How to Groom Your Horse for an English Show

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.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A complete grooming kit with body brushes, soft brushes, cloths, hoof pick, comb, and rubber curry
• Show Sheen or similar shine and detangling products
• Braiding elastics, waxed thread and carpet needle
• Hoof polish
• Baby oil or highlighter
• Baby powder or corn starch
• Hoof Picks
• Halter
• Lead Ropes
• Medium-bristled Horse Brush
• Soft-bristled Horse Brush

1. Secure your horse. Use a single tie or a cross tie to secure him to a post, railing or tie hook. The tie should be loose enough so he can move his head from side to side, but can't walk away.

2. Start with a brush. Depending on how sensitive your horse's skin is, use a soft- or medium-bristled brush to brush your horse's entire body, including his mane (but not his face). Get his legs, belly and tail. Lightly spray, or wipe, a shine product like Show Sheen over your horse's body, carefully avoiding the saddle and girth area.

3. Brush your horse's face with a soft-bristled brush. Wipe his eyes and muzzle with a damp cloth. Smooth baby oil or highlighter over his face to accentuate his features.

4. Braid your horse's mane and secure the braids with elastics or needle and thread. This will give the judges the best look at your horse's neck as well as add style to your entire ensemble.

5. Move to the hooves. Use a hoof pick to pick embedded dirt out of your horse's hooves. Brush hoof polish, either black or clear, onto clean hooves.

6. If your horse has white leg markings, dust them with baby powder or corn starch. Brush away the excess, and admire the gleaming stockings!

Tips & Warnings

• Braiding your horse's mane may take over an hour depending on how you do it.

[Jinxedlace]

on 5/4/2007 If you have a leather saddle that has wear marks because was your "favorite" show saddle, dont get rid of it! All you need is kiwi shoe polish. It comes in different colors & makes your saddle look like almost new!

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.

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.

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.

on 8/8/2006 If there are stray hairs sticking up from your horse, and you don't want to start over, just use hair spray like you do for your own hair.