Grooming to Win

[ThorArb]

I am interesting in learning all your little tips and quick fixes for the people that show. Id like to know anything from stain fixer upers to bathing and clipping. Techniques and the little house hold things you use to make your horse dazzle.

I think it would be interesting to see what kinds of things we go through to get our horses beautiful for a 5 minute shine in the arena.

Here is one of my tips:

Baby powder is great for getting those leg whites extra white and dazzling. After bathing and clipping your horse's leg whites, apply a good coat of baby powder. Stand back and admire your handy work. Be sure to do this BEFORE you apply black/clear hoof polish. You could also use baking soda or flour for this too. But I find baby powder for me is best. It even smells good!

Brittany

[allison]

This isn't a tip for your horse but, I have a tip for your show boots. If you want a really glossy shine on those smooth leather boots, use simple tire shine! Can be purchased cheaply at just about anywhere, and just spray some on a cloth/towel and apply. Use sparingly, a little goes a very long way.

I always use a clean halter for bathing, not a daily turn out halter That's especially usefull for horses with white faces. Just buy any cheap halter, and keep it with your bathing supplies. I always hated it when I'd wash my Paints bald face, and see all the black dirt run down his face. This is a very simple way to solve that. I also aid in washing their face with a soft sponge, and lightly do their ears and nose with it.

For horses with white legs, your can use polo wraps to keep their legs cleaner before your class.

I also use vet wrap, and lightly wrap it around the base of my horse's tail before showing and trailering. When it's unwraped, the hair is smooth, and lays neatly in place. Really heps to give an overall outstanding look. Plus the tail won't get rubbed at all while trailering.

[beth55051]

Baby wipes!!!

They are my all time favorite, good for horse, tack, human, if it needs wiping they can do it! I always keep a baggie of them in my cooler when I go to a show or camping. Nice and cool for wiping off dirty faces cause it's always dusty.

I also always have a good stiff brush on hand. Works great for scrubbing off dried manure or mud. I used to show a paint with white hindlegs and he would always be getting mud or manure on them at the last minute. So between the baby wipes in my pocket and the brush we could take care of them.

Black binders. I almost always have some on a finger for last minute repairs to crooked bands or to use as keepers for loose straps.

[ThorArb]

Baby wipes, good idea! I will bring some of those when I take mine to show on the 20th. I was worried about Raine as all four of her legs are white! I just know she is going to dirty herself up by time I get there.

Brittany

[sheri7785]

Baby oil is a must have to make muzzles and eyes more prominent. If you lightly put it over the horse's body it makes them shine beautifully. Just put some on a rag and wipe it over the body. It's cheaper than show sheen.

When grooming always start with clean brushes working through the soft brush than take a clean dry towel and go over the entire body to also help pick off any other dirt.

Keep a light weight long sleeved button up around to keep your show clothes clean when you have to clean something up at the last minute or are holding a horse before you go into the class.

Household leather wipes work well for quickly cleaning tack.

If you have to braid the mane or tail of a horse do not put anything in it like cowboy magic after the tail is bathed. You can condition it with rinse out conditioner, but anything else makes it too slick.

Bring a disposable razor with you to the show grounds to get any whiskers around the muzzle or eyes that you might have missed with your clippers.

[ToveroMom]

chunk of cardboard to stand the hoof on while you apply the hoofBlack.
Keeps the dirt from getting daubed on and keeps the area from getting all painted up from 150 people using black all over the place.
FLY spray..nothing like a horse stomping and swishing it's tail in the arena. Pyrhana is the absolute best I have found. It seems to only last a couple hours'like most do' but it packs a wallop for those hours at the show. It also has a bit of coat conditioner in the spray.

[Linebacker55]

I second the fly spray, I have seen too many horses swishing tails and even a few who refused to stand to the point of rearing up or running backwards!

We usually always have wipes, a razor and extra rubber bands in our pocket in case one of the girls messes up their bands. We will also use a hair gel on the mane after it is banded and then put a slinky over it.

Band the mane wet, it also helps it lay down!!

[Littonian]

Here's a great cheap stain remover:

Mix about 1-2 oz. QuickSilver with approx. 12 oz. rubbing alcohol. Mixing it in a spray bottle works best, but can be done otherwise.

Spray stain until saturated, let sit for about a minute (not long), and use a terry cloth in currying motion to rub dry.

Repeat if necessary, though I've found not usually.

It doesn't really work on manes and tails the greatest, but best on coats and socks.

I don't know how many people body clip, but here's a great tip, though quite time consuming.

Before clipping, give a full body bath, allow the horse to dry, clip carefully going over again areas for clipper tracks, give another bath to remove dandruff (sp?) exposed by clipping the hair, then once dry apply a thin coat of baby oil to replenish natural oils removed by bathing.

Works great; a lot of times the only way you can tell the horse is clipped is to look for the "V" at the top of the tail.

[ToveroMom]

Hey Littonian thanks-must try that mix.