First Time Halter Showing, What do I need, Weight Manegement and Mane Growth

[Wolfykat]

I recently moved to Montana and I found two miniature horse shows I'd like to do with my mini, I've never done a halter show and I don't know if he has either but he was a stallion so maybe he was shown at one point?

I have a small list of what I know I need for the show ring

Show lead

Chin Chain

Cable halter (it'll be here by the 20th!)

Leather halter (will be doing a costume class and might entering Jumping in hand)

I have no idea what to wear I've looked at photos, videos and mini breeders photos. I mainly see men showing the minis so I don't really know what the women wear, I'll be entering 17yrs and younger classes since I'm 16, do I wear what an adult would?

My mini is currently fat and the shows in July, I put him in a small pasture to help minimize grass intake, he also has a small mineral block in there, I'm trying lunge him every other day but is december and it can get a bit too cold for me. I try not to give him too much hay maybe like a 1/3 of a compressed Timothy flake at noon, I have to buy the Timothy hay compressed because all we have is alfalfa which he does not need.

I'm also trying to grow out his name as it needed to be hogged/roached in late June, I have been considering buying and using megatek but every horse store I go to they either don't have it or they're out of stock. I also plan on body clipping him in April as he takes forever to shed his coat!

In short my questions are, Is there anything else I need to show him, what type of clothing should I wear for halter and in hand Jumping, how do I help minimize his weight to make him slimmer, what would you recommend for growing out his name to a normal length and what should I do the day before and of the show?

Thanks for your time!

 

[Miniv]

You're clothes would be the same as an adult's.....I always think black "dress" jeans are safe. A long sleeved button down shirt - color to compliment the color of your horse. A vest or jacket is optional, and gloves are nice. If you have long hair, be sure to pull it up off your back so your exhibitors number is easily seen. Shoes should be either boots or leather of some kind. (I got away with Georgio style).

This time of year, I don't recommend cutting back on feed just yet........and making him exercise til he sweats when it's very cold isn't a good idea either. Hay is important for horses in winter and giving it twice a day is good. You have plenty of time to put him on a "show diet" before July.....maybe in April?

As for encouraging his mane to grow, means protein.....I think some folks on here will have some feed supplements to recommend.

 

[Wolfykat]

Thanks for your advice!

He's bay roan and the cable halter is black with some tealish blue beads and noseband so I'll probably find a shirt to match that color. I have long hair so when putting it up should I use a hair net or would it not matter just as long as my hair is out of the way?

I only lunge him for 5-10 minutes which isnt enough to make him sweat since I don't want him getting cold or sick.

As for his food he has plenty of grass in his area since he's the only one in there, is think it's almost a full acre but I can't remember the exact size. He also likes to steal the alfalfa hay from under the fence for my other two horses and from my old horse who drops his mash out of his mouth due to having little to no teeth left. So even though he gets some hay he still steals from others.

He's 31.5" and weighs close to 300lbs from the calculations I've used just thought I'd mention this in case anyone need this info

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Can you take him to a public weigh station like a grain elevator to weigh him? That is the only way to know his real weight. They are so furry this time of year it is hard to know for sure how much they weigh. 300 sounds like a lot for his size.

Some Showmanship training might be fun for you two.

 

[chandab]

Unless he's hugely obese, I'd say something went wrong with the calculations.

My 31" slight build stallion weighs 175# on a scale.

 

[Cayuse]

If you are showing in showmanship as well as halter, you will need a nice hat. I tend to dress conservatively, with a plain, not patterned shirt and black or beige pants,and a nice belt buckle. I like a bright color that compliments the horse and halter and no going. Your idea of teal sounds pretty. A nice blazer works well in the spring and fall if it is cold.

I would put your hair up, especially if going in showmanship. If in halter, French braiding it would be neat and attractive. You don't want your hair to accidentally cover your number.

 

[Wolfykat]

Sadly, taking him to a local weigh station is not option, I don't have a trailer at the moment since I had to leave it back in Tennessee, We will be getting a trailer in early February after the holidays. He's not 300 exactly, when he was a stallion he seemed to stay a good wieght but after he was gelded he put on so many pounds escpially when we had to board him for a month and a half, the barn was giving him two flakes alfalfa and then he'd steal the mares alfalfa so he's pretty fat, Maybe the measuring tape is off, I pulled it pretty tight to get as close to his skin as possible, chest to butt is 44 and his heart girth is 44 as well, I also have a weigh tape somewhere in one of my boxes so if I find I'll try it as well but I don't think it's too accurate

I don't think I'll be doing showmanship, just Halter, Costume Class and Maybe jumping in hand if he'll stop refusing the jumps and running into me, He jumps them on his own when lunging but not in hand it's quite frustrating but I've got plenty time to train him between now and then.

I think I already have a good idea of what to wear, I'll find some black dress pants with a matching black blazer in case and then a plain teal shirt.

My hair is really long even in a braid it nearly reaches the end of my back, so I'll probably braid and put it in a bun, hopefully that'll look ok. I'll be trying things out with my hair to see what's best!

Thank you guys for all the answers, I really appreciate it!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

In helping to trim the weight a little , do you have any hills around you that you could use to take him for walks up and down ? As Miniv said, I too would be careful reducing his feed too much as you are going into winter.

Love to see some pics of the little guy