Winter show day turnout using MastaCare
To achieve an all year round healthy skin and coat, it is vital to provide high quality nutrition. I feed my horses Blue Chip Pro Feed Balancer alongside roughage. They have dapples and gleam throughout the seasons on this feed, and perform to a good standard at competitions. Blue Chip Feed Balancers are available to purchase on the Harry Hall website.
In summer months, my horses get washed thoroughly for shows, and after exercising. They are rinsed clean from sweat in order to not attract flies. In winter, due to low temperatures, I do not wash the body as I believe in keeping horses warm with their natural oils. If you strip the coat of this, it tends to look dull and stand up when you remove rugs; therefore, daily grooming in winter provides a much better show ring appearance. It is also vital to rug appropriately so that horses stay warm if you decide to clip. The Masta Protech Infrared range of horse rugs have many properties, including boosting circulation, which contributes to an attractive coat. I can recommend the 200g Protechmasta stable rug for stabled competition horses in winter: (https://harryhall.com/protechmasta-200g-stable-rug-black ) I use Lister Covercote blades on my Highland pony so that I can clip all over and blend at the knee and hock area, to give a natural appearance. The Covercote blades leave 5mm hair and therefore you don’t have to rug as heavily and the coat looks like a summer coat. On my showjumper, I use a fine blade as he works harder and therefore sweats more. I also trim the non native types using Clipperman Jewel Trimmers (https://harryhall.com/clipperman-jewel-trimmer-blue ) By trimming the ears, bridle path and jawline, the profile of the head is enhanced and the horse looks alert and more attractive. Please check whisker rules before removing them as many shows do not permit the removal of muzzle whiskers now. When trimming the back of the legs in winter, it is better to run the clippers in the same direction as the hair in order to achieve a natural look. I can vouch for the results of horses which are hot clothed (after clipping) using MastaCare Lavender Wash (https://harryhall.com/mastacare-lavender-wash-500ml ) which is affordable at £7.95, smells delightful, and relaxes muscles. The Horse and Rider Best Value 2023 award winning no rinse wash also helps to soothe minor bruises and grazes. I add 25 ml to hot water and wipe the freshly clipped coat over with the liquid. The Cottage Craft Marvel Mitten is superb for this job! (https://harryhall.com/cottage-craft-marvel-horse-mitt-blue ) I maintain the coat with hot clothing once a week. Don’t forget to patch test first! For a final show day gleam, I complete the coat glow up with Mastacare Coat Gloss (https://harryhall.com/cottage-craft-marvel-horse-mitt-blue ). The 500ml bottle provides an instant shine when sprayed on the coat, and helps to repel stains from forming. Take care not to add this on the saddle area, or on the mane before plaiting. I use the Mastacare Coat Gloss instead of water when applying quarter markers too. In my summer grooming blog, information about how to create quarter markings will be explored.
I use Mastacare Tea Tree Shampoo (https://harryhall.com/mastacare-tea-tree-shampoo-500ml ) which contains rosemary essential oils and coconut, cleans, conditions and has antifungal properties. It lathers well and therefore you can deep clean feathers and the roots of the mane successfully. In winter months, I only wash the mane, tail and lower limbs. If your horse is particularly greasy, I would consider washing the area just behind the girth so that your boots don’t get caked in white grease when riding. I use warm water for the mane and tail but try to stick to cold water for the legs as I don’t like to open the pores and increase the risk of mud fever forming. It is important to thoroughly towel dry legs after rinsing to avoid scabs developing. I also protect the legs with Mastacare Pig Oil when returning from a show. The 500ml spray retails at £8.49 and acts as a barrier to mud and water: https://harryhall.com/mastacare-pig-oil-spray-500ml therefore preventing the build up of dirt. With traditional cobs and natives, some grooms use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process so that hair lays flat and horses don’t get cold standing with damp hair in cold temperatures. I liberally apply Mastacare Horse Mane and Tail Spray to the mane, tail and feathers before brushing through with a detangling brush. This prevents breakages and stops knots forming. Available in 500ml or 2l bottles, the grooming kit essential can be found on this link: https://harryhall.com/mastacare-mane-tail-spray-refill-2l-no-colour
For lighter coloured horses, tail bags and lycra or fleece hoods prevent staining before competition. On non-native types, I use the clippers to trim the ends of the tail as this provides a sharp and even finish. Performance horses tend to have longer, natural looking tails, whereas showing encourages tails to be pulled and cut to just below hock level in order to show off the hind legs.
When dressing hooves for a competition day, for best results, wait until the hooves are dry and picked out clean from bedding. Using a hoof oil brush, apply to the wall, sole and heel with Mastacare Solid Hoof Oil: https://harryhall.com/mastacare-solid-hoof-oil-black The non-spill, conditioning hoof oil contains cod liver and provides a high shine finish. I tend to apply hoof oil the day before a show so that it soaks into the hooves and builds colour. I apply a second coat at the show, just before my class.
I believe in plaiting on the morning of a show to keep the horse comfortable and to stop the plaits becoming loosened or fluffy overnight. I start at the poll and work down the neck. Make sure the bridle path is restricted to 1.5inches and the hair is plaited right down to the wither, or the horse’s neck will appear shortened if the plaits don’t feature the whole length of the neck. Waxed plaiting thread provides a much tidier finish than using plaiting bands. Section off up to a mane pulling comb’s width of mane (plait size to depend on type of horse and neck conformation). Split the section into three equal strands and plait to the end of the hair. Push your needle and thread through the end and wrap it around the bottom of your plait to create a band effect. Fold the remaining unplaited bit of hair under the plait and wrap the cotton around the end to secure the hair. Roll the plait underneath until it meets the start of the plaits and then feed the needle back and forth through the plait to secure it. I tend to add a higher quantity of plaits to horses with shorter necks to give the illusion of a longer length of rein. For horses that lack topline, I allow the top of each plait to remain loose so that when you roll the plaits up, you create a hood, which creates the image that the crest line is more muscled. If your horse has rug rubs and therefore the mane is thinner in places, you can plait in some hair from the tail so that your plaits remain even in size. Finish plaits with Mastacare Coat Gloss for extra sparkle.
Video tutorials of how to conduct each section of a winter makeover are to follow on Instagram throughout the remaining winter months.
@SamanthaOsborneEquestrian
To achieve an all year round healthy skin and coat, it is vital to provide high quality nutrition. I feed my horses Blue Chip Pro Feed Balancer alongside roughage. They have dapples and gleam throughout the seasons on this feed, and perform to a good standard at competitions. Blue Chip Feed Balancers are available to purchase on the Harry Hall website.
In summer months, my horses get washed thoroughly for shows, and after exercising. They are rinsed clean from sweat in order to not attract flies. In winter, due to low temperatures, I do not wash the body as I believe in keeping horses warm with their natural oils. If you strip the coat of this, it tends to look dull and stand up when you remove rugs; therefore, daily grooming in winter provides a much better show ring appearance. It is also vital to rug appropriately so that horses stay warm if you decide to clip. The Masta Protech Infrared range of horse rugs have many properties, including boosting circulation, which contributes to an attractive coat. I can recommend the 200g Protechmasta stable rug for stabled competition horses in winter: (https://harryhall.com/protechmasta-200g-stable-rug-black ) I use Lister Covercote blades on my Highland pony so that I can clip all over and blend at the knee and hock area, to give a natural appearance. The Covercote blades leave 5mm hair and therefore you don’t have to rug as heavily and the coat looks like a summer coat. On my showjumper, I use a fine blade as he works harder and therefore sweats more. I also trim the non native types using Clipperman Jewel Trimmers (https://harryhall.com/clipperman-jewel-trimmer-blue ) By trimming the ears, bridle path and jawline, the profile of the head is enhanced and the horse looks alert and more attractive. Please check whisker rules before removing them as many shows do not permit the removal of muzzle whiskers now. When trimming the back of the legs in winter, it is better to run the clippers in the same direction as the hair in order to achieve a natural look. I can vouch for the results of horses which are hot clothed (after clipping) using MastaCare Lavender Wash (https://harryhall.com/mastacare-lavender-wash-500ml ) which is affordable at £7.95, smells delightful, and relaxes muscles. The Horse and Rider Best Value 2023 award winning no rinse wash also helps to soothe minor bruises and grazes. I add 25 ml to hot water and wipe the freshly clipped coat over with the liquid. The Cottage Craft Marvel Mitten is superb for this job! (https://harryhall.com/cottage-craft-marvel-horse-mitt-blue ) I maintain the coat with hot clothing once a week. Don’t forget to patch test first! For a final show day gleam, I complete the coat glow up with Mastacare Coat Gloss (https://harryhall.com/cottage-craft-marvel-horse-mitt-blue ). The 500ml bottle provides an instant shine when sprayed on the coat, and helps to repel stains from forming. Take care not to add this on the saddle area, or on the mane before plaiting. I use the Mastacare Coat Gloss instead of water when applying quarter markers too. In my summer grooming blog, information about how to create quarter markings will be explored.
I use Mastacare Tea Tree Shampoo (https://harryhall.com/mastacare-tea-tree-shampoo-500ml ) which contains rosemary essential oils and coconut, cleans, conditions and has antifungal properties. It lathers well and therefore you can deep clean feathers and the roots of the mane successfully. In winter months, I only wash the mane, tail and lower limbs. If your horse is particularly greasy, I would consider washing the area just behind the girth so that your boots don’t get caked in white grease when riding. I use warm water for the mane and tail but try to stick to cold water for the legs as I don’t like to open the pores and increase the risk of mud fever forming. It is important to thoroughly towel dry legs after rinsing to avoid scabs developing. I also protect the legs with Mastacare Pig Oil when returning from a show. The 500ml spray retails at £8.49 and acts as a barrier to mud and water: https://harryhall.com/mastacare-pig-oil-spray-500ml therefore preventing the build up of dirt. With traditional cobs and natives, some grooms use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process so that hair lays flat and horses don’t get cold standing with damp hair in cold temperatures. I liberally apply Mastacare Horse Mane and Tail Spray to the mane, tail and feathers before brushing through with a detangling brush. This prevents breakages and stops knots forming. Available in 500ml or 2l bottles, the grooming kit essential can be found on this link: https://harryhall.com/mastacare-mane-tail-spray-refill-2l-no-colour
For lighter coloured horses, tail bags and lycra or fleece hoods prevent staining before competition. On non-native types, I use the clippers to trim the ends of the tail as this provides a sharp and even finish. Performance horses tend to have longer, natural looking tails, whereas showing encourages tails to be pulled and cut to just below hock level in order to show off the hind legs.
When dressing hooves for a competition day, for best results, wait until the hooves are dry and picked out clean from bedding. Using a hoof oil brush, apply to the wall, sole and heel with Mastacare Solid Hoof Oil: https://harryhall.com/mastacare-solid-hoof-oil-black The non-spill, conditioning hoof oil contains cod liver and provides a high shine finish. I tend to apply hoof oil the day before a show so that it soaks into the hooves and builds colour. I apply a second coat at the show, just before my class.
I believe in plaiting on the morning of a show to keep the horse comfortable and to stop the plaits becoming loosened or fluffy overnight. I start at the poll and work down the neck. Make sure the bridle path is restricted to 1.5inches and the hair is plaited right down to the wither, or the horse’s neck will appear shortened if the plaits don’t feature the whole length of the neck. Waxed plaiting thread provides a much tidier finish than using plaiting bands. Section off up to a mane pulling comb’s width of mane (plait size to depend on type of horse and neck conformation). Split the section into three equal strands and plait to the end of the hair. Push your needle and thread through the end and wrap it around the bottom of your plait to create a band effect. Fold the remaining unplaited bit of hair under the plait and wrap the cotton around the end to secure the hair. Roll the plait underneath until it meets the start of the plaits and then feed the needle back and forth through the plait to secure it. I tend to add a higher quantity of plaits to horses with shorter necks to give the illusion of a longer length of rein. For horses that lack topline, I allow the top of each plait to remain loose so that when you roll the plaits up, you create a hood, which creates the image that the crest line is more muscled. If your horse has rug rubs and therefore the mane is thinner in places, you can plait in some hair from the tail so that your plaits remain even in size. Finish plaits with Mastacare Coat Gloss for extra sparkle.
Video tutorials of how to conduct each section of a winter makeover are to follow on Instagram throughout the remaining winter months.
@SamanthaOsborneEquestrian