Show Day Shine Grooming Tips

Show Day Shine Grooming Tips By Emily Konkel With show season just around the corner, it is important to evaluate about our grooming techniques. The pre-show jitters can affect any competitor so having a prepared plan will only help you to relax knowing that your horse looks their very best in the ring. Keep in mind that a beautiful show day shine is not achieved at the show it is attained at home. At the show, we can only enhance it. Here are some tips to get the very best show day shine: - Mane and Tail – Your horse’s mane and tail should be clean and sawdust free before you go into the ring. The best way to do this is to wash your horse’s mane and tail thoroughly the night before or the morning of the show. While the mane and tail are wet, use a wide tooth comb to untangle any knots. Using a comb will help to prevent breakage. If you are washing your horse’s tail at night, loosely braid it and put it in a tail bag. The next morning, take the tail bag and braid out and comb through it with a wide tooth comb. You can also add a spray on conditioner for some extra shine before you go into the show ring. - Hair Coat – A beautiful hair coat starts at home. Good, solid nutrition and deworming will make for a healthy coat. At the show, make sure your horse is brushed thoroughly. You can also use show sheen to add a little extra shine. Before your class, run a towel or rag over your horse’s body to remove any dirt or sweat. - Face and Ears – Clip your horse’s nose, ears, eyes and bridle path on the day before the show. It is best to bathe your horse AFTER you clip, that way you can rinse off any stray hairs or dirt that have been left behind. The morning of your show, double check your horse to make sure you didn’t miss any long hairs. Then use baby oil on a cloth to add shine on his eyes, nose and ears. - Feet and Legs – Your horse’s legs should be clipped a few days before the show. This will allow any clipping irritation to heal – especially on white markings. White legs look the best if they are washed the morning of the show. For your horse’s hooves, use a sanding block on each hoof to create an even surface. Add some hoof black and a polish enhancer to really make them shine. For more tips visit: http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/grooming/ showringshine_042105/