I need some show grooming product advice

[LostandFound]

So really 2 questions...what is your favorite shine enhancing product? And how exactly do you use the horsie spray paint? It's very obvious that everyone except me uses it. So I bought some to try out. It seems thick, and it seems to rub off on me afterwards. Are there tricks to applying it? And how long will it stay looking good? Will it sweat off? Can you make it look like a natural fade? My mare is buckskin.

 

[Standards Equine]

I'm not sure what's available in the states, in Canada it seems we don't have as many options. As far as spray paint, I've seen it used on cattle, not horses. Outside of hoof polish and gloss for eyes and muzzles, and sprays for the coat, that's all I know.
Carefully applied baby oil makes a brilliant shine, but I think most popular out here is probably the Cowboy Magic spray shine. Carr & Day & Martin is really nice, probably my favorite. And Healthy HairCare Moisturizer is a pink coat concentrate. It's popular for daily use.

 

[Edelweiss]

So really 2 questions...what is your favorite shine enhancing product? And how exactly do you use the horsie spray paint? It's very obvious that everyone except me uses it. So I bought some to try out. It seems thick, and it seems to rub off on me afterwards. Are there tricks to applying it? And how long will it stay looking good? Will it sweat off? Can you make it look like a natural fade? My mare is buckskin.

When you say spray paint, are you talking about this? You are allowed to dye manes and tails as long as it is restoring the original color but I don't think you are allowed to do it on their actual coats. I have never even heard or seen the trainers doing that. I have used this to touch up tails though.

Everyone's favorite spray on coat conditioner for the show ring is Pepi! But that doesn't change the color.

 

[LostandFound]

Yes, the shapelys color enhancing spray. Every single horse with black points at ever show I have been to has it done on their legs at least. And I've even seen a horse that they used it to contour his body, badly, and some that I was suspicious but not sure. That only works on a bay. There was a shortage of pepi last year and I couldn't get any. Does it leave the horse greasy when you touch it afterwards like the shapelys shine does?

 

[Edelweiss]

Yes, the shapelys color enhancing spray. Every single horse with black points at ever show I have been to has it done on their legs at least. And I've even seen a horse that they used it to contour his body, badly, and some that I was suspicious but not sure. That only works on a bay. There was a shortage of pepi last year and I couldn't get any. Does it leave the horse greasy when you touch it afterwards like the shapelys shine does?

I have not seen that, but personally, I would not use it like that. That's too artificial for me, but I'm very minimal when it comes to dyes and other enhancements.. My bay is jet black simply because I keep him from being sun bleached.
Pepi is not greasy in my experience, it leaves the horse's coat very soft and silky. they always feel amazing for days after we've been to a show, lol.
Can you post a picture of your mare?

 

[LostandFound]

I didn't want to, but I would like to win a bit too. Her legs are pretty black...until I clip them, then they are dark greyish.

 

[LostandFound]

Oops here is a pic.

 

[Edelweiss]

She is beautiful! Her legs look fine to me. What classes are you trying to win, color? It should not make a difference in halter. The main grooming things that make a difference there are bridle paths, mane shaping and facials.

 

[Kelly]

Wow! She is beautiful!

 

[chandab]

Clipping is a double edge sword with showing... Clipping cleans everything up and makes it all look tidy and well groomed; but it also takes off the colored part of the hair shaft, leaving flat or dull coloration. Usually, the first clip of the season is the dullest, but future clips won't be as drastic. A bit of the coat conditioner will probably help the legs a bit too, without needing the color spray.

 

[LostandFound]

We do stock halter, color, and obstacle at the small shows. No facials (thank goodness) and her bridle path is perfect for a real stock horse though some judges may not agree. But talk to me about mane shaping? I haven't heard of that. Her color shouldn't make a difference for stock, but overall look is supposed to be 25% and when everyone else has those striking black legs I can't help but wonder if I should too.

 

[Edelweiss]

Lucky you with no facials! Lol
I'll PM you with some show pictures and explain how to shape it, but her mane appears to be too thick overall and it's hiding her neck.

 

[HersheyMint]

Oops here is a pic.

Wow! She is very pretty

 

[betwys1]

Oops here is a pic.

What a pretty horse!

 

[Cayuse]

Try clipping her legs about 7-10 days out from the show and then touch up straggly hairs after. That way the hair will grow back in a little. You will sacrifice a really close clip for color, but sometimes you gotta compromise . I do this and it helps with my bay and my black geldings. I tried the Shapely touch up spray and had absolutely no luck at all with it. It did not color. I used both the black and the chestnut colors on different horses and just could not get it to work. I found the Silverado face stuff to leave a really nice shine on muzzles and around the eyes and as a touch up on a stray white hair or two.

 

[LostandFound]

The shapely colored darkly for me, but you have to shake it like spray paint, a good 2 minutes. I've been doing 7 days because I need that long for my clipper tracks to fade, maybe I will try closer to 10.

 

[Cayuse]

Maybe I got bad cans of the stuff. I shook it hard, but what sprayed out was sort of, IDK how to describe it, lacking pigment? Like water color paint opposed to Oils.
Artists charcoal sticks work good for small spots. I just tried this trick and was happy with the results. Once it was rubbed in, it did not transfer.

 

[LostandFound]

Maybe you did or maybe I did. The stuff that came out of my can looked exactly like black spray paint. But it rubs off on my hands even after giving her a bath. Bleh. I never thought about charcoal, I have some. Might be fun to play around with that during the week.