susanne
dB
First off, this is ABSOLUTELY NOT a criticism of anyone's approach to show grooming. I respect everyone's right to their own approach and I would appreciate it if everyone does the same.
One person said that they wouldn't show because they didn't want to body clip or bald, and I'd just like to say that there is DEFINITELY more than one approach that works -- please don't miss out on the fun thinking that you have to do something you don't want to do.
I'm still learning, and I know Mingus doesn't look perfect, but in case anyone is interested here's a not-so-quick rundown on what we did and what I feel worked for us. This may be boring or old news to many of you, but it may also help someone new to showing.
My focus is on good nutrition, conditioning and frequent grooming -- essentially enhancing what is already there. We feed Allegra Condition, beet pulp, BOSS, free choice good grass hay and a small amount of grazing. All three of our horses get this, with our yearling colt getting considerably more feed than the adult geldings. A happy, healthy horse is my overriding goal.
Prior to conditioning, Mingus was pleasantly plump. ..just as I wanted him to be. Three weeks before the show we began free lunging him every day for about a half hour and working on setting up and his liberty catch. We should have started earlier on the conditioning, as by showtime he was at a great weight, but still a little soft. He has long, lean muscles and doesn't bulk up, but I think he could stand a bit more definition.
At our county fair in July, he looked good but was setting up with his head too high, and was developing a bulge on the underside of his neck. He is starting to arch his neck more, though I still need to get him to set up as he looks when he's reaching over the fence -- that is amazing. But the change in how he is now holding his neck is already decreasing that unslightly bulge.
Since he is a gelding, I don't feel bad about neck sweating...no one is looking to see what he will throw. I need to do more of this, and I think he needs more than just a throat latch sweat.
About a week before the show, I used a 10 blade to clip his bridle path, under his chin, throatlatch, muzzle and the outsides of his ears (I folded them and only clipped what stuck out), then neatened up his forelock and fetlocks, blending the latter into his legs. I did not body clip (althoug I did a head, neck and leg clip for a March show, I never did body clip him) I was a bit worried that his winter coat would start coming in before our last show, but everything was fine. I brushed him repeatedly to get out any dead hair and dander.
I conditioned his mane and tail several times. His tail is currently shorter than I like, as one of his buddies likes to chew on it...I'll be bagging it in the future. Also, the downside of a "big-horse mane and tail is that it is difficult to fluff that kind of hair...
Two days before the show I began limiting his hay slightly to get rid of the hay belly. He still got the same amount of feed and I bumped up his beet pult a bit to keep him satisfied. I've done this for three shows now and the hay belly has disappeared in time -- looking at the photo, he's much more tucked than I thought.
Before I left for the show I bathed him, braided his tail and angled the end of his bridle path, slightly undercutting his mane, but keeping the rest of it natural. I don't like overly long bridle paths, yet I wanted the judge to see his neck, so I styled it to lay back against his crest before laying down against his neck!
I trimmed his muzzle again, using a 15 to let the dark skin show through without balding. I blended this into the rest of his face, which was not clipped at all. (I have to 'fess up to a couple of chop marks where my tapering did not go so well)
The morning of the show I brushed him thoroughly, for relaxation as well as to polish his coat. I tend to have tunnel vision when on a deadline, so I made a point to relax and reward him frequently, not just to plunge on ahead. I applied black shoe polish to his hooves, then a coat of clear hoof polish. I prefer more of a matte finish to high gloss, but find that the shoe polish alone comes off too easily. Have to work on this part...a neighboring exhibitor at the show told me that Krylon artist's fixative is the exact same stuff as hoof polish and comes in matte, but I don't want to risk him breathing the fumes.
After combing out his mane and tail, I applied Shine, a pommade that adds hold and (obviously) shine to his mane and forelock...this stuff works great without being goopy. His mane was not plastered down. I then sprayed a very light touch of mink oil to his black legs and tail to enhance them, then sprayed some on my hands and applied it very lightly to his muzzle, so that it was rich and black without the patent leather look. His coat is so shiny as to nearly look wet, so nothing was needed there, but in the future I might use a touch of baby powder to bring less attention to the angle of his croup.
Just before leaving for the show ring, I wiped his coat down with a clean towel and stuffed a couple of baby wipes into my pocket. Then before entering the ring, I wiped his hooves clean.
He ended up with 3 reserve championships, including Supreme Reserve Champion Gelding, Over, so I feel that our approach worked pretty well. I don't claim that this is a totally natural approach, but I stuck with what I want to do and what I believe best compliments my horse.
Since, as I said, I am putting my money where my mouth is, I welcome all criticisms and comments on what you might have done differently. I hope this is useful for someone.
One person said that they wouldn't show because they didn't want to body clip or bald, and I'd just like to say that there is DEFINITELY more than one approach that works -- please don't miss out on the fun thinking that you have to do something you don't want to do.
I'm still learning, and I know Mingus doesn't look perfect, but in case anyone is interested here's a not-so-quick rundown on what we did and what I feel worked for us. This may be boring or old news to many of you, but it may also help someone new to showing.
My focus is on good nutrition, conditioning and frequent grooming -- essentially enhancing what is already there. We feed Allegra Condition, beet pulp, BOSS, free choice good grass hay and a small amount of grazing. All three of our horses get this, with our yearling colt getting considerably more feed than the adult geldings. A happy, healthy horse is my overriding goal.
Prior to conditioning, Mingus was pleasantly plump. ..just as I wanted him to be. Three weeks before the show we began free lunging him every day for about a half hour and working on setting up and his liberty catch. We should have started earlier on the conditioning, as by showtime he was at a great weight, but still a little soft. He has long, lean muscles and doesn't bulk up, but I think he could stand a bit more definition.
At our county fair in July, he looked good but was setting up with his head too high, and was developing a bulge on the underside of his neck. He is starting to arch his neck more, though I still need to get him to set up as he looks when he's reaching over the fence -- that is amazing. But the change in how he is now holding his neck is already decreasing that unslightly bulge.
Since he is a gelding, I don't feel bad about neck sweating...no one is looking to see what he will throw. I need to do more of this, and I think he needs more than just a throat latch sweat.
About a week before the show, I used a 10 blade to clip his bridle path, under his chin, throatlatch, muzzle and the outsides of his ears (I folded them and only clipped what stuck out), then neatened up his forelock and fetlocks, blending the latter into his legs. I did not body clip (althoug I did a head, neck and leg clip for a March show, I never did body clip him) I was a bit worried that his winter coat would start coming in before our last show, but everything was fine. I brushed him repeatedly to get out any dead hair and dander.
I conditioned his mane and tail several times. His tail is currently shorter than I like, as one of his buddies likes to chew on it...I'll be bagging it in the future. Also, the downside of a "big-horse mane and tail is that it is difficult to fluff that kind of hair...
Two days before the show I began limiting his hay slightly to get rid of the hay belly. He still got the same amount of feed and I bumped up his beet pult a bit to keep him satisfied. I've done this for three shows now and the hay belly has disappeared in time -- looking at the photo, he's much more tucked than I thought.
Before I left for the show I bathed him, braided his tail and angled the end of his bridle path, slightly undercutting his mane, but keeping the rest of it natural. I don't like overly long bridle paths, yet I wanted the judge to see his neck, so I styled it to lay back against his crest before laying down against his neck!
I trimmed his muzzle again, using a 15 to let the dark skin show through without balding. I blended this into the rest of his face, which was not clipped at all. (I have to 'fess up to a couple of chop marks where my tapering did not go so well)
The morning of the show I brushed him thoroughly, for relaxation as well as to polish his coat. I tend to have tunnel vision when on a deadline, so I made a point to relax and reward him frequently, not just to plunge on ahead. I applied black shoe polish to his hooves, then a coat of clear hoof polish. I prefer more of a matte finish to high gloss, but find that the shoe polish alone comes off too easily. Have to work on this part...a neighboring exhibitor at the show told me that Krylon artist's fixative is the exact same stuff as hoof polish and comes in matte, but I don't want to risk him breathing the fumes.
After combing out his mane and tail, I applied Shine, a pommade that adds hold and (obviously) shine to his mane and forelock...this stuff works great without being goopy. His mane was not plastered down. I then sprayed a very light touch of mink oil to his black legs and tail to enhance them, then sprayed some on my hands and applied it very lightly to his muzzle, so that it was rich and black without the patent leather look. His coat is so shiny as to nearly look wet, so nothing was needed there, but in the future I might use a touch of baby powder to bring less attention to the angle of his croup.
Just before leaving for the show ring, I wiped his coat down with a clean towel and stuffed a couple of baby wipes into my pocket. Then before entering the ring, I wiped his hooves clean.
He ended up with 3 reserve championships, including Supreme Reserve Champion Gelding, Over, so I feel that our approach worked pretty well. I don't claim that this is a totally natural approach, but I stuck with what I want to do and what I believe best compliments my horse.
Since, as I said, I am putting my money where my mouth is, I welcome all criticisms and comments on what you might have done differently. I hope this is useful for someone.
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