Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Aug 20

Back again with some more easy to achieve tips for getting ready for your horse shows.  And this collection are all about your horses appearance - and planning ahead for the show.

You may well already use some of these - or you could add yours to the comments below to help others.  Either way, here they are:

1) Create your own great quarter-marks with a snapped up set of teethed combs. Practice with both fine and wide toothed combs to find the best effect and then design your patterns in advance!

2) To hold your quarter-marks in place for longer - use a little hairspray - as long as it doesn’t spook your horse!

3) To make a white tail look really white - try washing it in a tiny amount of biological soap powder - but be careful not to get it on your horses skin!

4) When trying out new styles of plaiting, quarter-marks or your own clothes, make sure you take pictures from both close up and farther away (like the judges will see). This way you can find out in advance which looks better for the show.

5) Plan to space you plaits evenly by using a plastic comb or other small item as a measuring stick. Planning it’s length in advance will let you know how many plaits you will need for the complete look.

6) When plaiting up before the show - make sure you have threaded up all the needles you think you will use and stick them in the front of your jumper - rather than using the 1 needle and wasting a lot of time inbetween each plait!

7) Also, the types of plait you use can help improve the appearance of your horse. For example lots of smaller plaits can make a short neck look better proportioned, and larger raised plaits can make a thin or long neck a bit more chunky looking!

8.) To keep plaits in place during a show - why not use a setting lotion instead of water while plaiting.  This should stop wispy bits from coming loose during the day.

9) If cutting your horses tail for the show, get someone to put their arm under his tail to raise it slightly to the height he carries it when moving - otherwise you may cut it too short!

10) And if not cutting the tail then plait your horses tail tip when still wet and leave to dry. When ready, brush out the plait with your fingers with the result that the tail tip will look wavy and fuller in time for the ring!

Fantastic Stuff! Your horse should look beautiful by now!