September 2000

Yearling Presentation

by Leigh Ann Howard

In our Thoroughbred world the month of September means only one thing: YEARLING SALES. Between Keeneland, Canadian Breeders, Washington Breeders and several other regional sales there will be close to 5000 yearlings passing through sales rings this month. Because of this phenomenon, I have decided to discuss the presentation of yearlings in an auction setting.

After working with the horses and a hand picked, carefully trained, professional team of handlers at every yearling, mixed and 'in training' sale in the United States for about ten years I have come to the firm conclusion that a very good yearling is going to bring real money even if he is covered with mud, has no shoes and is very poorly shown.

That being said, let me also say that I have seen very good presentations sell an average yearling for much more that he was worth. 

So we are going to talk about the 'very good presentation'. Of course the agent or owner's advertising expertise has to be utilized in order to get the prospective buyers into the shedrow. This is another subject that we can discuss at a later date. Today we are talking about showing the yearlings. 

For simplicity we will be calling the yearling a 'colt' and the person asking to look at the colt will be referred to as the 'buyer'. The person showing the colt will be called the 'handler'. All three can be either sex but since the 'colt' is obviously a male, the 'handler' in this article will be female.

There are several things the handler needs to discover about the colt and his surroundings before attempting any showing. These items include the good and the not so good points of the colt's conformation. Almost as important are the areas on the show grounds that interest or excite the colt, and what sort of interest he has in other yearlings and feed.

The colt will probably need a very brief schooling, away from any distractions, so he learns that he must always be aware and respond to the handler's body language. This schooling cannot be abusive as a frightened colt shows very poorly, tending to dodge rather that respond to orchestrated moves.

Maybe we had better talk about the body language first, since that is how the handler best communicates what movement she wishes from the colt. The handler needs to be able to lean slightly backward and know that the colt will respond, by leaning forward and stepping forward toward the handler. This is very easy to teach and enables the handler to move each of the colt's front feet forward, backward or to either side, following the movement of the handler. The back feet are just as easily moved by the same body language combined with a very light touch on the shank. The key here is that the handler is always facing the colt when she is communicating exactly what movement she wishes. The minute the handler turns her back, the colt knows he is to move forward.

Done well, the buyer will never see a taunt chain or even a whisper of command from the handler. The only people who will notice the communication between handler and horse are others who understand and practice these silent moves.

If a colt has a fault the handler decides is not advantageous to make very visible to the buyer, she can tell the colt, through body language, to move in such a way that the buyer won't see the fault. At the same time the handler can act like the colt "just won't stand still" or "just won't pay attention".

So let's get to the details. Everyone knows how the yearling is supposed to place his feet when he is "stood up" for the buyer: front feet facing forward about the same distance apart as the legs are at chest level. The back feet should be placed with one hind leg slightly ahead of the other. This is the basic conformation stance. You see it with all stallion conformation photos, with the one exception that the photographers want one front foot slightly ahead of the other so that both legs are visible. One front foot forward is acceptable when showing yearlings but usually not desirable.

The side view should have the colt's hind leg that is NEAREST the buyer placed farthest back. This is because the hip looks longer on the leg that is farther back. The overall look from all sides should be balanced. 

The idea is to very slightly move the yearling forward as the buyer moves around from one side to the other. Most buyers will start on one side, then move around in front of the colt, then to the other side and finally step behind the colt. During this time the handler stands, if the buyer starts on the left side of the colt, in front and slightly to the left of the colt with her left toe pointing at the front of the colt, right toe pointing at the buyer, left hand about in the middle of the chain or slightly more toward the snap (depending how nippy he is), with the remaining shank coiled in the right hand and held at the end knot with her little finger. You can visualize that this means the handler is facing BOTH the colt and the buyer. The body language transmitted to the colt is one of "watch me", and to the buyer it is "I am presenting this lovely colt". A pleasant smile is a very necessary part of this whole presentation.

As the buyer looks at the colt it is very necessary that the handler have three eyes. The handler has to watch the colt with one eye, see what the buyer is looking at with the other and with the third eye, be constantly checking the buyers in the distance. Shrewd buyers often spot a colt they are interested in from a distant barn and then watch while he is being shown to others. This means the handler has to watch where both buyers are looking and manage that viewing!

So as the buyer shifts his view to the front, the handler switches hands with the shank and then quietly and smoothly changes positions with her feet and body, so that she is now standing still facing the colt but with her right toe pointed to the colt, and her left toe pointed to the buyer, who is now standing directly in front of the colt. The handler is still controlling the colt with her toe, albeit the other one, and is still telling the buyer, through her open arm stance, that she is "presenting this lovely colt". There is nothing to obstruct the buyer's view of the front legs of the colt.

As the buyer moves to the right side of the colt the handler also smoothly moves to the right. Passing in front of the colt the handler does not change hands nor the direction that her feet are pointing, but does step back ever so slightly so that the colt will step up half a step with his left hind leg. He will then have his right hind leg slightly behind the left, making his right hip look longer. The farther the buyer moves to the back of the colt, the farther the handler moves to the right, in front of the colt, but never changing hands on the shank and with her left toe still pointing toward the buyer and right toe toward the colt.

As the buyer steps behind the colt, the handler instantly changes positions again. She changes hands on the shank, reverses the toe stance, leans back to move the hind legs together and waits for the buyer to signal the walk. The handler, as always, watches the buyer's eyes and will be able to tell instantly when the buyer has had a good view of the hind legs and wishes to see the colt walk.

The signal to the colt to walk comes from the handler changing her body angle so that she is suddenly facing forward, thus no longer looking at the colt. The handler walks off smartly and the well-prepared colt walks along side, with his head and most of his neck in front of the handler.

During the walk it is paramount that the colt walk as fast and as freely as possible. The only reason for the handler to touch the colt's shank is to keep the colt's mouth slightly toward her. This is because the right front foot always follows a horse's head. If the colt is allowed to turn his head to the right, to see the sights, his right front foot will point to the right. Even if he is very correct he will look for all the world like he is toeing out! So keep his mouth tipped in to the handler. 

Keeping the colt's mouth and head exactly where the handler wishes, means that the colt needs some sort of bit in his mouth. Most sale people use a Chiffney bit because it goes through the mouth and around the lower jaw, so that the whole mouth, jaw and head are easily controlled. 

As the handler is walking away from the buyer she needs to have that second eye on the buyer. The stop and turn needs to be done very smoothly when the buyer wants the horse to come back toward him. There is much discussion about whether the colt should turn to the right or to the left. Personally I prefer to turn yearlings and weanlings over their hocks, which means to the right and 'in training' horses around the handler, which means to the left. That is because the younger horses tend to get a bit carried away during the walk and need more structure about where they are going. And very few have sore shins. Two-year-olds, conversely, do often have sore shins and sore other things. Any soreness will be immediately evident in a tight turn.

When the handler knows she is about to stop or turn, body language kicks in by turning ever so slightly toward the colt. The message of this position change tells the colt to start slowing down. If the handler, in two or three steps, turns to face the colt he will stop in a very smooth position that will mimic his walk. If the colt is very correct, no other movement will be necessary for him to achieve a more correct stance. If he toes out slightly, the handler can move her body so that the final foot fall in the front will be toward the inside, on whichever leg is not perfect.

The handler, as the colt is slowing down to stop, will change hands with the shank and immediately be in the original position of facing both the colt and the buyer to the front, on the left side of the colt because that is where the buyer will end up 90% of the time, if he starts out on the left side.

Often the buyer will want a closer look. If he looks like he is going to stride within cow kicking distance of the colt, the handler needs to immediately move to the colt's shoulder, turn the colt's mouth/head toward the handler and place her hand on the colt's shoulder. If the colt does jump or kick the handler can, in this position, easily keep the buyer safe. We sure don't want any of the buyers injured!

As the buyer moves back for another look, the handler needs to also move back and reposition the colt if he has moved. 

PROFESSIONAL TIPS

So there you have the basics of good showmanship. Now let me give you some professional tips.

My number one rule is, NEVER NEVER NEVER back any horse into a "correct" stance. Two serious faults show up even if the horse doesn't have these faults naturally. Here's the story:

1) Most young horses look 'back at the knee' just before they step back, because they lean back before they step back.

2) Most young horses back into a cow hocked stance, putting their hocks close together as they step back.

Never rattle the chain at the colt. And never let the knot end of the shank hang down or drag on the ground. This is extremely distracting to the buyer and bystanders. Both these practices are signs of poor showmanship, nervousness and inexperience at any sale in the land. 

If you are showing with a chain shank, ALWAYS put a simple knot in the middle of the chain after looping it through the halter and Chiffney rings. Horses are always candidates to get loose and the first thing a loose horse will do, when he stops running, is put his nose to the ground and one front foot right next to his nose. If you have 15 inches of chain looped there he will most certainly step into the loop, raise his head, flip over and do very serious damage to himself and anyone close enough to be clobbered. This should be rule number one wherever and whenever horses are being handled. Put a knot in the middle of the chain.
Most agents make an effort to have handlers dressed neatly and conservatively.

Girls with long hair should always have their hair tied back out of their face. If the girl has her hair down in her face she can't use her three eyes to aid her showmanship. She also can't see danger coming from behind.

The idea here is there should be nothing to distract the attention from the horse that is being shown. Tight clothes and out of control hair can be real distractions. The best compliment a good handler can get is when the buyer doesn't remember her. That means there was nothing about her to distract him from the business of viewing the colt.

The first impression the yearling gives when he walks out of his stall is the one that will last the longest with the buyer. Be sure that is a good impression. If the colt is very clumsy coming out of the stall, then distract the buyer until the colt is in the best possible position. The agent comes in handy during the distraction period.

If the colt walks fairly crooked when viewed from the front, then don't bring him out of the stall directly toward the buyer. Take him some other way or show the side view first. The handler should always be in control of what the buyer is seeing.

If the colt has a place that he likes to gaze at with rapt attention, then place him so that he will stand and stare. Buyers often see this as 'the look of eagles'. As the hours of showing go by, this 'favorite place' might change several times as the colt gets used to one place and then spots another.

When a colt has managed to rest a bit by lying down in his stall, he will have straw in his mane and tail. Get this quickly cleaned off before bringing him out. The buyer might not care, but the handler needs to remember that she might have viewers some distance away.

Most buyers have many horses to view and limited time to spend looking for the one they want. Don't waste his time. Have the horses all ready to show before the buyer arrives. This means the stalls must have their manure removed constantly. If one plop is left in the middle of the stall, the colt will either get it stuck in his foot and bounce out of his stall with a bunch of straw attached, or he will have a big green spot on his neck. Listen for that "plop plop plop" sound and immediately pick it all up and throw the whole pile under the water bucket until there is free time to use the muck basket and fork.

Try not to give the horse very much walking before the buyers show up in the morning. If the colt is quiet by 9 AM, then he is going to be dead by 4 PM. Don't give a big feed in the morning, but do throw a small amount of hay in all during the day if the colt is being shown constantly. This will, hopefully, keep him from lying down.

Horsemen look for clean throatlatches and width between the eyes. The handler can accentuate the throatlatch by encouraging the colt to drop his head and stretch his nose out. Some agents braid the first eight inches of the mane so the throatlatch looks "clean". A yearling looks wider between the eyes if the forelock is braided or "gooped", or simply wet down and pushed to the right side of his forehead as he comes out of his stall.

During the walking part of the presentation many buyers want to see the colt walk past them. If the colt is a 'good walker', it is to his advantage to walk at a good clip past the buyer.

If the buyer asks for a trot and your horse knows how to trot boldly and freely on a shank, it is always wise to do it some place other than the shedrow. This activity really fires up the other horses and injuries can occur quickly. If your colt does NOT know how to trot on a lead shank, any attempt to make him do so will result in a tight, stilted trot that helps no one. Better to decline gracefully.
Remember that good showmanship needs to be continued until the colt is handed over to the ring man. Buyers ALWAYS take their last look out behind the auction ring.

Show every colt like he were the best horse in the barn, with a smile on your face and music in your heart. This feeling will be transferred to the colt and he will puff up to your expectations and show his stuff. Try it if you don't believe me!

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