Show Grooming Tips

[myEllie]

So, since we are in the midst of show season, I though that everybody should share their favorite grooming tips that have their horses looking their best on show day. Here are some of mine.

Only shampoo your horse the day before a show. Too much bathing will strip oils and dry out their coat. To get out all of the traces of shampoo, add about a cup of white vinegar to a bucket of rinse water. If you will not be braiding, mix a bottle of rubbing alcohol (I prefer the wintergreen) and about a cup of leave in conditioner in a bucket of water. Sponge all over your horse and leave in. The rubbing alcohol soothes sore muscles and helps to cool the horse out on a hot day.

If your horse has white legs or face markings, clip those several days before the show to give the hair sometime to grown out and it makes the clipper marks blend in better. Put some babyoil on your horse's muzzle before clipping it, so you don't knick it or anything. My horse's muzzle seems to grow overnight, so disposable razors are good for show day touch ups.

Put baby oil on the bridle path and inside clipped ears. It stops them from looking dry and chalky.

Use highlighter on your horse's muzzle and around its eyes to makes its head look smaller and more refined. If your horse has a white muzzle, use a highlighter that has sunscreen in it, so its nose doesn't burn. Don't put any highlighter on until you have your show bridle/halter on. Otherwise you might smear all of your hard work.

Fill in nail holes on hooves with wood putty, let dry and then sand smooth. When you polish hoofs stand your horse on a mat or piece of carpet so that you don't get dirt or grass stuck to the hooves.

Well that's it for now. I know I have a bunch more. We are having our show-prep at the barn this weekend so I'm sure I'll remember them when the time comes. Everyone else, just add your tips here.

[Princess]

I know that his isn't reallly a showing tip but if you are riding on a cross country course then you should tie a bootlace or string to the browband of the bridle, so then if you fall off, the bridle won't slip off as well. A breastplate is also very handy, too stop the saddle from slipping.

Off the top of my head that is they only tips that I can think of.

[Aly]

Wool mix instead of shampoo makes all horses smell lovely and helps bring out a real sheen on a grey/white horse. If you have a black/chestnut/brown/bay, wash first with wool mix, and then run a colour shampoo to match the colour of your horse. Easily bought from saddlers, and gives the horse a richer colour.

Clipping the legs out before a show as someone said above.

Bring out irredescent white sox and blaze by washing in bluo or something similar in horsie product. Make sure you rinse it well though or you will end up with purple sox.

Rub chalk into the white sox and bandage to keep them perfect until you are heading to the ring.

If plaiting the night before, or the morning of the show prior to transportation, hairspray each plait and wrap in glad wrap with a loose rubber band to keep it in place. The a neck rug or hood can go over the top without disturbing the plaits, and it helps to flatten any sticky up hairs.

Dont forget to remove your hoof blackener after the show, it can dry the horses hooves out if left on for days.

Im sure I can come up with more, but enough for now...

[myEllie]

Use a fabric softener drier sheet to keep your horse's tail static free. Just run the sheet through the tail and you are good to go. If you have a gray horse or any horse with a lot of white markings, wash them the day before the show and make sure they are sparkling. Then cover as much of the horse as you can. This means a lightweight sheet, slinky hood, leg wraps and knee and hock boots. I have read about putting the cake-like shoe polish on the hooves before you polish them because it should make removing the hoof polish easier. I have not tried it, but several people that show halter horses on the QH and Paint circuit told me about it. Oh, and if your horse has a crappy tail, use an extension, but make sure you practice putting it in before the show. One girl at our barn just got one and was practicing yesterday. You should have seen how funny it looked and you definately don't want that in the show ring. Rubbing alcohol is good for getting out any last minute stains, but don't use it too much because it is drying. Some of the new whitening sprays work better than french white or baby powder. Baby wipes are good for everything. Wiping off slimy mouths (the horse's of course, :p ), and polishing bit rings and stirrups just to name a few.

[myEllie]

Come on guys, don't any of you show? What do you do to make your horse look its best? :D

[EventPony]

Hi! If it is warm enough, then I try to bath my horse 2 or 3 days before the show day because that gives the oil in their coats enough time to "spread out" so it doesnt look dull the day of the show....just be sure to keep them as clean as you can the other 2 days! if you use cornstarch on your horses legs, make sure you put it on before the hoof polish...i forgot that and my horse had white feet!

[Ikon]

When painting your horse's hooves stand them on an old carpet or something similar. This prevents you from having to pick bits of grass out of drying hoof polish.