How to Prepare for a Horse Show - wikiHow

Steps

1. 1
   Bathe your horse to get every part of him or her squeaky clean. It's best to give your horse a bath a few days before the show to allow time for the natural coat oils to return and make him or her gleam. then another bath the day(s)before you show. However, if you are already running out of time, coat your horse in some shine-enhancing formula after he or she is dry - beware of using this around the saddle area though, as you don't want any slipping saddles in jumping classes
2. 2
   Clip the fetlocks on your horse's legs closely, as well as the longer hairs that grow on your horse's muzzle, face, ears, and throat. Also, always clip your horse a nice, clean bridle path - for stock horses, the length of the ear but for light breeds about an ear and a half. Clipping adds definition to your horse's body shape and improves the overall presentation before the judge. The judge will always choose a great performance over a mediocre one, and presentation is a key part in the judging process.
3. 3
   Decide what to do with his or her mane. The style mainly depends on your horse's breed and the discipline (type) of the show or class, but here are the basic styles:
   
   
   • For English events such as Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt seat equitation, jumping, or Dressage, pull your horse's mane to around four inches (the width of your hand) and then braid it with yarn that matches you horses mane so it will blend in. The braid is then pulled upward to create a loop. Then, with the extra string (from braiding), tie off a little before the middle of the loop, creating a button.
   • Whether or not to braid the tail also depends on the discipline. Typically, Hunter competitors do braid the tail but Eventing competitors do not, even for Dressage. FEI regulations do not require braiding. To braid the tail, simply do a French braid, taking very small sections from the sides, starting at the top. You should braid down to almost the end of the tail bone. If you are showing your horse in western events such as Western Pleasure or Trail, banding your horse's mane is a good idea. Banding tends to make a thick neck appear thinner and makes your horse appear well-groomed and finished. To band a horse's mane, you must first shorten it to an appropriate length, probably around four and a half inches. Then you take about one inch sections of the hair and wrap a small braid binder of some sort tight around it. Be careful, however, not to wrap it too close to the neck as to it will stick up like a mohawk. Repeat the banding process until you have run out of mane. Try to keep the band even and laying flat.
   • English and western riders often sand the horses hooves to make them smooth, then apply hoof polish. Paint black hoof polish on your horse's clean black hooves (use clear polish on hooves that are not black). This should all be done on a clean hard surface. However, different breeds have different specifications for this.
   • Make sure you look your best, now that your horse is all set to go. .
     
     For western competitions, always wear an outfit that makes your horse stand out and color coordinates with your saddle pad. This will add great style to your overall presentation. For a local show, a button up western shirt, nice show pants, boots, and a belt may be very acceptable. But for more competitive shows, everyone will be wearing more elaborate garments such as form fitting silkies and vests, expensive chaps, etc. If your budget will not allow you to make these purchases, as long as your outfit complements yourself as well as your horse, then you have nothing to worry about.
     
     
     • Dark colors on light horses, and lighter colors on dark horses tend to draw more attention to them.
     • It's not recommended to wear an all-black outfit in the show ring. Most of your competition will also be wearing it and you will want to stand out among everyone else. A deep purple or midnight blue is a great alternative.
     • Your chaps, boots, and hat will look very smooth if matched in the same color so it would be a good idea to do so.
     Once you have your outfit together, assemble a test drive to make sure everything matches, fits, and is comfortable so you have no surprises on show day. For hunt seat you should be wearing a dark and/or traditional coat (navy, black, hunter green, tan, gray, brown, copper... this depends partially on the current fashion for the individual breed, as well as rules set by your breed and/or division rules) and breeches that complement, generally a light neutral or white color. Your shirt should have a stock collar and pin, or a ratcatcher collar, and your boots should be highly shined, and your gloves should match your boots; black is the recommended color. The glove should successfully keep any bare flesh from being seen between your hands and the sleeve of your jacket. For saddle seat you need a full suit: day coat and matching pants with shined jodhpur boots and either a derby hat for the female riders, or a fedora for the male riders, that accents your outfit. In saddle seat you need to look more professional so it an outfit that is a color that works for you and the horse. The vest, shirt, tie, and suit should all be complementary, both to you as the rider, as well as the horse. However, only the jodhpurs and the day coat need to match exactly. These should be bought as a set, as attempting to match fabrics with disparate articles of clothing can be a nightmare. Again, black gloves that do not allow your wrists to show at any time are recommended. # Something to think about, especially for Western riders: Bright bold colors such as reds, pinks, and blues make you stand out in a crowd. This has its downfall however. If you are new to the sport, or have a greener horse, you might not want all of the judge's attention on you. Sometimes it is better to blend in. On the other hand, if you are confident in your skills and the skills of your horse, but suffer the curse of the bay horse (the curse where you ride a bay horse in a sea of other bay horses), a bright bold color can make all the difference.
   • Use the proper tack for your discipline.
     
     For the western events, use a complete leather bridle, western saddle, and saddle pad. Your outfit looks very put together if your reins, headstall, and saddle are in one leather color. Lighter oil colors make dark horses stand out but darker colors can look just as good depending on your particular horse's color.

edit Tips

• Ensure that water is always available to your horse at all times, with the exception of the time spent cooling off after a class or workout.
• Make sure your pony's fetlocks, bridle path, muzzle and ears are clipped. Put equestrian make up available from saddleries on your horses muzzle, and near the eyes to make it shine. Make sure that all dust has been cleaned from your horse. Do -not- use any sort of shine oil on any part of the horse; dust will accumulate on it.
• Alternatively, put down rubber or heavy foam mats on the ground in your grooming area, to allow the hoof black to dry. Once the hoof black is completely dry, dirt may be wiped off with a dry towel.
• Always wear long hair in a low ponytail, snood, or show bow while showing, unless you are showing hunter/jumper or dressage. For more competitive shows, all hair should absolutely be under your helmet, or tight into a neat, tight bun in a hairnet at the back of your head, just barely below your hat or helmet.
• Clean all tack before loading to go to your show. In some disciplines, judges count off for anything dirty in the show ring, including your boots.
• Gloves are preferred in many types of classes. For some Dressage and Eventing levels they are required.
• Make sure your number can be seen at all times so that the ring steward or judge doesn't have to ask you to adjust anything for visibility. It should be pinned to the back of your coat or western shirt, level with the middle of your back or on both sides of your saddle pad.
• Don't look down at your horse while riding, this creates a defeatist look. Instead, look straight ahead and always have a smile on your face. Most likely when the judge sees you, a smile will come to them too.
• Look like you've already won the class even if it's just beginning.
• Make sure your spurs will stay on your boots. If you lose them, you'll have a hard time finding them and your horse might not perform as well. If your spurs are slip ons, write your name on them with permanent marker and put a sticker on them with your show number.
• Spray hairspray on your forehead and on the inside of your hat before you put it on. It will make it stick. Then, secure the hat with Bobby Pins. Another alternative is using carpenter's tape; it's double sided and will keep your hat on under any circumstance.
• If you lose a stirrup in a pleasure class, wait until the judge isn't looking to fix it.
• When the judge asks you to back up at the end of a pleasure class, try to move your hands as little as possible.
• If you are going to touch up your horse's hooves with permanent marker or black shoe polish, don't use a lot. If you can, try not to use any at all, including all non-horsey products. They are not meant for horses' feet and can damage them by making them brittle and making your horse's hooves snap, crack, etc. Instead, buy a good tin of show hoof polish; this is meant for using on horses' feet in shows. Your local saddlery should most definitely sell it. Remember, no hooves, no horse.
• Don't worry about the other competitors. Act as if you were riding alone in your home arena. It will calm your nerves, and encourage you to pay attention to your own riding. Of course, be alert, and avoid running into the other riders in the ring.
• If clipping your pony for the show season, clip them 2 weeks before your first show, that way a healthy new coat will grown in, and there will be no visible line marks from the clippers.
• If your horse is white, you should consider chalking your horses legs, and massage it in, so it makes the legs look whiter.
• Stay calm and in control. Judges don't like to see horses misbehaving, and they certainly don't want to see the rider panicking.
• If you have a white horse, then chalk or baby powder is always a handy tool, and works really well on white legs.
• before you go into the show ring do one final brush to make sure you have everything.
• While at a day long show, do not sit on your horse. Give him a break, get off and find yourself a chair. He'll be more likely to drink, relax and be fresh for your next class if you get off his back.
• Before entering the ring for a jumping class say the course (the jumps in order) out loud from memory to make sure that you know it. Going 'off course' is cause for elimination.

edit Warnings

• Do not apply Show Sheen on the mane or tail before braiding, it is too hard to braid as the mane becomes slippery.
• Do not brush your horse's tail during the off season, instead keep it in a tail bag and put coco butter on it every week, this causes the tail to become rich and thick and when the show season comes along brush the tail before the show once, you will have the best braiding tail and the thickest tail at the show! Also, unbraid and untangle the tail and mane periodically throughout the off-season, to avoid a nightmarish disaster come spring and the show season when you might discover a tangled mess.
• Never complain to the judge on why you did not place the way you wanted to. Instead, try and ask for reasons why you placed the way you did; it makes a better impression, and gives you more knowledge of the weaknesses you must address as a rider.
• Do not apply any shine-enhancing spray to areas where the saddle goes. It will cause the saddle to slip a lot.
• Do not apply coat shine products to the wither end of the mane. This can make your reins slippery whilst riding which makes it very difficult to hold onto them, especially if jumping.
• When changing for classes, do not tie the horse up using the reins. If they pull back and break them you cannot show. Also If a Horse pulls back it can seriously harm their teeth; there have been occasions where horses have broken teeth in that manner.
• Don't get too close to other horses in the arena as they can injure you or your horse as they kick out. Horses wearing a red ribbon on their tail indicates that they may kick, and horses wearing a green ribbon are young or inexperienced.
• Horses can get spooked easily at shows. so if it is your first time or your horse isn't quite adjusted to the show grounds, they may pull back at your trailer, so keep your eyes on them!
• Always tie your horse up using a halter and lead rope- remember to use a quick release knot.
• If you have to band your horses mane or tail, never use conditioner, or show sheen, in the mane, as the bands will easily fall off.
• Don't clip the hairs or feather of a breed that is supposed to be hairy (such as native breeds) and have feather. Shires, Clydesdales, Friesians, Fell Ponies, Gypsy Vanners, Arabians, and several other breeds are supposed to have feathers. Cutting it off will cause you to lose points, especially in the breed ring.
• Show Sheen actually DRIES OUT the hairs, so it is best to not apply them to the mane or tail, as it could cause the hairs to become brittle and break easily. For the mane and tail, a good product to use is Cowboy Magic. It conditions the hairs and makes the mane and tail very healthy and shiny.
• use shoe polish around the horses eyes, and muzzle, applying with a damp sponge. then apply vaseline(petroleum jelly) over the shoe polish :) and you will have a beautiful horse, p.s this is makeup for GREYS ONLY!

edit Things You'll Need

• For the horse:
  
  
  • Feed
  • Buckets, one water, one feed
  • Hay
  • Bedding
  • Snaps to hang buckets
  • Fan and extension cords
  • Rubber mats for stall floor
  • Show Halter
  • Show Lead
  • Saddles
  • Saddle Pads
  • Girth
  • Bridles
  • Bridle Bag (for show bridles and show halter)
  • extra set of reins (in case one set breaks)
  • Saddle Racks
  • Portable Tack Racks
  • Tack Box
  • Light Sheet (weather permitting)
  • Sleezy
  • Hoof Pick
  • Hard Brush
  • Soft Brush
  • Face Brush
  • Hair Brush or mane comb
  • Horse Shampoo and Conditioner
  • Showsheen/Cowboy Magic
  • Hoof Black or Clear
  • Fly Spray
  • Longe Line
  • Longe Whip
  • Splint Boots
  • Rubber Bands
  • Braid Comb
  • Clippers
  • scissors
  • wipes
  • Wraps
  • Vet Wrap (just in case)
  • sponge
  • towels
  • sweat scraper
  • small bucket to contain water to sponge down your horse- not for drinking!
  • Basic horse first aid supplies
  • Muck Bucket/Fork
• For you:
  
  
  • Show Jacket
  • Show Shirt (shirts get sweaty quickly, bring spares!)
  • Collar Pin
  • Breeches or jodhpurs (extras are good, in case one pair gets too sweaty or soiled)
  • Clean, crisp, ironed blue jeans or show pants
  • Western event show shirts (neck scarf, necklace, if needed)
  • Hangers and Dry Cleaner Bags (Helps keep clothes clean)
  • Western Hat (Showmanship)
  • Hat box
  • Belt
  • Chaps
  • Helmet
  • Lint Roller
  • Show Boots (Make sure they stay shined, unscuffed, and in good repair!)
  • Spurs (well fitted)
  • Hair Nets
  • Hair Ties
  • Bobby Pins
  • Hair spray
  • gloves
  • rain gear
  • Any extras you might need for unforeseen problems/events