# arabian grooming



## thealabamaredhead (Aug 16, 2010)

so i was curious about arabian grooming(for shows). why is it that they shave the horses face? is it required? are there some who don't? i thought about entering kira in some local shows when she's older just for fun...but if she has to be clipped i guess i wont.


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## MagicDestiny (Dec 4, 2010)

Most arabians are shown with their faces clipped. It's to show off the refinement through the face and that's why it is done. However, I'm not sure if it is a requirement. I think you'd be okay if you didn't shave her face, as long as you weren't attending regionals or nationals or a big arab show like that.  Don't let clipping her face stop you from showing her though! Just shave her whiskers and bridle path and I think you'll be good.


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## RoxanneElizabeth (Dec 18, 2009)

I have alsoo seen them rub vaseline into the muzzle and around the eyes to deepen pigment and give a sheen...but this was years ago. They also used to shove ginger paste in their butt for better tail carriage....tisk tisk....


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I clip my horse's ears, Bridle path, muzzle, and around his eyes in the summer for shows. We go to local all breed shows and most of the horses there have clipped muzzles, bridle paths, and ears. For the show we just did a couoke of week ago, we clipped up to hos forehead in kind of a diamond shape. I do out vaseline and baby oil around his eyes since he's a halter horse. I also sand and polish his hooves. I've seen all breeds do the hooves, but arabs must keep their natural hoof color. Black stays black, white stays white, and striped stays striped. Natural mane and tail are expected - no pulled manes or cut tails - or tail extensions. The mane should be trained to the right side for showing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## thealabamaredhead (Aug 16, 2010)

MagicDestiny said:


> Most arabians are shown with their faces clipped. It's to show off the refinement through the face and that's why it is done. However, I'm not sure if it is a requirement. I think you'd be okay if you didn't shave her face, as long as you weren't attending regionals or nationals or a big arab show like that.  Don't let clipping her face stop you from showing her though! Just shave her whiskers and bridle path and I think you'll be good.


 
cool, thanks


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## thealabamaredhead (Aug 16, 2010)

RoxanneElizabeth said:


> I have alsoo seen them rub vaseline into the muzzle and around the eyes to deepen pigment and give a sheen...but this was years ago. They also used to shove ginger paste in their butt for better tail carriage....tisk tisk....


yeah, i heard about the ginger...that's so mean. luckily kira holds her tail up naturally.


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## thealabamaredhead (Aug 16, 2010)

SEAmom said:


> I clip my horse's ears, Bridle path, muzzle, and around his eyes in the summer for shows. We go to local all breed shows and most of the horses there have clipped muzzles, bridle paths, and ears. For the show we just did a couoke of week ago, we clipped up to hos forehead in kind of a diamond shape. I do out vaseline and baby oil around his eyes since he's a halter horse. I also sand and polish his hooves. I've seen all breeds do the hooves, but arabs must keep their natural hoof color. Black stays black, white stays white, and striped stays striped. Natural mane and tail are expected - no pulled manes or cut tails - or tail extensions. The mane should be trained to the right side for showing.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


any trick for training her mane? i keep brushing it to the side but some of it falls back, it's still really short... she's only 7 months lol.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

The mane should be on the right side of her neck when you show (unless you're doing hunter because her mane will be braided anyway) because as you enter the ring, the judge wants to see her line. 

All of that aside, since she's so young, it will be a little trickier to train it. You can start by making small loose braids. Spray or wet the roots daily with water. If she rubs them, take them down. You can leave them in for a couple of weeks at a time. When she gets older, you can train her mane using a sleazy type of cover. I use that on mine before a show to take out some of the frizz from his mane - he has quite the afro puff mane, lol. He's also almost 3 so his mane is considerably longer than your 7 month old.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MagicDestiny (Dec 4, 2010)

Ginger was pretty popular several years back, but that practice is all but disappeared. At least from the shows I go to. It is also definitely illegal for shows!! As a matter of fact it's pretty easy to tell a gingered horse from a non-gingered one and they are promptly disqualified. 
As for training the mane to one side, you may just have to brush it a lot. SEAmom has some good information! Baby hair will tend to be poofy, and harder to lay flat.


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## RoxanneElizabeth (Dec 18, 2009)

Yes, this was several years ago that I saw the gingering, like 25 years ago! Good to hear it has been phased out.


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## Missdv (Nov 4, 2010)

I don't show mine but I trained Kalila's to stay with a 50/50 of mane&tail cond & water on the base of her mane soaking it good every day. Her mane was short and went every which way when I got her, now it lays down and stays. I trim her bridle path but her ears I leave alone, keeps flys out of them & here in florida we grow them in size & quantity.


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## Azale1 (Jul 5, 2010)

Arabs faces are clipped to show the refinement features in their heads. They are not shaved as many believe (illegal) they are clipped with a 50 blade which basically gives you the bald look cut. Then they have baby oil put over the eyes, muzzle, and ears to enhance the features even more.

Here is a diagram of how it is done.


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## thealabamaredhead (Aug 16, 2010)

Azale1 said:


> Arabs faces are clipped to show the refinement features in their heads. They are not shaved as many believe (illegal) they are clipped with a 50 blade which basically gives you the bald look cut. Then they have baby oil put over the eyes, muzzle, and ears to enhance the features even more.
> 
> Here is a diagram of how it is done.


wow, that looks like it requires some major skills that i don't have lol.


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## Azale1 (Jul 5, 2010)

It really isn't as difficult as it looks. The angles on the face are clearly there of where you need to clip.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

There really isn't a whole lot of skill involved. You're really just traces lines that are already on the horses face. We used a #40 blade on my horse for the first show this year on his face and ears and a #10 wide on his legs and fetlocks. It's time consuming more than anything else, especially if you have a young or impatient horse.


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