Glitter and Dye

[BSharpRanch]

So what is the big deal with glitter and AMHR? Seems silly that it is such a huge no-no but dying manes and tails is not. Using make-up on their faces is not. So why is glitter so evil?

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

My guess is "its just plain tacky." I agree fully glitter has no place in any class (outside of costume of course! There glitter makes it!

.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

My thought was how things that start okay become more and more extreme For example one person puts a little glitter on their horse and wins, the next person puts a little more.....and the next thing you know there will be a 4 legged sequin walking into the ring.

I think its about preserving the integrity of the sport and the image of the industry.

 

[Minimor]

I don't know why the rule was put into place--it was before my time & I have never asked anyone, but my thoughts are the same as those of fourluckyhorseshoes--someone starts out with a bit of glitter that rubbed off their shirt, that horse wins, someone else thinks that the glitter looked cute, so they try some glitter, and it just goes from bad to worse. Likewise, someone would surely try using the glitter hoof polish on their horse, and pretty soon the thought would be that if you want to win you have to put glitter on the hoofs...it is easier to make a rule prohibiting it than to have to deal with the issue after the show ring is full of sparkling little horses.

We want our minis to be taken seriously by people (and truth is there are many "big horse people" who make fun of the Minis--maybe not so much now, but I've seen it here not so long ago) and in my opinion not only is the glitter a little tacky, having a bunch of glittery horses in the ring would make the whole thing look kind of frivolous.

 

[Mo mhuirnín]

With all due respect I can't imagine anything worse than what is already present in the halter classes. Seriously how can you say glitter is tacky with all the abnormal postering and posing of these beautiful little horses.

 

[Minimor]

If course it would be worse--all the posturing of the handler with a glittering horse on the other end of the lead.

 

[Mo mhuirnín]

Good point.

 

[Marty]

Glitter? Really? Ok what'd I miss?

Seriously how can you say glitter is tacky with all the abnormal postering and posing of these beautiful little horses.

That well known chicken dance.

 

[Performancemini]

Well, I guess the western show riders started this mess (LOL, tongue in cheek!) and we have to blame Hobby Horse show apparel and the lot of 'em for it. I wonder if they get dq'd for getting the glitter on their horses? Every breed has "stuff" going on. I guess each of us has to decide where to draw the line personally and to also keep track of the current rules for our associations too.

 

[Riverrose28]

I remember, way back when, going to some high dollar sales at top trainers places and the horses were glittered all over. Those were the days when you could only afford to buy one, cause it cost several thousand dollars, then take it home and try like the dickens to wash all that glitter off. I hated it!

I think it depends on the judge with the glitter rule, obviously if they think it is intentional, that is horse is covered in it, then they will excuse that handler, but I do know I have seen some at shows with a little that it was obvious it fell off of a show shirt and the judges have let it go.

 

[Marty]

Anyone have a picture? This I have GOT to see

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I agree that glitter would be a bit abnoxious if allowed but also see where judges should take into consideration if there is the chance it just came off of the show clothes and isnt intentional. I also feel that ANY dying should be illegal. From what I have seen it has been taken too far, buckskins with more of a brown mane and tail are being dyed a coal black, greys that have only just started to grey out are having their hair dyed black to have better contrast, and have seen people using black makeup and spray on faces and legs which pretty sure by the rulebook is illegal already! JMO but I love the natural look of my horses and dont want to change that natural look with artificial color or enhancements.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

Are we talking about a different kind of dye? I see nothing wrong with dying a bay horse's mane that has been sun-bleached. I'm sure that it is much better for the horse than keeping them in the stall 24/7 to protect them from the sun.

No flames please...just my opinion.

 

[BSharpRanch]

I just find some of the rules a bit crazy. No glitter, but we can alter the color of the horses mane/tail. We cannot use a fake tail but can shave all the hair off the face and use black make-up to alter the color of the face. But it is against the rules to use white chalk on the white markings, because that will change the look.

And i see nothing wrong with a sun-bleached black horse, I love the rich, chocolate bar look it gives to their coat. I see nothing wrong with hair on the muzzle, I think it looks really silly when the muzzle is shaved bare, same with the eyes.

Just my opinion, which really doen't mean anything at all.

P.S. I really like glittered hooves! doesn't look any more out of place then black polished hooves on a white legged horse. JMTCW.

 

[ohmt]

Fourluckyhorseshoes-I think that is why dying is allowed, but as Melinda said, it's taken much too far. There are so many silver buckskins (about half of the Buckeroo bred buckskins I see are really silver buckskin) out there who have their manes/tails and leg color actually changed. Their natural colors are a brownish to gray area.....why can't people spot silver buckskins at shows? Because of the dying. And then there's the World Grand Champion gelding last year, who is shown in his grand photo to have extremely unnatural pitch black legs and then in another magazine issue shows that he doesn't have darker points at all. I can't even tell blue roans from greys at shows because of all the dying and black makeup. It's really THAT bad.

 

[Mo mhuirnín]

I just find some of the rules a bit crazy. No glitter, but we can alter the color of the horses mane/tail. We cannot use a fake tail but can shave all the hair off the face and use black make-up to alter the color of the face. But it is against the rules to use white chalk on the white markings, because that will change the look.

And i see nothing wrong with a sun-bleached black horse, I love the rich, chocolate bar look it gives to their coat. I see nothing wrong with hair on the muzzle, I think it looks really silly when the muzzle is shaved bare, same with the eyes.

Just my opinion, which really doen't mean anything at all.

P.S. I really like glittered hooves! doesn't look any more out of place then black polished hooves on a white legged horse. JMTCW.

 

[Mo mhuirnín]

I agree BSharpRanch. Why are we always trying to changes things that are already beautiful!

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

P.S. I really like glittered hooves! doesn't look any more out of place then black polished hooves on a white legged horse. JMTCW.

I do love glitter hooves, but I just can't see it for the show ring. I hope people don't think that I am some big glitter hater. I love lots of sparkle and bling. I just fear that it could get out of control in the show ring.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Kinda like everthing else?

 

[MiniNHF]

I dont mind the dying as long as it looks natural, but as many have said there are ones you see at the shows that it is OBVIOUS that the horses mane and tail especially is altered and sticks out like a sore thumb that it is not natural at all