helpful pointers on showing a solid color filly?

[Cara]

[SIZE=14pt]hi guys,[/SIZE]

I have a fiend that is just sorta geting into minis she jsut got her 2nd one, she has done pretty good for her first year in the ring with her boy, but now she got this filly, black or grulla were not sure yet we jsut cliped her head and neck but of course u cant tell rly yet, anyway she has these big icey blue eyes she so cute, il post pics soon, i wanna help her as much as i can with her, i really think this filly with stand out in the ring, solid with blue eyes! anyway what are some tips for showing a black or a grulla horse? i think she will be black but u never rly know till they are fully cliped right.

i have never shown a dark solid colord horse before, what are com good shampoos and products? pics come soon, i really appericate it! Brit does too!

 

[Fanch]

I have shown a solid black gelding (though he does have ALOT of white flecs throughout his fur, and pinto grand-parents) and the best thing I find, is BOSS.

My guy, in 2007, went from this, with no boss, and freshly clipped(he had never been clipped before so he was a bit of trouble

)

http://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc111/S...ring2007038.jpg

To this by september; I added the boss 2 months before this picture was taken. This was only his 2nd clip of the year, but some of the rich color may be from having the year to color in, but this year, I gave boss from febuary, and MacDuff clipped out an almost black, so I believe it really does work.

http://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc111/S...Fair2007042.jpg

Best of luck to your friend and you with the filly!!

 

[kaykay]

First and most important is just plain old good nutrition. To me there is no quick gimmicks or additives that give a glow to a coat like just feeding them well.

We showed black all his yearling year and always got compliments on his coat. He always shines even when not clipped and showing. We did use shampoo for black horses on his body.

 

[susanne]

I agree with kaykay as to the great diet -- rather than restricting their diet, I feed them up and then give them LOTS of exercise. The only way I cut back on feed is about a week before a show, we cut back on hay and increase their beet pulp.

I have found that BOSS makes a huge difference with Mingus, making his coat glossier, but it has no visual effect on my sorrel pinto, red roan, or silver black. They benefit from the increased fat, but it doesn't show up like it does on Mingus' red bay coat.

I also avoid frequent baths, instead vaccuuming and brushing them frequently. When I do bathe them, I rinse profusely to get out all possible shampoo. Remember that the hair you see above the skin is dead -- once you see it, you can only maintain it. Too much bathing strips the oils from the coat, which you then have to try to replace. I try not to damage the coat in the first place rather than try to fix it.

Fanch, you've done very well with McDuff -- He looks great!

 

[Taylor Jo]

For in the future use, is Boss a food supplement you can get on line or is it a spray? And where can you get it, I want to remember it. Thanks, TJ

 

[Minimor]

BOSS is black oil sunflower seed so can be purchased anywhere you buy birdseed. Just make sure that the seed is 100% plain sunflower seed and that it has no additives meant for birds.

 

[Taylor Jo]

oh ok, humm, never heard of it. Interesting. I'll put it in my mini file when I need it I can use it. Thanks again, TJ

 

[Cara]

were can u buy BOSS online??

 

[kaykay]

You can get BOSS (black oil sunflower seed) at any walmart, feed store etc. Its just sunflower seeds for birds. You only give a little bit depending on the size of the horse (like 1/4 cup)

I tried it and didnt see any difference so dont use it but I know a lot that do

 

[ruffian]

Wow - Fanch - he looks awesome!!

I have had tremendous results with BOSS. My 2YO bay stallion is the 2008 AMHR Solid color over stallion, and all summer I had him on 1/2 C BOSS twice a day. He just glowed.

 

[lilfoot]

Cara,

We feed BOSS here at Littlefoot as well as Equus,

but not to weanlings that are not being shown.

Brit just needs to put her on our show diet later on.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Hey, I was thinking of future use, but would the Boss work on Black and White mini's???? I have one that's more black then white and one that's half and half.

Alway's looking for something to make them shiny. I'm using a powder right now called shine glo cause it helps they're tails grow, along w/ MTG, plus during show season I feed "corn oil" about a tablespoon once a day to give them that shine.

 

[Relic]

We ran into a problem using Boss on my daughters mare and one of the stallions that required vet help so took all the minis of it and started them on flax which they get year round...

 

[Cara]

HaHa i didnt know that sandy maybe is should talk to you about these things and ya, i just rly think that blackberry could be a rly nice girly if brit stays on her i wanna help brit with her! lol cant wait till spring to clip

 

[Bess Kelly]

Personally, I feel flaxseed does more for all colors. I buy at feed store, use whole -- or ground bought in WalMart, baking section. Even the WHITE will shine! Shampooed or not

I do feed 16% soybean based pellets yr round, and BP. But, the flax just enhances all colors.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Derr, I forgot that I was giving flaxseed but I was only giving 2 tbl spoons at a time. Not to sure how much to give? TJ

 

[Katiean]

Hey, I was thinking of future use, but would the Boss work on Black and White mini's???? I have one that's more black then white and one that's half and half. Alway's looking for something to make them shiny. I'm using a powder right now called shine glo cause it helps they're tails grow, along w/ MTG, plus during show season I feed "corn oil" about a tablespoon once a day to give them that shine.

BOSS works. We used it in our show rabbits to get the coats in condition. Another thing I would use was calf mana. Using a 2 cup scoop I took 3 scoops of regular feed, 1 scoop of calf mana and 1 scoop of COB. I mixed it and fed each animal the same amount of the mixed feed as I would the strait feed. Mixing this feed was less problem then adding the BOSS to the feed. If it works with rabbits why would it not work with horses?

 

[Charlotte]

First and most important is just plain old good nutrition. To me there is no quick gimmicks or additives that give a glow to a coat like just feeding them well.

Ditto Kaykay!

there is just nothing better for the coat than a good balanced diet. No supplements, nothing you can put 'on' the horse. People are always asking me what I put on our show horses to make them shine like that and when I say nothing they think I'm just keeping a secret from them. But I'm not.

You want to be sure you have a good layer of fat under the skin as this is what provides the oil to nourish the hair. It is hard, or downright impossible, to get that 'glow' on a thin horse.

This is Star Skipper. Photo taken in late August after an Oklahoma summer out in the sun. Just a bath. There is nothing on his coat. This is the glow I want to see on my show horses. Some colors are better than others to shine up, but dark colors will shine the most.

Why don[t you take some before pictures and then later show us some 'after' pictures? I'd love to see.

Charlotte

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Nutrition is key as everyone mentioned. As for shampoo we use a baby shampoo on heads and Quicksilver of Quickcolor for the body. There are a number of color enhancing shampoos out there and especially with white horses the one ones that have bluing in it seem to really help.

 

[Taylor Jo]

I agree good nutrition is a must. I also bath mine during show season just before I show, with Cowboy Magic Magic Shine in Yellow Out cause my horses are black and white and I use the Cowboy Magic Conditioner. Good stuff. TJ