Showing tips and tricks

[Tina&Dale]

I thought I would start a thread for showing tips and tricks because I've always got an ear open for a time saving idea!! - Anything for an extra 5 minutes sleep in the morning! :D

Tip: Use nail clippers to cut long eye whiskers. This is safer than using scissors or clippers and there is little chance that you will take off the eye lashes if your horse blinks... and yes, I'm speaking from personal experience! :o

Trick: In order to create the appreance of a better topline, sew plaits higher or lower and trim the wither to follow the desired curve.

Trick: Bigger plaits will shorten your horses neck while smaller plaits will lengthen it.

Tip: Use wool when sewing plaits and its fibrous texture grips onto the hair, making the plait more secure with less sewing!

Trick: Cantering before the trot will make the pace more lively and animated - but it generally wont stay like that forever... just thought I'd better point that out!

Tip: Always carry Wet wipes!!!

That's all I can think of right now... Please add to this list! :)

[Kanuma]

baby oil, on eyes, muzzle, sheath/udder and under tail! helps highlight them,

use hair spray to keep quater marks in place.

use a cut down nit comb to create quatermarks as it looks more proffesional then the sheets.

dampen the coat before applying quatermarks!!

face paint is better then equine makeup and cheeper,

use vasaline instead of babyoil if it is raining!!

a white ring at the top of the hoof shortens the fetlok (bit just above the hoof)

a fake star gives the head a focal point!

the plainer the head of the horse the wider the nosenband should be!

black face paint around the eyes highlights them!!

shoe polish is good for hideing scars and blemishes!!

baby oil on the ponies knees at the front makes the action of the pony stand out!!!

apply coat shine whilst horse is still wet to prevent dust sticking overnight!!

add vinigar to the water when you rinse the shampoo off the horse, it keeps the flys away and neutralises any shampoo that you miss!!

herbal essences is wonderful for white tails and socks!!

when rideing hold the show cane half way along it!

when entering the ring place your slef between 2 ponies of a different colour to your horse and not close to anything that is more established then your horse

dont let them eat for half an hour before putting the bridle on or you end up with green slobber!!

black hoof vanish should be used when in sand arenas but must be removed with white spirit as soon as possible!

dont put show shine under your saddle!!

wipe a tack wipe over your bridle just before you go in the ring

put your bits and stirrup irons in the dish washer to make them shine!!

put a duvet (like the ones on beds) under their rugs after washing, this keeps them warmer, the warmer the pony the more shiny the pony as it is less fluffy!!

[Kanuma]

some more for you!!!! i could go for ever (have been showing for ages!!!!!!so i know lots of tricks!!) in no particular order!!! (cos my brain aint that organised!!!)

plait up the night before and put a hood over them to keep them in,

use hair moose to plait with as it keeps them in perfectly and on the day of the show use hairspray to tame stray hairs,

if your horse is one sided or favors one particular lead in canter do that one last as that is the one the judge will remember!!

extend the trot across the diagonal to give the judge something to remember you by!!!!

warmup horses in their travel bandages as it enhances thier movement slightly and keeps legs clean.

run a shammy leather under the back of your saddle before entering the ring to remove any scurf that may have appeared,

use a shammy leather on the heads of ponies to clean them if they wont let you wash their heads!

if you have to wear a number, tie it on useing plaiting thread of slightly darker shade then your jacket and tye it throught the middle button hole as it makes you look thiner!

use clippers to square off the end of the tail as it gives a much neater look

a ring of black makeup just inside the ear defines them!!

if you have an M&M pony and want to do a class where they need to be trimmed, just thin their feathers and apply gel to them then bandage them!!!!

if you dont want to pull thier tail use gel on it and bandage it for at least a couple of hours!!

if you have to stay over night at a show and your horse wont drink strange water and you cant take your own, for a couple of days before the show add peppermint food flavouring to their water and do so again at the show.

[Tina&Dale]

My goodness! You do know a lot of tips and tricks Kanuma! :eek:

I'll be using some of those next show season! :D

[Kanuma]

i only stopped cos i got finger cramp from typeing ill post some more later

[Gemma16]

Well kanuma I think you got nearly all of them.

I also put coat shine on the underside of Taffs belly and on his legs. This is especially good for muddy days. It helps repel mud from sticking to them!

[carrie160]

Wow theres loads, i'll use them!!!!

I've got a couple:

- If you plait up the night before use vet wrap on the tail, it keeps it perfect because it dosen't move!!!

- If your horse gets bothered by the flies use Fly Away - 3 in 1 Safe & Guard its only about £3.50 and keeps the flies away, acts as a sun block (good for pink noses!!) and also makes the horses eyes ears and nostrils really shine!!!

- Hair wax keeps a horses mane and tail in better than hair spray and is also good if your horse doesnt like spray can things!

- If you have to wear a number cut the corners so they are curved to make it look smarter

- When going mad spray the coat shine don't forget the legs!!! I know so many people who do this, i think shiney legs look gorgeous!!!

- When inhand take a packet of mints to keep the horse occupied when in the line up so he doesnt fidgit, and also russle the wrapper when the judge is looking to get the horse to put its ears forwards!!! This is not a good tip for a nippy pony tho!!!!

I cant think of anymore!!!

[Nicole5310]

He he I love that last one about the mints!

I think In our pony club manual it says that baby oil burns horses skin. Im well aware that some horses are extremely thin skinned. I only ever put it on lightly over the coat like to blacken legs etc. Has anyone else heard of it being to harsh?

[Tina&Dale]

Originally posted by Nicole5310
He he I love that last one about the mints!

I think In our pony club manual it says that baby oil burns horses skin. Im well aware that some horses are extremely thin skinned. I only ever put it on lightly over the coat like to blacken legs etc. Has anyone else heard of it being to harsh?

Yeah, I don't use baby oil because it's too sunny at my town's two show venues (I live in a small town!).

I have heard of a lot of harsh methods that people use, and unfortunately a well known judge actually told me one that she uses... It was something along the lines of, take your horse behind a tree (so no ones see's) and flog it to get it to brighten up... Sadly, she was not joking... Well, needless to say I wont be using that one!

I've heard of people putting chilli around their horses anus, weights in their tails... but you know you needn't look that far, some of the tack people use on their horses is pretty damn harsh!

[Kanuma]

ive never had a problem with it, ive been useing it for over 8 years on ponies that react to the slightest of things. However on a bright sunny day vasaline will burn so i only use it at rainy shows!

[Janette]

Keeping white tails clean when travelling

separate the tail into about 3 long plaits, if curls are wanted. If not - bunch the tail up, and bandage like a polo poies. put an old sock over the whole thing.

When you get there, the white nether regions may be green:rolleyes: , but the tail will still be clean

[carrie160]

Oooo that reminds me about white tails! I read in a magazine that washing powder that you use on clothes works!! I think its the washing powder that is designed to brighten white clothes. I only glanced at the article but i saw a picture of a horse with a box of daz!!! It obviously gets your whites white!!!! But i would only use this on the bottom of the tail tho!

I cant believe some people go to extremes just for a prize, i was in a ring at a show once and there was 2 ponies that the judge was stuck between, so the riders were hitting the horses on the head and neck with their showing canes while the judge wasn't looking to wake them up!! Luckily thats the worst i've come across and it doesnt happen very often in my area.

[Jay.o]

Excuse my ignorance, but what does 'flog it' mean? What do you do to the poor horse?

And what exactly does putting chillie around the horse's bum achieve? That goes for weights in tail too...

:confused:

[Kanuma]

joyo for the chili thing think what it would do if it were you and not a horse!!! it makes them look very bright and up on there toes as it burns thier insides so they move alot to try and ease the discomfort! weights in the tail is to stop the pony swishing it and the Flog it remark means exactly that, 'take it out of sight and beat the crap out of it!!!!!!'
these are shortcuts that some people use and IMHO are disgusting and the showing world has started to kick up a fuss about it! not many do it but there are some! just like in show jumping you get a few people who still rapp thier horses!

Tina&dale i hope you reported that judge to the appropriate judgeing panel as they would make an inquirey and then remove the judge from thier lists (makeing them unable to judge any qualifiers for that society) if they found that he/she advocated that sort of behavior

[prettyQhorse]

hey any suggestions for a horse that drops weight when at shows?? he's not really a worrier but obviously does a bit or he wouldnt run up!!!

my friend uses kalms herbal tablets (for humans) and reckons it helps hers?!?

any suggestions wud be gud thanks

[Kanuma]

rescue remedy! i use it for my arab!! he used to come out of the box white (the is bay) and now comes out completely relaxed, best thing is that it isnt considered dopeing either!!! i use about 16-18 drops on a peice of bread

[prettyQhorse]

that sounds gud! where cud i get it from?!? bit blonde with these sorts of things sorry!
xx

[prettyQhorse]

dont worry my mum sed i can get it from boots!!! wil try it this weekend thanks
xx

[Kanuma]

how did your show go prettyQhorse?

ive just thought of a few more, (ive been showing for 10 years, half of the tricks are second nature to me so it takes a while to think other people wouldnt know them!)

if your horse wont let you put a hood on, cut a leg off a pair of nylon tights and place it over the plaits and secure each plait with a plaiting band.

at county shows brown tack is a must!

a pulled tail looks much better then a plaited one!

practice lots at home,

if your horse wont load when going to a show, prepare him a couple of times then dont take him to a show, or load him take him and dont do any work, then he will stop associateing traveling and being prepared with work!

if you can, get the horse ready in the horse box as it is alot less stressful, and they stay cleaner for longer, but dont do it if it will wind your horse up!

Aasorbine showshine is the best stuff to use,

wear plastic gloves when putting on makeup

warm up with a pair of trousers over your boots and jods,

watch the proffessionals when they do thier shows, and copy thier shows!

if you need help, ask the proffesionals nicely, if they arnt busy they will normally love to help!

[prettyQhorse]

the show went really well thanks...
won the lightweights and middleweights at a local show and came 2nd and 4th in intermediate SH at a BSPS/PUK qualifier. qualified for PUK winter champs!!! tried to put a pic on but wil hav 2 try another time. used the rescue remedy at the second show and i think it helped him keep the weight a bit longer. its annoying coz he's so easy to do and shows dont bother him at all but still drops after a few hours. anyway really proud of him!!!

[Kanuma]

i only use mine whilst traveling, but if you use it every 4 hours or so he might keep the weight on