ADVANCED REASONS “LETS BREAK IT DOWN”

By: Sabrina & Alysse Ginn

What Are Reasons?

Reasons are a 1-2 minute verbal justification of your placings of a particular class given by a judging contestant.

Good Foundation in Note Taking

Notes aid in organizing thoughts-Helps visualizing of pros and cons of each horse

for final placing

Notes help to write a set of reasons-Helps to remember the horses in class

-Focus on biggest points of a separating pair

Good notes can lead to a good set of reasons

What to Include in Your Notes

Class Name Initial Placing Final Placing Horse Colors Distinguishing

Characteristics Blemishes

Accurate Information About Individuals

Comparative Terms Crucial & Relevant

Info for Class Positive & Negative

Attributes of each Horse

General Information

Closer Examination Info

Example of Notes Layout

Horse #

Positive Negative

#1/Sorrel

Well Muscled & BalancedEye AppealingFeminine Head & Neck

Slightly Toed In

#2/BaySmaller Framed Sickle Hocked

Long BackLight muscled

#3/GreyTall & Big BonedMore ideal Hip & shoulder angle than 2;Structurally correct

Plainer head

#4/DunBig Jaw, Expressive Eye,Clean TL, Neck Tie High,Deep Heart Girth,

Little Camped Under

Class Name: QH Aged Mares First Impression: 1,4,3,2

Final Placing: 4,1,3,2

Example of Comparison Layout½ why you placed 1 over 2

2/1 grants for 2 over 1

-2 faults for 2

2/3 3/2

-3

¾ 4/3

-4

Comments

Class: Western Pleasure Placing: 1,2,3,4

Possible Notebook Layout

Top Backside of Notebook

Where you layout the grid or organizational form that you write down your notes describing the class on.Bottom Front Side

of NotebookWhere you can write your reasons without flipping between pages

LETS TRY NOTE TAKING

What Makes a Competitive Set of Reasons

Accuracy!!!!!!!

Describe the class that you observed, even if your placings differ from the judges, by presenting a truthful set of reasons you may still get a high score

RelevancyDiscuss the important points that separated the horses

OrganizationFollow an outline using comparative terms and statements

Terminology Comparative terminology appropriate for the class should be utilized

Presentation Poised and articulate, be confident!!

Format & Set-UpOpening Statement & Intro Initial Pair Intermediate PairFinal PairBottom Horse Concluding Statement

Introduction Introduces the class to the reasons listener Gives a brief description of what were key

factors that were utilized in placing the class Explains your placings of the class

“Using the criteria of balance, muscling, quality and structural correctness, my preferred alignment of the Paint Mares class is 1-2-3-4. I found this to be an obvious two-pair class, starting with two higher-quality, more balanced horses and wrapping up with a pair of structurally incorrect horses that lacked the femininity of the horses used above them”

Initial Pair

Opening statement if there is anything obvious In my initial pair of more nicely balanced individuals Pick one and adjust it for each class judged, helps with

consistency!

Reasons for the 1 over 2

Grants for 2 over 1

Major Faults for 2

Intermediate Pair Transition into middle pair

Reasons for 2 over 3

Grants for 3 over 2

Major Faults of 3

Final Pair Transition into bottom pair Reasons for placing 3 over 4 Grants for 4 over 3 Reasons for leaving 4 as the bottom

individual You want to grant the positive attributes

each horse while stating the negative ones in a respectful manner This is especially true for the bottom horse,

make sure to say at least 1 thing positive

Closing Statement Acts as summary

Gives a final statement that ends the set of reasons confident and strong, that said, sometimes if your reasons are very strong with a lot of content you may end with out one. This is usually the exception to the rule, but can be done.

Transitions In reference to… Drawing your

attention to… In analyzing… In discussing… Moving to… With emphasis on

_____ and _____, it’s1 over 2 in the middle pair.

Regarding my top/middle/bottom pair…

Continuing to… Concerning my

initial/intermediate/final pair…

After closely analyzing…

Coming to… Proceeding to…

Terms to Grant With I recognize… I admit… I acknowledge… I realize… I credit… I grant…

Connective Terms In addition… Moreover… Furthermore… Accordingly… Also… Nevertheless… Aside from this… However

Plus… It was also

apparent… At the same

time… Nonetheless…

Terminology Can be divided into Halter and

Performance

Each Respective Breed Having Different Criteria

Having Advantages and Disadvantages

Halter Terminology Can Be Divided

Into These CategoriesGeneral AppearanceBalanceHead & NeckMusclingStructure Sex & Breed Character

General Appearance

Advantages Was Larger (tell how or where) Overwhelmed the class with his or her…. The best combination of…. Dominated the class in term of….

Disadvantages Absence of balance and quality Coarsest made, lightest muscled and most

narrow

GENERAL APPEARANCE

BalanceAdvantages

Showed more balance in conformation by being….

Longer in rib, shorter in his back, showed more depth in his heart girth

Disadvantages Was long and weak over his topline Had a long, weak back in relation to his

underline

Balance

Head And NeckAdvantages

Was more expressive and sharply chiseled about the head

Was tighter in the throatlatch, which tied higher into his/her shoulder

Exhibited more presence & quality through the head & neck

Disadvantages Longer, coarser, plainer headed Short thick neck that tied low into the shoulder

Head & Neck

Muscling Advantages Exhibited more ripple and bulge through her hip

and gaskin Spread a greater total volume and mass of

muscling Carried more powerful muscling in her chestDisadvantages Lacked volume and dimension through her hip

and gaskin Lighter muscled, being wider at the top of the hip

Muscling

StructureAdvantages

Stands straighter and more structurally sound Stood more structurally correct through the

hocks & front legs More symmetrical, cannons more

perpendicular to the ground

Disadvantages Stood more structurally unsound Straighter in the pasterns

STRUCTURE

Sex & Breed Character Mare- Femininity

Stallion- Masculinity

Breed Character- Specific Characteristics of each breed association of their ideal horse

Breed & Sex Character

READY TO TEST OUR

NOTE TAKING AND

OBSERVATIONS

Re-examine Our Notes

What color was the #2 horse?

What horse was to most level over the croup?

What horse has the only sock in the class?

What horse is Grulla?

What horse is the most structurally correct in the class?

#2 in the Liver Chestnut

#3 Has the

most Level Croup

#1 HAS THE ONLY SOCK

#4 Is The Grulla Horse

#2 The Liver Chestnut

Most Structurally

Correct

Now You Be The Judge