New to Showing

[calmolly]

I am new to both minis and showing, our first show is the in 3 weeks and I'm panicing!

I have clipped both my colts...I got them in Feb and couldn't wait to see what they looked like under all that hair. I was wondering how long before a show should I body clip them again. In hunters we used to clip a few weeks before so they would smooth out and go glossy, but minis seem to just grow more hair! The closer the better or when?

They also have very thick, long manes, should I "pull" them or clip out underneath? I hate pulling manes and expect they will hate it too but I don't want to ruin their manes for the future. How long should they be?

And lastly...clothes for me. Should I wear black horsemanship pants, paddock boots and what for a top? Should it be like in QHs, a showy jacket, or a simple solid colored jacket? HELP! Where would I find what I need, Hobby Horse or where? What I mean is will this type of thing look 'right' in AMHA/R?

Thank you for any help you can give.

 

[Margot]

Most people clip their horses a few days before the show. Pulling is a lot of work so I clip mine underneath being careful not to take too much off at a time. I do pull for length, you don't want the manes so long that they are hiding the horse. Forlocks are trimmed to be fairly thin and gel is good to keep the forlock and mane smoothed down. Most people wear nice slacks and a blazer. Depending on the weather I have worn everything from turtlenecks to sleeveless shells underneath. For local shows held during the day a simple blazer is fine. The National shows usually brings out fancier jackets and tops. Paddock boots are fine. Good luck !

 

[targetsmom]

Welcome to the forum. We would love to see pics of your minis if you can post them!!!

Do you belong to a Miniature Horse Club? Sometimes that can help a lot, especially if you can find someone nearly who can mentor you. But I have learned pretty much on my own, so it can be done. Clipping can be easy or complicated - color of horse, season of the year, blade size, and personal preference all factor into the best time to clip. I have pintos and don't like the "pink" look, so I tend to clip earlier than many people ( up to a week before show) and use a #15 blade. Keep track of what you do so that you can figure out what works best for you.

Most people undercut manes to thin them, but you do have to keep that up. Pay close attention AT the show to see how others are clipped. Treat your first show as a learning experience and you should meet your goal!! I use old clipper blades to "pull" the mane to shorten it. So I am not really pulling hair out, but chopping it off at the desired length. But I tease the hair back the same way you would if you were pulling it. Length is personal taste - check photos on here and in magazines to see what you like. Bridle path length can also vary.

Lots of people get show jackets from Goodwill so if they get horse make-up on them it is no big loss. I use blazers from my working days, and make sure they have pockets (or my pants do) for grass or whatever you use for bait. Black slacks, black boots, a slinky, minimal jewelry and a show bow for my hair. If you want to look professional, get a number clip and make sure your hair doesn't cover you number. You can also use those nice number pins that riders use, but you don't see them much with minis because people tend to show lots of different minis and have to change numbers all the time.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[RedWagon]

Welcome from Georgia! You'll love the shows! Most people are super friendly & very helpful!

Where are you located & what show are you going to?