[drivingpairs] Re: shetland turnouts

The ASPC/AMHR requires rule change requests to be presented several weeks in advance of their annual Convention. Then the committee for that division (for example, modern shetlands or miniature horses) decides whether to send the rule change on to the Board for final approval. Often people on the committees and the Board have been doing things the same way for years and have very definite ideas about driving conventions, etc. I submitted rule change requests several years in a row about the overchecks and did succeed in them allowing sidechecks at least. But I was told by several committee people that they would never approve no checks since they regarded this as "dangerous." I told them I had been driving my shetlands for years without checks at home and in non-breed venues, and they said I was just lucky. I also requested they change the rule requiring only snaffles, but they said no to that as well. Oh well.

When several of us with traditional old-style shetlands started a new registry (Shetland Pony Society of North America) this year, we decided to go with ADS standards for the driving classes. Sidechecks (but no overchecks) are allowed, but not encouraged. The only thing we compromised on was that competitors did not have to wear gloves in our breed driving classes - for some reason, this was quite a sticking point for some. We require breeching on all turnouts. We refer people in our rule book to the ADS guidelines. And we have 3 trots, instead of just the 2 required by ASPC! So all of us with the smaller ponies are not as hardheaded as some :) We have 6 SPSNA breed shows this year in the Maryland area to try out the new rules. (And to make this somewhat pair-related, we allow pairs in all of our driving classes.)

Laurie


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