#hunter jumping

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I basically just saw the version of one of those “tag yourself” memes with horse tail ribbons and it made me wonder how many people actually know what ribbon colors signify.  So here’s the ones I know, as I learned them: Red- kicker/biter or otherwise aggressive toward other horses/space sensitize and needs a wide berth. I learned as a little kid to double the following distance and give lots of space when passing. Green- inexperienced horse OR rider. Could mean a more beginner rider or could mean a young horse. Could also just be a horse inexperienced with show atmospheres. Not necessarily going to kick/bite/etc. but you should keep an eye on them and adjust accordingly, probably doing ride up their butt at a canter or scream next to them. White- for sale. Just a subtle way to advertise the horse is for sale without shouting it out every five minutes. That way anyone watching the warm-up or your rounds/test  who really likes the horse will now for certain the horse is for sale. Also, makes the horse easier to spot even for people who saw his ad in on the bathroom door. Blue- stallion. If you’re an ammie rider and you’re actually close enough to see a horse with a blue ribbon in it’s tail then you’re in the wrong place. I’ve found that generally stallion owners/showers try to keep themselves out of the way in warm-up, but essentially treat a stallion like a kicker but given it even MORE room. If you’re on a mare, then just no. (Stallions aren’t inherently bad or worse or more dangerous, but just be smart and don’t test how controlled they can be with raging hormones). 

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