# How to prepare for a show



## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I bath my horse, just make sure shes all clean, and put a rug on for trailering, and shipping boots.

For braiding my horses mane is roached, but when she needed to be braided i asked my trainer to do it, it is very hard to braid rosettes! lol.

But what type of braid are you thinking of? what type of show are you going to?


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

I'm just taking him to a near by very well known schooling show... that tons of people go to. I'm worried him being a paint they might like...judge him if he dosent look nice and tidy. 

and he has a really long mane, I'm willing to pull it. Just this once hehe since its his first show but uhm simple hunter plaits or any tidy braiding on his mane and tail would be nice!


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

dressage? or hunter? or some type of western?


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

Hunter I guess it is...


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

oh! okay, then, make sure you clip your horses ears and little feathers on his 'heels' that will give him a nicer more cleaned up look. 
and his whiskers on his nose should be clipped to. Actually, at a schooling show i dont think you need to clip. just make sure he is very clean, his whites are white, and that he has hoof polish and is well turned out, you should be very neatly turned out too, no hair coming out from under your helmet, polished boots etc.etc.etc. 

and I would do hunter braids, Managing Mane Braiding - HorseChannel.com this looked liek a good website for it. 

Do you have a trainer or friend to help you clip and stuff if you do want to do that?


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

I do kinda !

Like My coach will prob help with his grooming but we both can't do braids aha. We suck. But I have a friend who might. Is it best to do it the night before? Also..

He has white feet I heard if you put baby powder on it it helps stay white and look good correct?


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

It depends on your horse, do you think your horse will rub them out? Is he kept outside overnight? do you have a sleezy for him? (they can be handy... to keep thebraids in) Sleazy Sleepwear for Horses, Stretch Hoods, Horse Grooming Blankets You can get a neck one, so the braids stay in. Some horses just rub anyway though. I like to braid the night before, and then fix the ones that get wrecked overnight. But if your horse will stay in a feild with others overnight diont braid, ive seen horses braids (hair and all) be ripped out by other hroses. 

Ive never heard of the baby powder, i have heard of using chalk though.


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

Thats a good idea.  Thank you. Wish more people would answer what THEY do as well. I kinda want a schedual.


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## paintluver (Apr 5, 2007)

When I show, I bathe Romeo the day of the show, but all of my shows are on later in the day.


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## anrz (Dec 21, 2008)

lf it's a small show, about four days out l give Thumper a bath, just so he's clean, but the oils have a chance to work their way up so his coat isn't all dull. The day before l clean all the tack and make sure l have everything ready. The shows l've done so far have started at 9:30 or 1:00, so l braid the morning of; Thumper rubs his mane and tail if you leave ANYTHlNG in them. l also usually will clean my tack one more time if l'm running ahead, groom, and then go get my jump courses so l have them ready when l need to memorize them. l also wash his white markings the day of so they don't have a chance to get dirty or covered in grass stains. He only has two socks, so l don't have to get him completely wet.


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## ellygraceee (May 26, 2010)

I generally get home from school on the Friday, feed up and then go have dinner myself. Turn on the float area lights, boil some water/shampoo mix so I can wash him once it's cooled a bit after adding cold water. Then I towel dry him and depending on the horse and the weather, I may use a hair dryer. Then I braid up (sewing my dressage plaits, tail and forelock). Spray the horse with Cowboy Magic and put on his rug bib, skinny hood, light rug, heavy rug, tail bag and stable bandages. Then let him chill in his stall for the night while I clean saddlery and get my clothes together. I use Equestriad 2001 on the computer to help me learn my dressage tests. 
On the morning before the show after we've floated him there, I brush him and go over him with a finishing cloth. I cover my braids with hairspray and add Mr Sheen Furniture Polish to his tail to make it shine. I paint his hooves and spray them with hairspray. I paint his white markings with white paint, wait till it dries and brush it out again. I then saddle up and make sure I have time for a huge warm up before the competition starts. 
I always have to follow this routine or my whole day is just out. =] I apologise for the novel =P


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## MaggiStar (Mar 19, 2010)

They day before set out absolutely everything you will need and clean it all spotless.
Ensure your riding hat is clean by steaming it over the kettle. Clean your boots/his boots. Put your nummnah and show clothes in the wash.

Clean your tack, wash your horse(wash him first then tie him and clean your tack beside him is quickest.

If your in a morning class i would plait the night before there is plaits you can do for your long mane without pulling it







http://www.google.ie/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=horse+plaiting+for+long+manes&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=


Then just give him a good groom. Trim hair from everywhere bridle path, ears(the fluffy bits that stick out) All his jaw and muzzle and legs and trim his tail.

Ensure you have a nice clean stable to out him in and get a ligh weight rug to throw on.

Then out all your stiff together all travel gear, first aid, grooming box and leave them all together so you can grab them quickly. Put all your tack into a pillow case to keep it clean including boots and nummnahs so nothing goes missing. Pack a water bucket and hay net as well then just out your clothes together and bring trackie bottoms and a top to wear over so you dont get mucky!
Then just enjoy the show!1


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks for the tips guys, I'm deff gonna get some hairspray from the dollarstore. But... what kind of paint do you use? I was kinda confused by that.

And really!? Whats the plait I can do with a long mane? The picture didnt show up!


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## MaggiStar (Mar 19, 2010)

Ok go to google and type plaits for long manes in and on the very first page of images it will show a kind of trellis plait and one that is a running plait.
If you go to your local tack shop there will loads of different brands of hoof oil either in a liquid form you apply with a brush or in a tar kind of form which cimes in a big tub and is easiest to apply using a cloth or sponge.


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_Sorry for the late reply....But hopefully it still helps! Have you had the show yet?_

_At a hunter schooling show in the Kitchener area, half the people braid and the other half don't. For ones at my barn, I dont because I find its expensive to pay someone else to do it for me, and I'm a cheapo! I have never gotten a crappy place because of not braiding either. I bath and clean tack the day before. I try to get out to the barn before all the kids do so that I can get warm water! Or take a kettle with you and boil some. (I work shift work, so if I cant make it to the barn the day before, I will bath whoever I am showing earlier in the week and then get to the barn early for spot cleaning and a quick tack clean...or another kid is showing him as well and let them bath him!) I wake up early in the morning to shower so that my hair is easier to braid and contain. You wont get as many frizzies this way. Get to the barn and brush. Dampen socks and put on baby powder and rub it in a bit with your hand. Do you go to Greenhawk or Bahrs in TO? They would have something like Rainmakers hoof stuff, and it puts a nice shine on the hoof, but if you ask a salesperson, they can give you better advice most likely. Go to the dollar store and buy bar towels and they can be used for last minute touch ups on you and the horse, as well as hot toweling in the winter...the best part, when they are done....you can throw them out and they are a cheap replacement!_


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## ellygraceee (May 26, 2010)

Hi unwoven, 
Sorry for the late reply - my computer choses to only send me _some_ notifications... 
The type of paint I use for hooves is just simple hoof black, which is availiable at most saddleries/horse shops and the type of paint that I use for their heads is either my own mixture of talcum powder, hairspray and water or special white paint from horse shops - I prefer the Champion Tails brand. I also have some bay paint and chestnut paint from Champion Tails to highlight their eyes and nose or you could just use Vaseline for that. 
Again, sorry for the late reply! I hope that cleared up some confusion about the paint that I use =P You probably won't need to paint your horse up depending on the show. It's only really hackies that do it.

- Just a hint to everyone who's reading this. I was once told by an international dressage judge that you should always be presented to your absolute VERY best if you want to succeed as it will make the judge unconsiously sit up and take notice. Otherwise, you won't stand out as much to them.


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