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In This Issue... CATCH the JUDGE's EYE SHOW-RING SHINE MANE & TAIL CARE

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AUGUST 2020 AUGUST In this issue... CATCH THE JUDGE’S EYE SHOW-RING SHINE MANE & TAIL CARE Brought to you by PHOTO BY JENNIFER PAULSON BY PHOTO HorseandRider.com And that’s why you ShowSheen.® Protect their coats and your time with ShowSheen.® It repels dust and dirt and prevents stains in addition to making • NEW your horses shine like the unicorns they are. BOTTLE• See how our new bottle makes coat care easier than ever at ShowSheen.com. • The world’s #1 horse hair detangler and grooming aid. ©2020 W.F. Young, Inc. 48185_WFYoung_ShowSheen_ConsumerPrintAd_FullPageV2_AIM_FA_rg.indd 1 7/2/20 11:29 AM BY CYNTHIA MCFARLAND, PHOTOS BY JENNIFER PAULSON MAKE THAT FIRST IMPRESSION COUNT WITH AUGUST GROOMING We tell you what judges are looking for when it comes to grooming. How a horse is turned out in grooming plays a huge role in overall eye appeal and first impressions when you’re in the show arena. 3 | AUGUST HORSE&RIDER MONTHLY he moment you enter the show ring, your horse is on display. TAll your diligent grooming efforts are about to pay off. Making a memorable first impression happens in seconds, but it takes much longer to achieve. It’s the result of good horsemanship, proper nutrition, and many hours of hard work. You can’t just decide to start grooming the week before a show or event and expect to have good results. “How a horse is turned out in grooming plays a huge role in overall eye appeal and first impressions. His appearance also automatically gives you an idea of that horse’s overall health,” notes Tina Anderson, who has been an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) judge for 15 years. A lifelong horse owner, Anderson has her PhD in equine ortho- pedics; she’s also worked in the field of equine nutrition, and is now Director of New Product Strategy and Development at Farnam Companies, Inc. Having shown for years, Anderson now finds herself a “horse-show mom” and regularly helps her teenage daughter, who competes at the national level. “One thing a lot of exhibitors don’t understand is that the judges get a very short window to evaluate your horse, whether in halter, Western pleasure, Western riding, or even reining,” says Anderson. “If you were to use a stopwatch, it would be a very short amount of time. Just as when you’re meeting a person, you want to make a very good AUGUSTfirst impression. When I’m looking at any horse, that first impression is where I start, whether consciously or unconsciously.” A LITTLE EXTRA You’ll want to enhance your horse’s basic grooming routine with a bit of extra pizzazz when it comes to the show ring. But what are judges looking for? Beyond an incredibly clean, neatly groomed horse, judges want to see that you’ve paid attention to detail. “A little face ‘grease’ will add a finishing touch to highlight and maintain shine around the eyes and muzzle,” says Anderson. In addition, “When a judge is close to the horse, especially in class- es like halter and showmanship, they pay a lot of attention to hooves,” she says. “To start with, you want a healthy hoof, and it goes without saying that the feet should be very clean inside and out. The horse should be up to date on trimming or shoeing, so the feet aren’t exces- sively long. In addition to clipping the legs and fetlocks, you should clip the hair around the coronet band, so you have a finished look. With stock horse breeds, the majority of people still use hoof black on dark hooves. If the horse has a white leg, you can just use a clear hoof polish or a shine on that hoof.” When applying hoof polish, take your time and make sure to go all the way around the hoof to the bulb and down so the entire hoof surface is neatly covered. Be careful at the hairline that you don’t get polish on the hair. Hoof polishing isn’t as easy as you might think, so you may want to practice before show day. THINGS TO AVOID If you’re serious about showing, there are some things you can’t put off. Ignore them and your horse won’t catch the judge’s eye…or at When a judge is close to your horse they pay a lot of attention to how well least, not in a positive way. → you’ve groomed your horse. 4 | AUGUST HORSE&RIDER MONTHLY A sun-faded hair coat is a big no-no. It to encourage growth, you’ll want to protect • Don’t leave an extension in overnight; it’s doesn’t happen overnight, and it can’t be that tail hair when your horse is stabled or meant for competition only. remedied quickly. Ideally, your horse’s coat turned out. Braiding hair on hair can cause Whether you use tail extensions or your is protected year-round, but at the very breakage, which is why experts recommend horse naturally has a long, thick tail, don’t least you’ll want to start protecting his coat Lycra tail “tubes.” Just divide the tail hair let static electricity spoil the look. Spray the 90 days before you begin showing. A bare into three sections, insert each section into inside of his hind legs with a silicone-base minimum would be 60 days. a tube and then braid the tubes together. grooming product. You’ll also want to make Stable him during the peak sun hours, or The tail is protected from sun, mud, manure sure his chestnuts (the oval spots inside if you want to turn him out, use a summer and breakage. Plus, it won’t be a tangled the legs near the hock and knee) are super sheet or fly sheet. You may also want to use mess when you undo it. smooth. Rough chestnuts can snag the tail a coat conditioner that contains SPF for ex- In the stock horse industry, big, thick tails and keep it from flowing freely. tra sun protection. There are supplements are hot right now, and many exhibitors use Even if the show ring isn’t your end goal, on the market designed to bring out coat tail extensions. Some riders like weighted you still want your horse to look his best, so color and shine, but they’ll work best if tails, as this encourages the horse to carry make grooming a regular routine. Beyond you also protect your horse from too much the tail flat against the rump. keeping your horse clean, it’s an excellent sun exposure. A few caveats to remember when using a way to get your hands on your horse from Another appearance no-no is a scruffy tail tail extension: head to tail. This allows you to discover any with broken-off hairs. Judges want to see • Be sure the color completely matches potential health concerns (ticks, scratches, a clean, free-flowing tail. It doesn’t have to your horse’s natural tail color. swelling, heat, abrasions, etc.) before they drag the ground (although some do!), but it • Don’t go too thick! If the extension is need support. Plus, grooming is just a great needs to look healthy and luxurious. too thick, it will get caught between the way to spend time with your horse while In addition to providing optimal nutrition horse’s back legs and look obviously false. enjoying his company. AUGUST xx 5 | AUGUST HORSE&RIDER MONTHLY Mother Nature’s strongest antimicrobials transformed into a wound repair formula unlike any other. Silver Honey Rapid Wound Repair is the first and only formula with Manuka Honey plus MicroSilver BG™, proven to stop 99.9% of bacteria immediately to start healing faster. While tough on bacteria, this revolutionary combination is gentle on skin, moisturizing and protecting the skin’s natural biome. Discover the remarkable science behind the formula at SilverHoney.com. Natural, proven ingredients Immediately stops 99.9% of bacteria Hypochlorous acid free Safe for horses, dogs and all animals Before After “It’s the most dramatic change we’ve seen in the two years of wound management.” – Michael Stewart, DVM Two-year-old wound Post-treatment with Silver Honey ©2019 W.F. Young, Inc. 49764_SilverHoney_v1_EquiManagement_FA_rg.indd 1 9/16/19 10:52 AM BY BOB AVILA, WITH SUE M. COPELAND, PHOTOS BY MARC LAXINETA, DVM An oil-based shine product can help highlight the black points on your horse’s head and face. We also banded this gelding’s forelock, which made for a tidy, polished look. TIPS FOR SHOW-RING SHINE Use these pre-show spiff-up tips to prep your horse for an 9eye-catching performance. 7 | AUGUST HORSE&RIDER MONTHLY irst impression: It’s that moment when a judge gets his initial look at Fyou and your horse when you walk into the show pen. A positive one can help set the tone for the rest of your perfor- mance. One simple way to do that is to make sure your horse looks his best. How? With a little time and elbow grease, some inexpensive grooming products, and these nine tips. The Prep Tip #1: Start with a clean horse. Bathe your horse’s body, then shampoo and condi- tion his mane and tail. Not only will his coat look its best, but you’ll also help minimize wear and tear on your clippers. (There’s nothing like a dirty horse to wreck a set of clipper blades!) Let him dry completely. Tip #2: Clip your horse’s legs.
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