Show prepping, help needed...

[SWA]

Hi,

I was hoping to show my mare, Bridget, in a show coming up next month. However, I don't want to full body clip her, as that's the time of year when it actually does get really cold here in Florida. I will "hopefully" be showing her myself, and being that this will be my very first time ever, (if I don't chicken out), in a show ring myself, I don't want to get myself all worked up in presenting her like how I know professionals can, and know that showing in full coat will likely hinder her placement chances...but I mainly just want to take her in a class or two, just to see if I even "can".

So no need in putting her through getting her in topnotch show coat with a full body clip and all. Still though, I do hope to make at least a presentable show presentation of her...just with full coat. That said, has any one else ever shown in full coat before? If so, what sort of grooming tips can you offer?

I will still do her up with a muzzle shave and jawline trimmed of any scraggly winter bearded woolies, and bridle path and all. Is there anything else beyond that, that I should do though? Oh, her feet will be trimmed, should I do anything with the fetlocks or around the coronet bands, or just leave them be? I will also put some clear hoof polish on her too.

I'd be grateful for any other tips you might can share, for showing in full coat.

Thanks so much for any help,

Tanya

 

[mizbeth]

Hi

I have never shown a miniature horse in full coat, not even in the summer. So I have no advise for you in that regard, but I think if I wanted to show a pretty little mare like her I would want to clip her so everyone can see how nice she really is!

You can always blanket her and add heat lamp if you need to. I would not think Florida would be very cold for long.

Good luck......

 

[SWA]

Awe, thanks so much for your kind compliments of my Bridgy.

I don't really have the appropriate equipment to clip her myself, and I know folks at the show grounds would be super busy with all their own, and wouldn't want to put anyone out. So I've just resolved to taking her with a full coat, at least for now.

It'll be my very first time showing myself, and have no idea what to do once I get in the ring anyways, other than watching everyone else and trying to pick up what I can.

So for my first time, it's really going to be a "just for the fun of learning it all" kind of showing her. We'll see how it all goes I guess.

Thanks again so much for your kind compliments of Bridgy, that was so sweet of you.

 

[ruffian]

Sure you can show in a full coat. You just have to be clever about blending. The head and throatlatch and ears should be clipped, and blended into the neck. Clip the bridle path and blend the edges.

The fetlocks should all be trimmed close, and around the top of the hooves also. Make sure she's squeaky clean, and once you've bathed her, spray her with Show sheen, and run your hands with the hair to smooth it out while she's wet.

Make up and hoof polish and you should be good.

But don't be surprised or disappointed if you don't place as well as you should. I had one judge tell me that I would have placed higher if I had bothered to clip my horse - and he had been body clipped with a 14 just 2 weeks before!!

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[kaykay]

Hi Tanya

first and foremost go and have fun! You will learn alot just by getting out there in the ring. Here in the colder states its not uncommon to see horses shown in full coat. Lennie used to have winter shows and we would all go without body clipping. I think it was a lot of fun.

Like said above just be sure and really clean her up and clip what you can. I would clip the feathers off on the fetlocks as this gives the illusion of a longer leg. Especially if you cant clip the rest. I would probably do her whole head and neck. Especially if she has a nice neck. Then just groom her as best you can and go have fun

 

[SWA]

Thanks so much for all your helpful tips, Ruffian & Kay.

Ok, this gives me much to go on with thinking things over with how to present her now. Thank you so much!

Ruffian, if I show her in full coat, it won't be for having not bothered to clip her.

I have some physical challenges that I won't elaborate of on here, as I'm sure most already know anyways.

In addition to my inadequate equipment, though. I was just giving full blame on my lack of proper equipment so as not to whine about my physical problems.

If I am able, I might still go ahead and clip her full body, I just don't know how "I" will hold up once I start that kind of a project. I'm afraid if I start, I won't have the ability left in me to follow through with taking her in the ring. Without going into a saga of what I go through in a "normal day", as for doing anything extra, like showing, it comes down to choosing which to actually do, come time to do it....clip her all pretty and then not be able to take her, or not clip her fully and take her...I hope that makes sense.

(Which is why I resorted to having her shown for me last year...I know I couldn't have done all they were able for her).

I do want to take her myself this year though, with all my heart! I just don't know if I would be able to do the full extent of show grooming and then also show her too...so I'm kind of just trying to figure out how I can do both, and not end up physically paying dearly for it, in the days to weeks that follow from it.

Here are some examples of why I'm asking for grooming ideas...

Here she is, back in November of "07, after I clipped her with the clippers that I have...

It took me 3 days to clip her full body like that, and I mean to say, I paid dearly for it for weeks afterwards.

It felt good to see her all done up though, but it was a major undertaking for me, and I was not able to take her on to a show after that.

As for the grooming job itself, my clippers are the gigantic oster clippers that I think are actually cattle clippers (as they are what we used, back in HS when I showed my steers in FFA). Her face was done with my old "Stable Pro" clippers, and I had a new blade for it, but still, it was definately not a "show worthy" clip/shave job that I did, and it kicked my behind, BUT GOOD, trying to do her as I could.

The following year, I finally decided to try to find someone to show her for me, and was just so grateful to Roger & Dale of Florida Show Time Center for taking her for me. Here is the "professional" clip/shave they gave her...(taken May '08).

HUGE DIFFERENCE! LOL!

I just don't have the proper equipment (nor, "know how") to do such a beautiful justice to her, that they accomplished. And even if I had the equipment, I don't have the physical ability...and then be able to show her too.

Someone suggested I have someone at the show clip her for me, but I know how busy and super hectic it can get at shows, and I don't want to be a contributer to anyone's already hectic time of it, so don't know if that will be an option, as I wouldn't want to put anyone out anyways.

So, if when time comes to show her, and I don't have it in me to clip her myself, I want to still try with all my heart to just have fun showing with her (as Kay also stated).

So may end up taking her in full coat...with however much show prepping I "am" able for.

Here are some pics I took of her this past November, taken about 2 weeks after I took her to our last Fall Festival with her. So she has about 2 weeks of growing back out (on her face/jaw line), from when I clipped her up for that. Can you tell me if her face trimmed up like this would be ok, (minus the 2 weeks of re-growth, LOL)?

I will also trim her fetlocks and coronet bands, as ya'll have suggested, and she'll definately be bathed and show sheened, etc. Along with hoof polish. Should I still shave the insides of her ears too, or just trim them up?

Thanks again, for all your help. However I do end up "doing her up", she will definately be presented to the best of my "abilities".

I know she may not place well, if in full coat, but I'm hoping to just go and to try to have fun doing it, and hopefully not end up paying dearly from it, LOL.

 

[kaykay]

Tanya I would not do inside the ear. I would just trim off what shows outside the ear. You will be fine!!

I dont think its bad though to ask if anyone at the show would clip her. I had to do this once when my clippers broke and found someone happy to do it. I did pay them but it was so worth the money.

Go and have funnnnnnnnnnn

 

[SWA]

Thanks so much Kay.

Ok, I will just trim her ears up.

I think I will go ahead and just take her full coat, with all the prepping that I am able for, and then, once I get there, if I find someone who might have time to spare to clip her, then will go ahead with that too.

I'll bring my extra blankets too, just in case.

Thanks again, so much, for everyone's help!

Warmest appreciations,

Tanya

 

[susanne]

Tanya, you may remember this photo of Mingus at a schooling show.

My motive was simply to get our feet wet, so I wasn't about to do a full body clip in mid-March. I planned on doing just a head and neck clip and then couldn't stand the thought of not showing off his nice legs...the result: the llama cut.

I'd like to say that I had him brand-spankin clean, but just as we were to go into the ring, I realized that I had missed a couple of mud dingleballs on his belly...

We got 2nd place.

Go and have fun. You know why you're doing the show and why you don't want to clip, so stick with it. If anyone gets their nickers in a twist, that's their problem. And don't be too surprised if your gorgeous little girl beats a lot of perfectly clipped horses.

 

[My-Lil-Pony]

What a handsome boy Mingus is!

Good luck at your show have fun!!

 

[SWA]

Awe, I do remember that photo of Mingus.

He is such a handsome boy!

Thanks so much, I think Bridgy might go sporting the Llama look too, LOL! We'll see how things go I guess.

 

[End Level Farms]

Here in the lowermaind land of British Columbia we have tons of people who advertise all over at the tack stores and stuff to clip for x amount of dollars some are cheap others are not.

I find the medium priced ones have been the best result.

My fiance is simply WONDERFUL at clipping though it kills her physically as well. She pays for body clipping for days and sometimes weeks after. That is the reason she is trying to teach me how to do it. Though its hard for me as well because Im a big guy. Over 6' . Alll I have to say is thank goodness most of ours are B sized. I would really hate trying to clip something under 30". The babies are bad enough and those we put on the pick nick table.

 

[ropenride]

Does she shed out nicely in the summer? If you have her in the barn you might try putting a blanket on and turning the lights on for 16 hours/day. The light will trick her brain into "shed" mode and she'll start loosing some hair. That may help slick her up a bit for you. the light should be bright enough you can read a newspaper in the stall. Whatever you do.....HAVE FUN!!!! She's a doll

Be sure and let us know how it goes!!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Like Kay said, first thing - have fun!

Now if you think you can manage it, I'd clip her head and neck like Mingus. She's gorgeous and if they can see that head of hers it would be great! But, she's so pretty that you can even see it in her full coat!

Then make sure she's brushed very well, trip up the longer hairs on the backs of her legs and enjoy!! She's beautiful no matter how/if she'd clipped.

 

[albahurst]

Tanya-

It sounds like you have your goals in place- to go and have fun! Do what you have to to achieve that goal- whether it is to clip or not to clip or to have help. I am sure many would help you out and would love to do so.

You have a good time at the show and let us know how it goes

Peggy

PS I have been in your shoes. You will love going- just don't overdo it or you won't have as much fun.

 

[Minimor]

If you are going to show her full coated, if you blanket her even 20 minutes prior to the class and jog her around a bit (even a few circles on the longe line)--not enough to have her start to sweat! just to warm her up a little--then take the blanket off just before you go into the ring, that will help to lay the hair down flat and make her look a little less fluffy.