Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Preparing the Horse Early
• Method 2 of 5: Preparing the Horse 1-2 Days Before Show
• Method 3 of 5: Preparing for the Show
• Method 4 of 5: Prepare yourself
• Method 5 of 5: Preparing the Day
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need
• For horse
• For the rider

Anyone who has ever performed with a horse on stage knows how exciting it is, especially before a performance starts. And instead of sitting there doing nothing until the last minute, practice before your show and your show will be even more amazing!

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Preparing the Horse Early

1. 1 Groom your horse all year round. If you really want to have a good horse when performing, keep an eye on its appearance. Taking care of your horse helps you to be emotionally close to it and keeps it clean, healthy and tidy. A mutually beneficial offer, isn't it?
   • Spend more time combing the horse's coat with a comb, which removes all dust and dirt, when the horse is clean, he does not seem dull and tired.
   • Be sure to brush your horse's hooves every day. This makes her run comfortably and also makes her look better.
   • Pay attention to the roots of your ponytail to stimulate hair growth.By rubbing natural oils into them and stimulating hair follicles, the tail will become even silky, prettier and longer.
2. 2 Feed your horse grains that stimulate hair growth. There are many substances on the market to help stimulate the growth of the horse's coat, tail and mane. Include one of these grains in her regular meals throughout the year, or at least a few months before the show, if the horse's diet allows it.
3. 3 Take care of your horse's mane and tail. If the horse's mane and tail are constantly unkempt and full of debris, it will be very difficult to get them ready for display. Clean your horse's mane and tail every time you groom them, and rub in cocoa butter at least once every few days. This will act as a conditioner and make her hair thicker and softer over time. Use shampoo as needed to help reduce knots in your hair.
   • Braid her mane (when a lot of flies are flying) to keep her hair from tangling more.
4. 4 Do a medical examination of your horse. Very thin horses, overweight horses, horses with worms or other diseases will not perform well. Make sure you monitor your horse's health throughout the year, rather than taking treatment right before the show starts. A healthy horse will perform and look better than a sick horse.

Method 2 of 5: Preparing the Horse 1-2 Days Before Show

1. 1 Bathe your horse. It is better to bathe the horse at night, before the performance, then it will be clean and ready. If you clean your horse ahead of time, it may get dirty and you will have to wash it again.
   • Beware of using a shine enhancing agent around your saddle as it can slip off afterwards.
   • Another benefit of bathing your horse the night before a performance is that it will have less time to smear.
2. 2 Trim the hair on your horse's legs, as well as the longer hair that grows on your horse's face, head, ears, and neck. Always clip your horse, a clean bridle - for stock horses, long at the ears, but for light breeds about one and a half times the length of the ear. Trimming adds definition to your horse and improves the overall presentation to the judge.
   • Do not trim horses if they are heavy, such as Fresians or Clydesdales.
   • If you plan to trim the entire body of the horse, do it 1 to 2 weeks before the show. Grooming the whole body makes the horse look silly and it takes a while until the hair grows back a bit and the oils spread throughout the body.
3. 3 Bleach all white parts of your horse. The judge will not approve of a white horse or horse with socks that are colored brown, green or dark. Use a whitening shampoo to thoroughly scrub all the white parts on the horse, letting it sit for about 5 minutes before rinsing. After that, treat the white parts with cornstarch or talcum powder to keep the white color.
   • Wrap white socks to keep your horse clean prior to the show.
4. 4 Take care of your horse's mane and tail. Wash your mane and tail with a specialized shampoo and use a bleach if your horse's hair is white. Add to shampoo to make sure there are no knots for easy brushing. Then, use a metal brush to thin the mane that is too thick, or use a special razor to get the job done. Braid the mane and tail for the show.
   • Braiding the mane and ponytail a few days before the show, even if you intend to straighten them at the show, will prevent tangling and add a lovely wave to your hair.
   • If you are braiding your mane, trim off the protruding hairs to give it a more graceful look without having to do it again.
   • Wrap the tail in a long sock or bag so that it does not spoil and end up somewhere.

Method 3 of 5: Preparing for the Show

1. 1 Prepare all food and water for your horse. Because the show is often a stressful event for horses (with all other horses and people), it is important to try to maintain a regular meal schedule. Get them regular meals and at least two buckets of water. When show day comes, try feeding them at the same time as you usually do at home.
2. 2 Collect everything you need. The worst thing is to discover the lack of necessary things and equipment. Make a list of everything you will need, including horses or ordering equipment and blankets. Put everything together and check on the list before you leave, just to make sure you've got everything you might need.
   • Clean up and polish everything before going to the show.
   • Check your show rules. Some have banned bats, aids and tactics parts. For example, 4-H has severe restrictions on the types of beats used, and some clubs or associations do not allow eights, pulling the bridle, etc.
3. 3 Prepare a second horse for the trailer, if necessary. Driving long distances in a trailer can be especially stressful for some horses. Instead of driving to your show with a frightened, worried horse, help minimize their anxiety by taking another horse for the ride. They will be much more relaxed on arrival than if she was traveling alone.
4. 4 Prepare the necessary stall equipment. Call the venue and see if you need to bring your own bedding for the stall. Many shows require you to bring your own hay to fill the stall, as well as hooks or chains, and a wheelbarrow with buckets for cleaning. See what will be available for public use at the exhibition and what you need to bring from home, and make sure that what you did not bring will be in the place where you are going.
5. 5 Prepare a first aid kit for both horses and humans. No matter where you travel, it is always important to have a first aid kit prepared for your horse. Bring all the essentials to treat cuts and abrasions, as well as bruising or swelling. Do the same for the human first aid kit if you have an emergency.
6. 6 Take a change of clothing with you. You will be away from home, so it is best to prepare. Bring a spare set of show clothes in case something happens to yours that makes it unusable for the show. Alternatively, you could bring more comfortable clothes and shoes to ride to the venue.

Method 4 of 5: Prepare yourself

1. 1 Clothes for the lessons of the wild west. For western events such as Western Joy or Western Riding, always wear clothing that makes your horse stand out and matches your saddle. This will add more style to your overall presentation. For a local show, wear a Western-style shirt, nice pants, boots and a belt, these things can come in handy. However, for more competitive shows, everyone will be wearing more elaborate costumes such as silk and vests, dear guys, etc.
   • If your budget does not allow you to make these purchases, then you have nothing to worry about as long as your outfit complements yourself as well as your horse.
   • Dark colors on lighter horses, and lighter colors on dark horses tend to draw more attention to them.
   • It is not recommended to wear all black outfits in the arena. Most of your competitors will also wear them if you want to stand out from the rest. Dark purple or navy blue is a great alternative.
   • If you are confident in your skills and your horse's skills, try highlighting the attention with a bright shirt. You will stand out in the crowd and be remembered in a sea of ​​similar colors.
2. 2 Clothes for the English class. You should wear a dark or traditional coat (dark, black, dark green, brown, gray, or copper) and pants that complement, in general, neutral or white colors. Your shirt should have a collar, your boots should shine, and your gloves should match your boots, black is the recommended color.
   • Gloves should perfectly hide your hands between the palms and the sleeve of the jacket.
   • For the seat, you need a full suit: a day coat and matching pants and boots, and a bowler hat for female riders, or a hat for men to accentuate your outfit.
   • English class helmets will generally be velvet. Check the guidelines for your event to see what the specifics will be.
3. 3 Tidy up your hair properly. For more competitive shows, all hair should be completely under your helmet, or in a hairnet behind your head, just barely below your hat or helmet.

Method 5 of 5: Preparing the Day

1. 1 Feed your horse. Overfeeding or underfeeding at an event is a sure-fire way to make your horse unhappy and less ready for the show. Follow their regular diet plan, adjusting eating habits around events as needed. Your horse will be happier and perform better.
2. 2 Final care. Do not bathe your horse, but cleaning it will be good to make the coat shiny. Spend the most time using the comb and make sure all parts of your body are clean. Take extra time on the white areas and reapply more cornstarch or talcum powder if necessary.
3. 3 Polish your horse's hooves. English and Western riders often polish their hooves to make them smooth and then paint them. Dyeing of black hooves can be applied to naturally black hooves, and polishing should be applied to hooves of any color other than black. This should be done on a clean, hard surface.
   • Place a rubber or heavy mat on the ground so that the hoof is dry. After the hooves are completely dry, the dirt can be wiped off with a dry towel.
   • If you don't want to polish your horse's hooves, rubbing in some lanolin oils will add extra shine.
   • Appaloosas do not allow hooves of any color other than normal. Check your registry for specifications and rules.
4. 4 Take time to relax. Shows and events are meant to be enjoyable; if you are aroused you will not enjoy the competition, but your horse will reflect your emotions and you probably will not show your best. Take a deep breath to relax as needed. Be sure to help your horse relax as well, go for a walk or ride with him as needed.
   • Don't worry about other competitors. Think as if you are driving alone in your home arena. This will calm your nerves and help you pay attention to your own trip. Of course, be careful and avoid bumping into other riders in the ring.

Tips

• Show day is a long day, don't sit on your horse all the time. Give her a break, go out and find yourself a chair. It is more likely to drink, relax, and be fresh for your next visit if you don't sit on it.
• Stay calm. The judges don't like to see the horses misbehave and they certainly don't want to see the rider panic.
• Make sure your number is clearly visible so that the ring steward or judge does not ask you to adjust for visibility. This should be attached to the back of your coat or shirt, in the middle of your back, or on both sides of your seat cushion.
• Before entering the jumping class ring, speak the course (jumps in the correct order) out loud from memory to make sure you know it. Driving off course is a cause for elimination.
• Before class Halter, lead your horse around, support it and turn it around to make sure it is awake. An attentive horse looks better than one that has fallen asleep.
• Judges love to act confidently, so if you are nervous and have sweaty palms, keep your eyes on the same. Never look down, it's dangerous! Most importantly, have fun and be competitive!

Warnings

• Do not get too close to other horses in the arena as they may injure you or your horse. Horses wearing a red ribbon on their tail indicate they can kick, and horses wearing a green ribbon are young or inexperienced.
• Never complain to the judge that you did not succeed the way you wanted. Instead, try asking about the reasons why you didn't succeed; it will make a better impression and give you more insight into your weaknesses that you should address as a rider.
• Always tie up your horse using a rein or rope - remember to use the quick knot. When changing classes, do not tie the horse using a bridle. If they pull and break them, you won't be able to perform. Also, if the horse retreats, it can seriously damage its teeth; there have been cases where horses broke their teeth in this way.

What do you need

For horse

• Feed
• Buckets, one water bucket, one food bucket
• Hay
• Sleep accessories
• Hooks to hang the buckets
• Fan and extension cords
• Rubber Stall Mats
• Show harness
• Reins for the Show
• Saddles
• Seat cushions
• Girth
• Bridles
• Bridle bag (for show bridles and show halters)
• Additional set of bridles (in case one set breaks)
• Saddle Racks
• Portable racks
• Food box
• Light Sheet (depending on weather)
• Sleezy
• Hoof cleaner
• Hard brush
• Soft brush
• Face brush
• Mane brush and comb
• Horse shampoo and conditioner
• Shine
• Hoof paint
• Fly spray
• Jumping line
• Jumping whip
• Chipped boots
• Rubber bandages
• Comb
• Scissors
• Gardening scissors
• Napkins
• Wrappers
• Veterinary wraps
• Sponges
• Towels
• Sweat scraper
• Small bucket to hold water for the sponge. Not for drinking!
• Horse first aid kit
• Manure bucket and fork

For the rider

• Show Shirt
• Spare shirt
• Collar pin
• Breeches or jodhpurs (you also need to have spare if one pair becomes too sweaty or dirty),
• Clean, fresh, ironed blue jeans or show pants
• Western style shirts (neck scarf, necklace, if needed)
• Hangers and dry cleaning bags (helps keep clothes clean and tidy)
• Western hat
• Hat box
• Belt
• Leggings
• Helmet
• Lint roller
• Show shoes (make sure they stay shiny, clean, and in good condition!)
• Spurs (well adapted)
• Hair nets
• Hair ties
• Hairpins
• Hair spray
• Gloves
• Raincoat
• Any items you might need for unexpected problems / events
• You can also have a hairnet or hair bow