Before entering in hand show classes it is a good idea to do some training at home as the judge wants to see an active and free moving horse or pony, not one that is reluctant to go forward and having to be dragged along, or one that is too forward and having to be held on a tight lead, or one that barges and tramples all over the handler.
The basis for training a horse or pony for in hand showing is that its actions should mimic those of the handler ie if the handler stops then the horse or pony stops, if the handler goes faster the horse or pony goes faster, if the handler turns to the right or left the horse or pony does also without any real physical contact from the handler. This means the handler can then show the horse or pony in hand on a loose lead allowing the horse or pony to move freely forward and with no restriction to its head and neck.
This training can be achieved quite simply. First always walk on the left side of the horse or pony when leading to or from the field, etc so that the horse or pony becomes accustomed to being led from the side that it will be led from when showing in hand. Carry a schooling or dressage whip in your left hand. Practice walking and halting, doing a few steps of walk, stopping, walking a few strides again, then stopping. Do this when turning out or bringing in from the field as well as in the school or any other area in which you can practice. At first it may require some checking on the lead rope or a voice command to get the horse or pony to stop as you stop or may require some encouragement by flicking the whip behind you to get the horse to walk forward when you do, but after a while and with constant practice and praise when the horse or pony does what is required, walk-halt-walk should be achievable on a loose lead with no checking or voice command needed.
Once your horse or pony stops with you and walks off again without any voice command or checking on the lead rope, continue with the training but add in a variation to the speed of the walk so as to practice walking normally, faster, slower, halt, etc. Build up this training to a point where the walk pace can be varied without any voice command, forward encouragement or checking on the lead rope ie the horse or pony has learnt it mimics your speed without any actual commands.
Then add in turning by walking into the horse or pony's shoulder and pushing the horse or pony away from you to turn it. Although not required during in hand showing, also practice turning left and pulling the horse or pony around to the left with you, to balance and reinforce the training that the horse or pony should stay by your side. With practice and praise the horse or pony will learn that it is to stay by your side if you turn left, but also to move away from you if you turn right.
Once all the above can be achieved on a loose lead rein with no commands, trotting in hand should simply be a case of you running and returning to walk should simply be a case of you stopping running. The horse or pony should have learnt it should stay by your side and mimic your speed but the whip waved behind your back with your left hand can be used for encouragement if needed. In addition turning, as required when trotting around a ring, requires you moving closer to the horse or pony and it should in turn move away from you to make the turn. Once training is complete the whip can be discarded and the training should be practiced without the whip.
