i am going to my first show at the weekend but am unsure which classes to enter. i have watched shows before and practised in hand leading with my 13.2 chestnut new forest gelding.

we are really entering for the experience but i dont want to end up in a class with the world and his wife!

i'd thought about, inhand riding pony, inhand new forest, inhand best chestnut, inhand handsomest gelding, inhand best condition 100% grass kept, and ridden family pony (would you have to canter for that?).

what do you think?

Yeah for family pony you would have to canter the best one to do just for the experience would probably be most handsome gelding or inhand best chestnut as the others are usually the more competitive ones but from experience ive found the calmer you stay the calmer your pony will stay if you feel nervous just sit on your pony standing still as if your a sack of potatoes this way it makes your pony think your calm but have fun

I would say enter the family pony , and no , you dont have to canter , you can but you donthave to.