365
Days in Horse Country – Halter Classes
The closest
thing to a beauty contest for horses is the halter class. It is an event that shows off a horse’s
conformation to a judge that is well versed in the breed being judged. The judge compares the horse to the breed
standard, which is maintained by the breed’s club. The judge places the horse in the class
according to which ones are closest to the standard.
Halter horses go through a considerable amount of preparation, called fitting, before they are shown in conformation classes. This often involves placing them on a high grain diet and daily conditioning with exercise.
Some horses even wear a neck sweat, a synthetic wrap designed to shrink the size of their necks to make them more attractive for the show ring.
Although considerable preparation goes into getting a halter horse ready for exhibition, halter horses are bred, not made. Certain lines within the Quarter Horse, Paint, and Arabian breeds are known for producing winning halter horses.
Michael