to his shoulder - PRACTICE at home getting him to walk freely alongside you. Turn him AWAY from yourself at the end of the ring - I find pointing the way I want to go helps - then PRACTICE a nice jump off into trot. (you can click, or say 'trot' or whatever does it for you, but make sure the horse knows what you mean before the class starts!) Try not to drag at the horse - let him have a long rein, so that he may show his stride. And KEEP UP!

Once you've shown the horse in hand and are back in the line, you'll have to wait till all the other horses are looked at. Then everyone is sent back out around the ring, sometimes in walk, or if the judges are still undecided they might ask everyone to trot or canter again. Once the judges have made their decision, they ask the steward to call in their choice, starting with first, and going down the line.

Once all the places have been filled, the rest of the competitors line up behind the winning line (the stewards will show you where to go) or else they are told they may now leave the ring. At this stage, the judges may still be deliberating between 1^st & 2^nd, so wait until the rosettes are handed out before you start making faces at the next in the line!

Rosettes go: 1^st: Red, 2^nd: Blue, 3^rd: Yellow, 4^th: Green. After that they could be any colour!

After prizes are presented, the winner leads everyone off for a victory canter around the ring.

If you're unsure at any stage, ask a steward - that's what they're there for.

It's not usually done to chat to a judge. If they ask you anything, be polite, but stick to answering the question. It's good manners to thank them after they ride and view your horse, and especially after they give you the red rosette!

Rider attire: Cream or beige jodhpurs, long black boots. Velvet hat, or bowler. Show jacket, can be black, or any variety of tweed. Matching shirt & tie (not a stock, usually) Tie pin. Button hole if you're feeling really fancy. Gloves - a dark colour will draw less attention to your hands. Stick: no dressage whips. Proper stick is a short plain cane, can be covered in leather. You don't have to carry a stick. Spurs also are optional.

Tack: No martingales. No numnahs - or else a discreet one which doesn't show behind the saddle. The proper bridle is a double bridle, but snaffle is fine, or two reins on a pelham is acceptable. (be warned: riding with double reins takes a lot of practice) If riding in a snaffle, stick to a plain snaffle - no three ringed bits. No flash nosebands if you can - a nice plain chunky cavesson noseband is best, or take the flash strap off your existing noseband. If you must go for a dash of colour on the bridle, it is acceptable to match the browband to your button hole or tie.

Grooming: Goes without saying, the horse should be clean - but if it is shining, all the better. If the horse has a lot of scurf in his coat, wash the night before with a conditioning shampoo, then rub a little methylated spirits over the coat to keep the dust off. Horses should be plaited, but cobs can be hogged (shaved). The plaits should lie along the right hand side of the neck - the side the judges will see - and should be odd in number (don't ask why!) Rubber plaiting bands are fine, but make sure they're the same colour as the horse's mane. Tease the tail out with your fingers the day before - a little baby oil helps, or else a coat conditioner for horses (the Siliconised sprays are very good)- then plait to keep it clean overnight and to put a nice crinkle in it. Even up the end of the tail to somewhere just below halfway between the hock and the fetlock - careful to hold the tail out as far as the horse usually does when it moves (get someone to put their arm under the tail up near the top, to hold it out, while you smooth the tail down to the point you want to cut - and cut a little lower than you think you should!), else when he lifts his tail to walk off, your nice straight line will be crooked! If he has any hair on his fetlocks, under his jaw, over his hooves, trim, trim trim! White bits look fantastic with a little chalk rubbed in - show chalk, not the school variety, can be bought in tack shops. A lick of oil on hooves - make sure feet are well trimmed and check for loose shoes BEFORE show day!