My show question.....part 2.....this one is for my horse?

ok my last question was about me....but this one is for my horse. Like I said I will be showing in Western Pleasure and Showmanship. I dont have a very expensive or flashy saddle that I will be showing in.....in fact its going to be my everyday riding saddle. My trainer says its fine to use as long as its clean and tidy! I just bought a nice leather headstall and a breastcollar.....their both just plain and not flashy at all. For showing.....do I need a saddle pad or a saddle blanket? and what color should I get? (My mare is a sorrel if that helps). And what kind of flyspray and coat shiner stuff do you recommed? I will be putting baby powder on Jetta's socks and blaze......that's ok right?

My show question.....part 2.....this one is for my horse?
A big misconception is the more silver you have on the saddle the bigger chance you have of winning. Not true, I'm saving up for a show saddle but for now I have a wrangler all a round saddle. Since I show in western pleasure, trail, horsemanship, reining and cattle tracking. But your trainer is right make sure its clean.


As far as breastcollars go its not very popular to show in them. but its a trend. I show in one just because I was high point youth a certain show series and I put it on my horse at those shows. But you can use it. As long as you don't show your horse in a tie down, its illegal i think if not its frowned on in the world of western pleasure. Remember if your horse is over 4 years old you can't steer 2 handed, plus you can't show in a ring snaffle.


For the saddle blanket, I'd use a black saddle blanket, you can buy one of them for about $30 (jeffers is the cheapest) I'd put a pad under the blanket but you don't have to. Black will make your mare look good and what ever color top your wearing it'll make it look good. Or you can get the same color blanket to match your top.


Let me put getting ready for the show in steps.


1. you'll want to wash your mare, since shes not white you don't need brighting shampoo, I use cheap human shampoo from the Dollar General.


2. Absorbine makes a product called Show Sheen, this stuff works great. When the mares dried spray a bit on, and spray some in the mane and tail. Comb out the mane and tail. If you have a sleazy put it on, i put stable sheet on my horse.


3. At the show..brush your mare, I'd spray show sheen again and the fly spray I use is called Ultra Shield. This stuff is very strong, you can use it on yourself too. Put a heavy coat on the horse, your going to be waiting a lot at a show and flys get annoying.


4. if you have any hoof black (horse nail polish) put it on, it'll make your horses sorral coat look very healthy.


5. Put baby powder on the white spots, and take baby oil and put it on your finger, rub it on her nose%26amp;mouth, around eyes, and put some in her ears. This'll make her face look shiny


For showmanship you can use a leather turn out halter, you need to have a leather lead with a shank. You'll either put the shank under the chin and have it hook to the cheek piece or put it like a normal lead but double it. (ask your trainer, they'll show ya) remember if you put it under her chin she'll be more sensitive on the shank and if you pull hard it'll hurt her and she may freak.


make sure you know your pattern in showmanship


Remember for you, breathe, smile, and most off all HAVE FUN
Reply:1. Dont use a breast plate they went out of style like 2 years ago you will look like a noob.


2.Well match your saddle pad to your outfit as best as possible.


3.Use and or buy Showsheen and or cowboymagic you can get it at any feedstore. and Baby powder only on the socks.


Also dont forget to get your horse banded,








in case you dont know what that is here yah go,





http://www.showhorsepromotions.com/bandi...





also





http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...
Reply:If you go to hobbyhorse.com and order the hobby horse catalog--FREE--Its aranges show pads and outfits by horse color and it will give you tips on Western showing. I love my Hobby horse catalog.
Reply:I would recommend a pad with a high quality plain black wool blanket over it. Patterns distract and can also clash with what you are wearing.


I wouldn't use baby powder on socks. Coronet bands and socks should be clipped and then blended into the darker colored hair. Clipping the jaw, muzzle, ears and any white on the face will give a lot cleaner, sharper profile. Clipping also makes the legs look whiter and sharp and will also prevent the hoof black from bleeding up into the socks. The hooves should be sanded with a sanding block before applying the hoof black. Even white feet should be blacked. Looks sharper. Pepe Spray is the best thing to use for the coat and tail. Gives a really high sheen gloss and if you spray it over the blacked hooves between classes, it will make them nice and shiny again. Oiled hooves will look dirty and dull before you even get into the ring. Tritec fly spray is good enough. You should also get some highlighter for the muzzle, around the eyes and the ears. You can buy colored ones or just use Vaseline.
Reply:I use a saddle pad and a saddle blanket. I would use a bright color like bright green. That usually catches the judge's eye. I don't use baby powder on the pony I lease, so I can't really respond to that.
Reply:for your horse Show Sheen is perfect! If you have a flyspray that works for you thats probably best but if not Tri -Tech works for me for the baby powder put it on her socks not her blaze some time it can get into their eyes if smeared for some reason so not on the face (i know this form experiance). and yes definately get a saddle pad one that maches you outfit would really make a satement but if not the colors that look sriking on sorrels are soft colors here is a link for *Winning Colors by Hobby Horse http://www.hobbyhorseinc.com/07_dress_fo... match you horse and you have a color that sure to nock em' dead! and last clean your tack to the ends of the earth then get out there and Own it!! you'll rock!! trust me =)
Reply:I started showing on a very limited budget and have slowly worked my way up, so I know there are ways to watch your budget when it comes to tack.


Its totally fine to show with a plain saddle, but it must fit you and your horse well or you're wasting your time and effort. You won't place well in equitation if your legs won't go into the proper place, and many Western saddles tend to push your legs forward which is a big problem. So I would worry less about the amount of silver you have, and more about the fit. If it fits well, hurrah! I have also noticed that if you have a nice headstall people hardly notice your saddle, after all you sit on the saddle and cover a good portion of it. If I had only $100 to improve my Western pleasure/equitation presentation in the ring, I would put it into a nice quality headstall with some silver, with simple leather reins. I agree with your trainer, your saddle needs to be clean, that's what really counts.


As for breastcollars, they are still in style at 4-H and Open show levels in many cases. At the bigger breed shows most breast collars are out of style. But you will still see some exhibitors use them. If they help your saddle stay in position better, then carry on. I don't think it will make a difference one way or another - you may want to have a look around at some of the classes before you and note what the majority of good riders are using, and copy them.


Halters for showmanship? Yep, silver will make you blend in with the rest. If you go onto eBay you can buy a no-name show halter with some silver for under $50, perhaps less. I would buy dark leather and avoid anything light oiled. For some reason light oil is popular in saddles and headstalls, but totally out of style for halters. Then again, if you are just showing at a low level for now, your clean leather halter will probably work. Just be aware that no-name show halters are cheap - I bet you can buy a decent one on eBay for less than your good quality plain leather one cost you new!


Saddle pad or saddle blanket? That's up to you and what fits best under your particular saddle. Many exhibitors have a nice thick felt pad and then use a lighter blanket in tones that match their clothes overtop.


What colors? Go onto Hobby Horse's website and look at their color wheel. It will show you what colors work best with what tones horses, and it also has a place where it shows you all the Western show clothing required at the different levels of showing, and the different classes (4-H, Open shows, Breed shows, trail, WP, etc) You don't have to buy Hobby Horse to use the color wheel and other advice.


I think that sorrel horses call for a bit of advernture so I would personally stay away from boring white and black. I think that sorrels look lovely in bright tones such as blue, green and purple, not so good in baby blues or lighter tones. I also think they look good in the really neon colors such as orange, lime green and yellow. The only tones I would really avoid with a sorrel are pink, red, black, white and chocolate brown.


I use showsheen on my horse's tail only. Otherwise I use a non-silicon spray such as Rose Conditioner. You do not want to spray Show Sheen under your tack or it will slide, otherwise it does work well! You need flyspray so your horse isn't tail swishing or cranky, pick whatever spray works well for you. I do not use baby powder myself, even on my Paint horses. Instead I use the purple whitening shampoo and get their socks bright white naturally. You could try Shapley's white spray if you wish. I personally would not apply anything to their blaze, if could irritate their eyes and nose, and if they sweat it could make a bit of a mess.


Hope that helps. I would suggest studying magazines for current show pictures, looking at training videos, and more importantly, going to a few shows similiar to what you want to attend, and seeing what's in style at that type of show in your particular locations. It is true that you want to look like you belong, and are not a total rooky. What's in style here in Canada may be somewhat different than what you'd see in California or Texas!
Reply:yes baby powder is fine


yes you can show in your everyday saddle as long as you clean it up real nice.. however, if your seriously thinking about getting into showing western pleasure and doing showmanship i would consider purchasing a western show saddle most likely light oil if your mare is sorrel. i would also invest in a nice headstall, and for showmanship i would recommend you purchase a western show halter and lead.





your going to need to purchase a saddle blanket of corresponding color to your riding outfit. (if your chaps are black go with a black blanket most likely) your also going to need to purchase an underneath pad to go under your blanket.





i use Pyranha flyspray brand. and show sheen for her coat (just be careful not to spray it on the saddle area because it gets very slippery and you don't want your saddle falling off!)








hope this helps :)





ps. be sure you know how to band her nicely using rubber bands to match her coat color (or white if she has white markings)








-----to your edit about banding





***** there are many shows that will not allow you to compete w/o a banded horse just FYI
Reply:to get her coat shiney brush her a few weeks everyday for at 10 minutes, it will bring out her natural oils in her coat.(ei-bathing a horse really drys them) Also the cool thing about sorrels are any color looks good on them. Another way to make socks seem more white i get washout white spray for your hair and use it on them but i wouldnt use them on her blaze-we use it for them dang grass spots. As for saddle blankets I always use my same tack I just put a pretty blanket over my pad and get matching bell boots. I cant rly afford things either so its a cheap way to look good-tricks of the trade. hope it helps!!
Reply:To figure out what color will look best with her coat try hobbyhorseinc.com, they ahve a color wheel chart that lsiustd the coat colors and whats shade compliment them. I recomend a good wool show pad, blankets are nice but you have to align them oh so right or they tend to slip revealing the pad underneath. Fly spray I like gordon's horse and pony spray or endure, both are oil based so the horse does no sweat it off. The oil also adds a slight sheen to the coat, to enhance white marking try white n brite shampoo or "bluing shampoo" the bluing shampoo is a shampoo used by little old ladies to keep their hair from turning yellow. Also there is groomers chalk which will go on a little thicker and stay longer than baby powder, a clear or black hoof polish for hooves. Shosheen works well to put a shine tot he coat:) Good luck this season!!!!!








here is a direct link to the color wheel for ideas on what will look good


http://www.hobbyhorseinc.com/07_dress_fo...
Reply:Yep, I showed several state winners using a Martha Josey barrel racing saddle (not kidding) and I'm not talking little shows either. It's what you do in the saddle that counts, for real. Yes, you need a saddle pad, or blanket...not one with fringe, not one that will show a lot of motion, a cowboy looking one...seriously. nothing fancy, nothing loud colored. Showmanship is supposed to be the handler, but if there is any way to borrow, beg or...nevertheless acquire a silver halter, just do it...not supposed to make a difference, it does...it shows off your horse and that is what you are supposed to be doing. Show Sheen is hard to beat...I have tried about everything, and some of the new stuff attracts dust...it smells good but you don't want that going into the show ring...the judge doesn't care what your horse smells like, he cares what it looks like...and what is on his hand if he rubs down the hair with it...make sure you don't skimp on fly spray....it's important. You, personally need to exude a presence of "proud of your horse but full of humility to the judge...it's a balancing act...it works.





EDIT*****And I got two thumbs down for that answer? I will just consider it a compliment.





OOPS three thumbs down...I must have a winner here :)