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Preparing for the big day
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by Renee Swanepoel
The preparation of the show horse is not something that just happens. The real preparation happens months before the event and is a continuous process.
Not only must the horse look perfectly happy and healthy, but schooling should be up to high standards and manners perfect. A glossy coat, long tail and shiny mane are products of correct feeding and grooming technique. Oil supplementation is recommended, as is vitamin, mineral and other supplementation to promote healthy hair and hoof growth. Correct shoeing and feet care is also important, as show horses must have correctly conformed hooves.
The horse should be kept as injury-free as possible, to prevent scars and blemishes that will be detrimental in the ring. Maintaining your horse by regularly trimming ears, whiskers and other hairy bits is a must, as it not only keeps him maintained, but also keeps him used to the sound and feel of the clipper. The horse should stand quietly while being handled, as preparation before an event can take hours. Baths are a must and the horse should be comfortable with the process.
Clipping is also required in the winter to improve looks in the show ring, as long, hairy coats can look dull and the horse will sweat easily which will in turn cause him not only to look bad, but excess sweating when working will cause him to lose condition. Bad clip jobs are usually as a result of poor equipment – dull blades, unserviced motors and poor technique.
Depending on the class being ridden, the horse should be well-schooled, balanced and should be able to perform the following movement with ease:
- Walk, trot and canter on both reins
- Extension of the trot and canter
- Halt square and stand still for an extended period
- Rein back
- Canter with a simple or flying change of lead
- Gallop
- Jump fences and negotiate obstacles with ease if required.
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Importantly, the horse should carry himself well, with the hindquarter well-engaged, the neck rounded out of a raised shoulder and the poll being the highest point. The mouth should remain soft and yielding to the rider and the jaw relaxed at all times. The hocks should be supple, flexing with each stride and weight should be carried by the rounded back and hindquarter. The rider should sit proudly, be very correct, quiet and ride in a way that his or her aids are barely noticed.
The big day
Preparation before a show is a methodical, timeous process and should never be skimped on. Each horse is different, and what works well on one horse, may not work well on another. You will need to practice plaiting your horse before the event so that you know exactly what to expect.
When turning out a horse for showing, I like to follow the following process:
- The mane should be pulled neatly to a length of approximately 10 cm. Be aware not to make the common mistake of pulling more hair out at the ends, and less in the middle, or your plaits will be uneven. If the horse objects to pulling, invest in a blade-type comb (like a “solo comb”) that cuts the hairs instead of pulling them out. To pull the mane, take a small section of hair, back-comb it until the longest pieces remain, wind those around the comb and pluck. The hair should come out rather easily and if you do it quickly, it is less painful.
- Using a clipper or scissors, trim the inside of the ears as well as any fuzzy bits sticking out. Also trim the beard and hairs in the nostrils as well as those under the chin. If there is a bit of fuzzy hair in the throatlatch and neck, I trim those too. If your horse is clipped, then these areas would have been done already; you may just need to touch up. The muzzle can also be shaved with a razor blade to smooth it out even more. However, I would only recommend this on a horse that stands perfectly still!
- Next, the hairy heels and fetlock must be neatly trimmed (with a pair of scissors or your trusty bikini trimmer) as well as the hair growing over the hoof.
- The horse is ready to be bathed. Pay special attention to the mane and tail, taking care to wash right down to the skin. Dirt and crusts have a tendency to work their way up into plaits, looking very bad. Colour enhancing shampoo can be used when prepping for showing, as it really enhances the colour and brings up a fantastic shine, before rinsing thoroughly.
- Once the horse is dry, the mane should be plaited and sewn in. Elastics should not be used when showing. Match the colour thread to the mane and work tightly and neatly. Each horse differs in the amount of hair that should be plaited into each plait. However, they should be very neat and uniform regardless. Use hair gel, but be careful that it does not turn white when dry.
- The tail may be plaited next. The plait is done like a French plait, and there are two types – under and over. By taking the strands under, a raised plait is created which looks very smart. The end of the tail is taken up and sewn into place. Again, use gel and make sure the plait is done tightly.
- The hooves are next. Black hoof polish is applied to the hooves to bring up a shine and look neat. There are various techniques that may be used to do this.
- At the show, quarter marks or shark’s teeth can be applied, baby oil under the tail, in the ears and to the muzzle, Vaseline around the eyes, and a spray of coat shine to bring up the gloss. Once the rider is on, a quick wipe of the boots and the bit and the rider is ready to go in!
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As a last note, tack should be immaculate. If using a numnuh, try to keep it the same colour as your saddle and as inconspicuous as possible. Bits should shine. The girth should match the colour of the horse as closely as possible and preferably be leather, unless the horse is a grey. Use coloured browbands for all classes except hunter-type classes, where plain leather is always preferred. A list of dress codes can be found on the Sanef website. SAH
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The horse should carry himself well, with the hindquarter well-engaged, the neck rounded out of a raised shoulder and the poll being the highest point
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