4 Tips on Preparing Your Horse for A Show
As exciting and thrilling it is to enter into a horse show, it is an entirely new territory. You have to be prepared to enter into the arena with your horse well equipped and ready for anything thrown their way on that day.
As you know, it is a ‘show’, which means that the exterior of the horse is just as vital as what is given to maintain the interior. This can be a stressful journey if you put too much pressure on yourself and the horse. Relax, take a deep breath, make a plan and enjoy this new adventure you and your horse are going on. Here are four basic tips on preparing your horse for a show:
Groom Everyday
You must start grooming your horse 365 days a year, no excuses. Their coat has to be in impeccable order if you want the horse to be the star of the show. By grooming you are intensifying the emotional connection between the two of you and elevating the healthy and shiny gleam on their coat. Make sure to get the dirt out of their hair, keep hooves spotless on a daily basis and brush the dock of the horse’s tail to increase hair growth.
Feed the Horse Right
It is time to start feeding the horse some coat-enriching grain. There a variety of feed products available which increase coat thickness, stimulates growth and brings that extra sparkle. Regularly include the right grain into their daily diet for at least a year before the show and you will surely see a stark difference. In addition, just in case you would like to add in that extra shine, feeding the horse a tiny amount of dried bread crumbs will do the trick!
Be Up to Date with Treatments
Always be on the look-out for the horse’s health and ensure all medical and nutritional needs are met. Make sure you are giving the horse the right amount of feed and exercise to ensure a healthy and beautiful horse is entering the show.
Not an underweight or overweight horse struggling with its own set of diseases. Constantly check up on the horse’s health, check for worms and ensure the animal is getting sufficient rest. In addition, visit the horse vet clinic. Be sure to check that all vaccinations have been given and that it has met all health standards.
Bathe and Clip
Bathe your horse a day prior to the show to make sure your horse is at its absolute cleanest. Then clip up all the hair that falls straight onto the hooves. This adds in some definition to your horse’s body shape and enhances the external display of your horse.
Judges will surely take a second look. However, if you plan on doing do a full-body clip, I would suggest you begin one to two weeks before the show. The last thing you need is a dull coat or mane. If you clip earlier the needed oil will produce in time for the show and make the horse hair nice and shiny.
It’s time to show off your horse and come out the next winner after following these tips!
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