How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Pets Editor
Rate: (23 Ratings)
Putting a spit-shine on your horse will not only make the judge take notice, but perfect turnout can give you the confidence necessary to put in a stellar riding performance.
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Comments
Anonymous said
on 9/19/2006 If you have a fuzzy girth or sheep skin, use a wired brush (a brush you would use for a Collie dog or Poodle) and brush the girth and sheep skin, it will fluff it up and take out stains.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 A day or two before the show, wash your horse once with cheap shampoo to get rid of dirt. Then, using gloves, a bucket and a sponge use washing bleach (I use "Blue-o"). For a large horse, tip the whole bottle into the bucket and add about the same amount of water. Using the sponge, wipe the Blue-o all over the horse till he is blue. Leave for a few minutes and then wash off. Follow this with a horse shampoo to give the coat an extra shine, and to wash out any blueness that may remain.
Another tip: Do not feed your horse while it has a bit in it's mouth! It is hard for them to get it over the bit and ends up making them froth at the mouth.
Anonymous said
on 9/20/2006 Never use a show shine on the mane and tail before plaiting it as it is very difficult, although when finished, it is a great finishing touch.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Warming up not only prepares your horse physically for your class, but also gives you the chance to mentally prepare. So, when everyone else is trotting and cantering aimlessly around the ring, try a few of these exercises to get their focus on you. Shows can be extremely stressful and exciting, it's easy to get distracted. These exercises will not only keep them focused, but also get them responding to your aids better. Thus reducing your risk of struggles in the ring. So, without further ado -
- Lots, and lots, and lots of movements. I would definitely suggest schooling haunch and forehand turns even if you don't ride Dressage or Western. Try this exercise. First start out straight, and side pass to the right a few feet, stop, and perform a quarter haunch turn until you've turned 90 degrees, keep your horse slightly bent in the direction of travel. After this, side pass again to the right and repeat the turn 90 degrees, keep doing this until you make a full square. Once your "box" is completed reward, trot, walk, or canter straight for a bit and stop and repeat, do this in both directions. It's excellent for getting their attention.
- As I said, work on lots of movements, mix them up, trot around the ring a bit and stop and do a forehand turn, canter off and do some half passes, then go ahead and try haunch turns, side passes, etc.
- Work on pushing their hip and shoulder around, this is awesome for improving their gait(it will feel amazing after ten minutes, so I suggest short sessions of this before your show to improve their gaits). Bring your inside rein to your hip to bring their head around (no jerking, no pulling, no death grips, focus on lighter hands) in a small circle, bringing your inside leg discreetly behind the girth push their hip out. Make sure you have contact with your outside rein as well, your hands may have to widen slightly. You can do a variety of things; shoulder-in, hip-in, shoulder-out, hip-out. Try it in a straight line after you master the circles and work in both directions. Try completing a circle, trotting a little ways and completing it again for about five minutes each direction. I also find this effective in calming a horse, if they're getting to fast than work on this and bring them back. It's also great for flexibility, coordination, and even helps with horses that are arthritic.
- Back your horse up, continue backing circles. This may look stupid, but it will get your horse's mind on you,
- Try working on simple lead changes using the hip-out exercise. Choose a straight long line across the arena and begin trotting when you come to the end of this line complete a circle pushing the horses hip out, when the circle is completed canter on the lead in the direction the hip was pushed (i.e. if the hip was pushed left canter on the left lead). Canter down the line and do the hip-out exercise pushing their hip toward the left again at the trot immediately, canter down the line on the left lead and repeat. When they master this start working on the simple lead changes, at the end of the line do hip-out and canter on the left lead. Halt in the middle and switch to the right lead, at the end break to a trot and circle right, canter on the right, simple lead change, and so on. You can mix this up as well. For instance; circle left, canter on the left lead, break to the trot and circle right and canter back down on the right lead.
All of these tips are compatible with any breed, any discipline.
Anonymous said
on 6/30/2006 Does your horse not want to trot or canter in shows? Sometimes it helps to get to the show early and tack up and ride around for a while. It helps me and my horse, and I hope it works for you, too!