Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jul 30

This article lists some great tips for making a trip to a show easier and hopefully better than before!

By finding the little things that work better, faster or more cheaply can really make the difference to a day at a show - allowing you time to think about the more important things - like winning!!!!

So, lets get started with some quick and easy top tips:

1) The day before the show - wash your horse: not the day of the show.  This way it allows the coat to settle back down and it will be more ‘controllable’ when you are getting him ready in the morning! 

2) And a mane will be virtually impossible to plait when it has just been washed!

3) For yourself - use only a discreet rosebud and small flower head for your show classes - otherwise it will be a distraction for the judges - and could fall out in the ring if too large!

4) And choose dark gloves for dressage and show classes as they attract less attention than white ones - although white gloves may seem the right choice, you want the judges to be watching your horse - not your hands!

5) Keep some thick sticky tape to hand to get fluff and hay off of your clothes before you enter the ring. Roll a full look around your hand - sticky side out - and pat or roll on the offending bits of fluff! Repeat as necessary when all the ’sticky has gone!

6)Keep a list of all important friends and supplier phone numbers with your show equipment, just incase you need something short notice - like a new jacket, hat silk or to borrow a trailer. You can’t waste time looking for a number when you are in the ring in less than an hour!

7) To produce a good shine on your rubber boots - use a little spray from some spray-can furniture polish!

8.)And for your horse: use boot polish instead of hoof oil if showing in an indoor arena - as the shavings wil not stick to the polish!

9) Use a thread the same colour as your jacket when attaching your show number so it looks more natural from a distance.

10) And if you are allowed: trim off the corners of you number at the show as this will make the number look smaller and much neater - it will also help to prevent the number from curling up and looking tatty in the ring!

Hope these helped!