Show Turnout -
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Good luck!
- Bathing - Use a horse shampoo to bath your horse the day before to improve show turnout. The timing of this varies according to personal preference, if you have a horse that seems to get dirty overnight, bathing the morning of the show may be more feasible.
In bad weather, consider using a dry shampoo as an alternative - these can be very effective at removing surface grease and dirt but may not be as thorough as an all over traditional bathing.
Remove the surface water from your horse's coat after a bath with a sweat scraper. If your horse is grey/white or has any white markings that you want to really stand out, put a small amount of baby talcum powder on the required area while the horse is still damp (only on the white areas though otherwise your horse will look like he's fallen in flour!) Once the horse is dry, brush out the talcum powder and the white areas will be gleaming! Topping up can be done just before you enter the ring as a finishing touch to your show turnout using a white chalk stick or block which can be bought from your local tack shop.
For stable stains that occur on the way to the show, use the dry shampoo or alternatively, baby wet wipes are excellent for topical stain removal. Rug the horse up after a bath to prevent chills and also to keep the coat flat if the horse is unclipped. Tails should be bandaged and you may choose to use a lycra hood if your horse has an unruly mane.
- Plaits- Practice plenty of times in advance, the day of the show is not the time to learn to plait. The best mane to plait is one that has been evenly pulled to a length of approximately 4 inches.
If you are required to plait your horse's mane for your class, get up early to allow yourself plenty of time. For perfect show turnout, make sure the plaits are evenly sized and spaced with no straggly hairs protruding. A good tip is to use only as much hair for each plait as fits along the length of a mane comb - approximately 2 inches is best.There should be an even number of plaits in total including the forelock plait. Always sew plaits with thread the same colour as your horse's mane and make sure plaits are secured. Plastic bands are not recommended for the show ring as they can come loose with movement and also break the hairs.
Tail plaits should continue down to the end of the quarters with the end of the plait looped neatly behind the plait and secured with plaiting thread. If you are not required to plait for your class or breed, make sure the mane and tail are laying flat and are pulled to the correct length.
Mane/Tail Pulling is best left to someone experienced so ask a friend to show you how to do it at least a week before the show to allow the hair to settle down. The tail should be cut level just below the point of the hocks when the horse is still, to allow it to sit level with his hocks when he moves.
- Trimming - depending on the breed, you may be required to trim your horse to achieve the required show turnout. For example, the heels, whiskers, hairs under the jaw line, inside the ears and feather from the backs of the legs.
Trimming up the back of the legs should be done on an angle - cutting straight across will result in unsightly lines. Remove a small section of mane behind the ears known as the "bridle path" so that the bridle sits comfortably against the horse's head. This should be no wider than the headpiece of the bridle or it will look artificial and spoil the topline of your horse.
Mountain and Moorland classes among others do not permit trimming of the horse as the correct show turnout for native breeds should be well groomed but natural as possible (a little discreet tidying up is permitted and necessary but shouldn't be obvious). We suggest you check first with the Show Secretary or Breed Society if in doubt to ensure you present your horse correctly.
- Clipping - Only attempt to clip your horse if you know what you are doing. If you are showing through the summer season, rugging your horse will encourage them to lose their winter coat faster but make sure you don't over-rug and over-heat the horse in doing so. Thorough and regular grooming will help the coat to shed if you are attending early summer classes, as will a weekly bath.
- Best Foot Forward - Check each of your horse's shoes to ensure that none are loose or worn down too far. Clean out the feet just before you enter the ring using a hoof pick and oil the outside of the feet for a super shiny show turnout. Take care not to stain the hair on the coronet band (at the top of the foot). Some prefer to use black boot polish to give a give a matt black finish but take care not to get any on your clothes and only use this on black hooves.
- Accessorising Your Horse - The finishing touches of your show turnout will give you the edge. Baby oil is useful for accentuating your horse's eyes - use sparingly on a soft cloth around the eye area taking care not to get any inside the eye itself. The same can be used around the nostrils but don't overdo it or your horse will resemble a Chippendale!
If your horse has a fly-away mane or tail use a touch of hairspray but again use sparingly on a pulled mane as it won't move at all in the ring if welded to the horse's neck and this will look unnatural.
Ask a friend to wipe over the horse's coat with a wet wipe or light spray of coat conditioner before they enter the ring to bring out the colour of the coat and give it a healthy shine.
This, of course, is no substitute for the thorough grooming that should be done in the days leading up to the show, but will enhance the natural oils in the coat. Don't spray coat conditioner near the eyes or under the saddle area - it is better to put it on when you have tacked up rather than risk the saddle slipping off.
- Tack - to achieve the best show turnout, your tack should be cleaned thoroughly the night before the show and laid out to check you have all the components you need. Double-check you have the correct bridle browband and permitted bit for your class - you will automatically be moved to the end of the line if your horse is incorrectly attired.
On the morning of the show, give your tack a final polish. A quick fix for a brilliant shine is to dip a cloth in a drop of milk and rub sparingly over the leatherwork. This works for your boots too. Remember to clean with a damp cloth after the show. Clean the exposed areas of the bit with metal cleaner - don't get this on the mouthpiece as won't endear you to your horse.
- Rider Attire - Your personal show turnout should be neat and tidy and compliment the horse. If you are wearing a dark coloured show jacket use dark coloured string or tapes to secure your number and run the tapes behind the number so you don't obscure it from the Judge's view.
Ladies should always tie hair back neatly and wear a hairnet. Non-slip plain gloves should be worn and buttonholes or stockpins should not detract from the overall appearance. If you are showing in-hand, wear sensible non-slip shoes particularly if it has rained on the showground.
- Emergency Repair Kit - Always, always take a spare supply of your essential grooming equipment to the show. This should include antiseptic wound cream in case the horse injures himself, hairspray, spare plaiting thread, clean spare bandages in case the horse soils them, hoof oil, a couple of clean cloths to do final polishing or buffing, wet wipes, talcum powder and scissors.
It is amazing how many exhibitors forget to bring these with them and resort to begging or borrowing everyone else's kit on the day itself. Be prepared for everything and you won't go far wrong.
Finally, after all your preparations are complete, one last thing...
Don't forget the Show Schedule and remember to enjoy yourself!
What Does a Judge Look For?
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