Clipping for a Show

[Bop's Miniatures]

I am going to a show at the end of August. I am taking 4, possibly 5. I'm 17 and do all the clipping and grooming myself. This will be my second show, but my first show I only took one horse so this is a big step up! I have several questions for you experienced show people!

Obviously, I am not going to be able to clip 4 or 5 the same day. I am fairly new to clipping so it takes me a little while longer. I take my time and I do not leave clipper marks. Also, clipping with Double Ks and give a bath/condition before clipping. So, I'm trying to figure out which ones would do better with an extra day or two to grow out their hair. My colors that I am showing include a cremello, Bay pinto (90% white), a silver dapple splash overo (80% silver dapple) and a bay pinto (80% bay). Do the ones with more white do better being clipped multiple days before or waiting closer to the show? What blade should I clip each one with? I usually do a 15 or 30 for body clipping, I would imagine color would play a role in what size blade to use. Also, how many days before the show should I body clip each one?

Another question, my silver dapple colts mane is an ugly color - sun bleached and his baby mane on the ends. He is a yearling. His tail is white and his mane is sun bleached on top and some dark grey/silver underneath. Any ideas what I should do with it? Should I dye his mane? Any help is much appreciate!! PLEASE no rude comments

 

[LittleRibbie]

Cant suggest anything for show clips but others, that do show, will help. I just want to say...you are a very brave lady!! 4 maybe 5 for your second show? good for you!! That's a lot of work and I hope you have friends to help you out. Good luck and have fun.....don't forget the camera and come back and let us know how you did!!

 

[targetsmom]

That is a lot of horses to get ready for a show and then to deal with once you are at the show. Lots of people do it and I bet you will learn a LOT!

Being on the other end of the age spectrum from where you are (I'm a senior citizen) I always spread out the clipping before a show. I have found that the darker colors - especially if they might have dapples - look best if they are done early - a week or even more before the show. I know grays can be done right before a show, so I would guess the cremello would be fine going last, but I have no experience with that color. All our minis are pintos and some have a lot of white so I use either a 10 or 15 blade to try to avoid the "pink" look and sunburn. I show mostly Pinto shows so the competition may be different, but I would suggest you clip in this order: silver dapple, bay pinto (mostly bay), bay pinto (mostly white) and the cremello last. I would do JUST the bodies the day you clip, starting maybe a week before the show. Then do touch -up as needed as you clip the next one. Once they are all body clipped, go back and do legs - as many as you can do in a day. Then the day before the show do all the heads, ears, and bridle paths and any more touch-up needed. I also highly recommend a second set of clippers (mine are Laube Speed Feed portable, rechargeable and adjustable blades) for touch-up, legs, and heads. I love being able to change blade size on a face with a click of the switch.

For the mane on the silver dapple colt, I myself would not try to dye it. I dye black manes so they look black but you need to be sure you don't change the color and that one sounds very tricky. I would try for CLEAN and let it go at that Maybe a photo would help???

Good luck!!

 

[Bop's Miniatures]

Thanks for the replies! I will look into getting another set of clippers. Especially something a little smaller that I can bring to the shows without the hassle of lugging around my double K's. Here is a few pictures of my yearling colt with the sun bleached mane.

 

[targetsmom]

I would not try to dye that mane but would try to thin it by removing some from both top and bottom. Remove the bleached hair from the top and then clip from the underside to thin it.

 

[amysue]

Good luck at your show. I have a mare who's mane bleaches out like this. I use the Exhibitor's quic color shampoos and conditioners that are made specifically for each hair color. They have a whitener, and several color enhancers for color groups. The black enhancer would work great on that mane. It is not a dye or colorant. It enhances natural pigment. I agree with the above advice about maybe delicately thinning out the bleached hair. Then try enhancing it with the color conditioner and see how it looks. You could also try those combs with the hair chalk in them that you buy at the pharmacy to touch up roots on fading dye jobs. Comb the color thru the mane then set with a little mist of flexible hold hairspray (so no one gets smudges on their hands if they touch the mane or your little guy sweats and has to sport black streaks). You can also try putting hair sunscreen on your horse. You buy it at the pharmacy and it protects the hair shaft from uv damage and fading. For future use so that when his mane grows longer you may be able to prevent the fading and not have to trim it. You could try nutritional coat enhancers as well, as they tend to help with mane and tail color too. They may not work in time for the upcoming show, but if you decide to keep showing the little guy, you may want to try it in the future. Have Fun at your show.

 

[Riverrose28]

I would clip the ones with white first, nothing worse then pink skin in the show ring, and use a number 10, then clip the others, As for getting white whiter, scrub with a brush and lots of dawn. If light manes need some lightning, try mixing one gallon of hot water with one cup hydrogen peroxide and one cup of baking powder, let the mane soak then scrub and rinse and see if it helps. Dark manes can be dyed but use dark brown on black and not black as it will be too much. If needed you can put baby powder on white parts to enhance the white.

 

[REO]

Good for you!

That's quite a bit to get ready and show!

I agree about thinning the mane from underneath and I'd also put a many tamer on it (a Lot) you'll see it makes a huge difference!

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[izmepeggy]

You can use my clippers.I have the Andis 2 speed..I think I have a 15 blade that is sharp.If there is anything I can do to help you, just call.(but,remember I work 3rd shift.After 2:00.

 

[Bop's Miniatures]

Thank you everyone for the help. I will put a hood or mane tamer on the yearling and thin out his mane. I think I have decided on taking the 4 - I don't want to mess with 5 and the 5th is a driving horse and I'd rather not have to mess with the cart this time. I will be doing showmanship, halter, color, liberty and hunter classes. I think that is PLENTY LOL! My mom will be there helping me with my classes and all and I am brining along my neighbor to help with the horses as well. Here are the 4 I'm taking! Please keep in mind that these horses are not in show shape yet

I'm trying to find time to work and train these horses all myself, hard work but fun. Hope it pays off! I will post pictures after the show if you all want to see I can also post progress pics as I start working, sweating and "taming" my babies LOL

 

[HGFarm]

Oh you are brave, lol. That's a lot of work! Yes, I would trim your darker ones first with a 15 to give the color a chance to come back in a bit before the show but the lighter ones can be clipped with a 10 closer to the show. That will at least let you spread it out over a few days. Touch up muzzles, face, bridle path, etc... the night before.

 

[horsenut50]

Ooooh, I love your bay!! Very pretty. Good luck at your show!!

 

[supaspot]

I would clip start a week before the show , clip the cremello first with a 10 blade to avoid the pink skin look , then the bays and the silver last , you can even get away with clipping a silver the day before if you havent time , take some chalk or talcum powder to cover any pink skin that may be showing through

 

[Bop's Miniatures]

Forgot to ask - I am assuming I should razor the ones even with the pink/light skin? The only ones I have razored had dark skin.

 

[REO]

Some people do. But when I was showing Nort (and had him shown) I didn't want his nose done. IMO a pink nose looks awful

 

[amysue]

I would go easy with the razor. I recently read in one of the magazines (don't remember which one) where the judges wrote in on what they liked and disliked in the ring and one of the unanimous dislikes was an over razored face. I think the rulebook will tell you what the grooming expectations will be for the particular class. Do what looks best for your horse's natural over all picture. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Sandee]

You are an ambitious girl but I salute you for your energy and drive. I am one of those "old-er" crowd and I clip 3 and it takes me 4 days to do that. Definitely do the darker ones first to let the color return. I don't use 15 on the pintos as I don't like the pink skin showing. As for razoring, if you have a 40 or 50 blade use that on the nose and over the eyes and a 30 on the face. Razoring is starting to fall from "grace" thank goodness.....never did like it. If you don't have the tighter blades then just clip the faces as close to the show as possible and make sure they are VERY clean (for the show).

Good luck. Tell us how it works out.

 

[romewhip]

Wow! I just clipped one of the shetlands this weekend, and the thought of doing four is exhausting. Have a great time at the show, you have some nice ponies to exhibit.

If you have one I'd clip your cremello's body with an 8 1/2, makes less pink. I also clipped my silver bay along his mane to thin it slightly, not enough to make it look thinned or clipped but if you go into the mane from along the neck holding the clippers perpendicular to the mane (so you're going with the grain of the hair, kind of up and over the crest of the neck) and lightly clip out the top layer it'll take off a lot of the sun bleached. You will have to maintain it as it grows out, but there's plenty of hair there.

 

[disneyhorse]

I don't razor, even at nationals. A 40 or 50 blade is adequate.