Show prep

[~Amanda~]

This is a really interesting and informative thread. I'm definitely taking some notes.

 

[angelspeeper]

paprika???? Like the food spice? Isn't this a little "spicy"?? Don't the horses mind?

 

[Sunny]

There is SWEET paprika, which you would feed your minis, and Hot paprika, which you would not!

I've used shoe polish (i.e. Kiwi, the stuff in the little flat tin) and the one that comes in the bottle with the sponge tip applicator to enhance the eyes, muzzle and inside of the ears. Since it's kind of waxy, it really lessens the irritation inside the ears. And, of course, a dash of baby oil gel to make it shine.

My personal favourite grooming products are Absorbine Super-Poo, Show Sheen and World Champion Pepi.

I NEVER brush or comb manes and tails, except after a bath after they've been treated with conditioner and Show Sheen, and even then it's minimal.

I apply corn starch to white socks for the ultimate white. Baby powder is good, too, if I'm out of corn starch.

I can't stand the look of a balded muzzle with black goop applied too heavily all the way up the nose band (looks like the poor horse is wearing a feed bag!!), so I blend the hair when clipping the face and apply a bit of enhancer, whether it's shoe polish or an actual horse product, plus gel, in order to achieve a more natural look. I'm a firm believer in the LESS IS MORE school of thought.

This is an excellent thread! I've seen quite a few new ideas so far! Thanks!

 

[BlueStar]

Paprika question....Thinking about trying it but have heard that there are brands that are better than the other and will achieve better results. Anyone experience this? What brand do you use and where do you get it. Are you just buying in bulk? Organic? More info much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Taylor Jo]

On the paprika, start at 1/2 tsp on a full sized horse you can go up to 1 TBSP. I would likely keep it at 1/2 tsp-1 tsp. for a mini, but then again, I'm just learning about them.

Thanks, I'm copying and pasteing too. TJ

 

[angelspeeper]

shows how much time I spend in the kitchen

Paprika...sweet? Is there a brand name anyone would like to share?

 

[Mominis]

I think my spices are McCormick, but I really don't think it matters all that much. What does matter is the age of the paprika. It really isn't much good afer a few months once it's been opened. I love to cook, it's a hobby of mine.

 

[Genie]

hmmmm....

oh, and for my Mr. studdly (AKA cash) vicks in the nose as he is young and tends to forget his manners LOL

I have also heard that you can swipe some of the "icy cold" gel that is used for sore muscles on the tummy area of Mr.Studly and it will discourage "dropping"

 

[Taylor Jo]

I heard from Dolores Williams that if you scratch Mr. Studly's tongue when he drops his personnel area he will pick it back up again. I saw it personally and it worked on the two I saw. TJ

 

[squeaky]

I heard from Dolores Williams that if you scratch Mr. Studly's tongue when he drops his personnel area he will pick it back up again. I saw it personally and it worked on the two I saw. TJ

I have heard of this working also, just yet have found a stallion that will willing let me scratch tongue. I have hear of rubbing a stallions gums to get him stop dropping, but haven't tried it. Accumate and vicks work wonders in the nose of a stallion.

Amanda

 

[Mominis]

Is anyone else dying to clip? I just got a new set of Osters from ebay and they come with two 10's. I can't wait for our boy to get here and the weather to warm up enough to see what's under all of his fuzz. I hear Laube's are better than Oster's, but I've used Oster's for years and I really have no complaint about them. The only concern that I have is that it will be really tough to clean out a mini ear with the regular 50 blade on the Osters. Do you use a special ear trimmer on your minis because of their ear size? I know in clipping a really fine ear on a large horse that I often wished for a smaller ear trimmer, but (this was several years ago) they didn't have a really tight blade on the ear trimmers, just a 10. I'd love to hear what you guys do for ears.

 

[DreamStoneRanch]

Is anyone else dying to clip? I just got a new set of Osters from ebay and they come with two 10's. I can't wait for our boy to get here and the weather to warm up enough to see what's under all of his fuzz. I hear Laube's are better than Oster's, but I've used Oster's for years and I really have no complaint about them. The only concern that I have is that it will be really tough to clean out a mini ear with the regular 50 blade on the Osters. Do you use a special ear trimmer on your minis because of their ear size? I know in clipping a really fine ear on a large horse that I often wished for a smaller ear trimmer, but (this was several years ago) they didn't have a really tight blade on the ear trimmers, just a 10. I'd love to hear what you guys do for ears.

Hi, I use a 50 or 40 blade in the ears. I place the sheet cotton that I pull apart into the ear it helps with loose hair from falling down the ear canal and noise factor. I like the Oster clipper I prefer the andis AG they are lighter. I do like the laube but U better be quick they Heat up fast and are heavy. The little trimmers I haven't found one yet that cuts very well. I do fold the ear back to flatten it out to get that big blade in there and I go at an angle. I like this POST MUCH!

 

[mydaddysjag]

Just a note about the paprika, is tests positive for capsaicin on a druh test, so you may want to discontinue using it a week ahead of time.

I fed it to midas for a year and it never seemed to help. I was feeding him NU-IMAGE, BOSS, and Paprika as coat supplements. It was the lightest his coat had ever been.

Here he is as a late yearling. This is in mid october after he had been on the feed regime for atleast 7 months. This clip was actually about 2 weeks old, and he had been kept blanketed and under lights.

Here he is as a 3 year old, he was getting minimal EquiOmega Complex as a coat supplement. This clip was 5 days old, not blanketed or clipped.

 

[BlueStar]

Found this Paprika online. Organic and the sweet kind and very reasonably priced.

http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/organic-paprika

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Is anyone else dying to clip? I just got a new set of Osters from ebay and they come with two 10's. I can't wait for our boy to get here and the weather to warm up enough to see what's under all of his fuzz. I hear Laube's are better than Oster's, but I've used Oster's for years and I really have no complaint about them. The only concern that I have is that it will be really tough to clean out a mini ear with the regular 50 blade on the Osters. Do you use a special ear trimmer on your minis because of their ear size? I know in clipping a really fine ear on a large horse that I often wished for a smaller ear trimmer, but (this was several years ago) they didn't have a really tight blade on the ear trimmers, just a 10. I'd love to hear what you guys do for ears.

I use the Wahl Pocket Pro clipper for ears, eyes, and noses. They have a size 30 or 40 blade on them I think and take a AA battery. The battery seems to last a long time, they dont get hot, are inexpensive, and quiet, but you do have to go slower on the whiskers since they are thicker.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Is anyone else dying to clip? I just got a new set of Osters from ebay and they come with two 10's. I can't wait for our boy to get here and the weather to warm up enough to see what's under all of his fuzz. I hear Laube's are better than Oster's, but I've used Oster's for years and I really have no complaint about them. The only concern that I have is that it will be really tough to clean out a mini ear with the regular 50 blade on the Osters. Do you use a special ear trimmer on your minis because of their ear size? I know in clipping a really fine ear on a large horse that I often wished for a smaller ear trimmer, but (this was several years ago) they didn't have a really tight blade on the ear trimmers, just a 10. I'd love to hear what you guys do for ears.

This is what I use and it does a good job. I use it for ears, muzzle the day of the show, trimming up around the hoof, anywhere. It works great for me. Powerful. I ESPECIALLY love it for the ears it's MUCH more quite for my horses ears. Oh year around the eyes too. Wahl EQ Arco SE Pink Cordless/Batter Clipper

Features:

5 - in -1 detachable blade adjusts from size #9 to #40

Quite, very low vibration operation

Cool blade and body

Continuous cordless operation

Includes:

Clipper w/ indicator light

Charging base w/ indicator light

2-NiMH batteries

5-in-1 cut length adjustable blade set

Durable storage case

4 snap-on guide combs

Blade oil

Cleaning brush

Lubricating oil

Blade guard

Instructions

Soft storage case

Also, thanks on that site for the Paparika I'll get some. Mydaddysjag, your palominio is gorgeous.

 

[Mominis]

bump

 

[~Amanda~]

Just a note about the paprika, is tests positive for capsaicin on a druh test, so you may want to discontinue using it a week ahead of time.

I didn't know that. Good information!

 

[Mominis]

Supplementation has taken a really big role in this topic, and I think that is great! You can't have one looking show ready outside if his insides are not. As I have mentioned, I am a big fan of flaxseed meal. With just one horse, I was worried about buying a whole 50# bag of flaxseed and having it sit around and daily grinding what I need to supplement. Well, I've just found that Wal-Mart sells flaxseed meal in human portions. It must be kept refrigerated, but that takes the worry of having large quantities go to waste as well as gets rid of the grinding process. WHOO-HOO!!

I know lots of people just feed the whole seed, but a friend of mine is a nutritionist and she said that the horse derives more benefits from the ground form. Though she did agree that in seed form it would serve as a sand colic prevention, as mentioned on another thread.

The other supplements that we use are CocoSoyaSP, Farrier's Formula, and Strongid. I've tried the CocoSoya with great response, but this is the first time I've tried the SP. SP is a blend of two Uckele products. So, we shall see if it works as well as the plain oil. I do like that it isn't in oil form as it won't be so bad with flies in the summer.

So, for those here that show, when are you planning to start sweating necks? We plan to get rolling with that in April. I'd love to hear what your sweating secrets are and am happy to share mine. =D

 

[kdhminis]

Hi Mominis When is your mini finally going to arrive to you? I know that you have been saying for several months that he is on his way. Where is he coming from? I bet you are anxious to get him. This has been a great thread. I just went to a clinic in Arkansas that had a lot of grooming instructions in it - very interesting to me. The one thing I had not heard of was using black magic marker and dobbing it on the muzzle and over the eyes, then using baby oil gel over it to blend it in!! Not sure if I will be doing that or not. It looked good on the two mini's they demonstrated it on though.