Preparation of animals for Horse show

PREPARATION OF HORSE FOR SHOW

• The horse must be appropriately groomed and clipped, as the exhibitor is being judged on the ability to fit and show a horse "in hand".
• The horse must be prepared months ahead of the event by being provided good nutrition to develop a healthy, shiny coat.
• Their hooves should be trimmed regularly by a farrier and kept balanced, smooth and neat.
• It should be brushed and otherwise groomed frequently to further promote a shiny coat and good overall health.
• The horse should also be exercised regularly, either in-hand or under saddle, to develop good muscle tone.
• The day before the show, the horse should be bathed and hair on its mane, tail, legs and head trimmed or clipped to meet the style standard for the particular breed of horse.
• Often special conditioners are used on the hair to make it extra shiny or silky.
• It is very important for competitors to be very familiar with the most minute grooming and style details for the breed of horse and style of tack and clothing they choose to use in the ring.
• A style required by one breed association may be considered illegal by another.
• Depending on the breed of the horse and the style of tack used, the mane might be braided, left loose, or "banded" (having small rubber bands put around small sections of a short mane at the roots in order to help it lay down).
• Horses shown with loose, flowing manes sometimes have their manes put into 5 or 6 large braids the night before, taken out just before the class and brushed to give an attractive, wavy appearance.
• Horses required to have naturally long tails sometimes have them kept "up" when not showing, the long hairs braided up to the bottom of the dock, then the braid rolled up, with a bandage or old sock put around the hair to keep it from breaking off and to keep the tail clean. When taken down and brushed out, a tail kept in this manner is wavy and flowing in the ring. If kept up at all other times, a tail may grow so long that it drags on the ground.
• On the day of the show, shortly before it goes into the ring, the horse is not only groomed to remove every possible speck of dirt, but it will usually have polish applied to its hooves, a light oil or conditioner placed on its muzzle, around the eyes,and other strategic areas of the head to accent its best features, and usually have a light coat dressing sprayed on its entire body for a bit of last minute shine

TRAINING THE SHOWMANSHIP HORSE

• The horse must be trained to respond instantly to any command by the handler. It must lead off promptly at a walk or trot, and stop immediately when asked.
• It must back up straight and quietly and learn to turn in a very tight circle from a walk and trot.
• The horse is also taught to "set up" to place its feet in a position, usually square on all four legs, that best shows the conformation of its breed.
• Often the horse also needs to learn to hold its head and neck up in a certain flattering position as well.
• The horse has to learn to accept standing in the setup position for long periods of time without fidgeting or falling asleep, as showmanship classes often are very long, due to the fact that exhibitors work the pattern one at a time.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING

• A horse can be shown under saddle in either English or Western equipment, the handler may choose their style of equipment, but it cannot be mixed between the two styles.
• The horse shown western style is required to wear a halter and be handled with a lead shank.This is usually a well-fitted leather halter with a slim leather lead shank.
• The horse shown hunter style wears a proper English style bridle, with the handler either leading the horse by the reins or with a lead shank attached to the bit.
• The horse shown saddle seat style may, depending on breed, be shown either in a modified form of the bridle used in riding classes or in an extremely thin, refined leather or leather like halter.
• The exhibitor, male or female, must wear pants, a shirt with a tie or brooch, and boots. Some show rules require a hat. Gloves are optional, but usually worn by winning exhibitors because they provide a better grip on the lead shank and give a polished look.

EXHIBITION 

• The rules for showmanship classes are set by organizations such as United States Equestrian Federation and the American Quarter Horse Association. While rules vary a bit from one breed or organization to another, there are general principles that usually apply in all competitions.
• It must be memorized and riders cannot carry notes or be coached while in the ring.
• Horses are usually led into the ring at a walk. Depending on the breed and the pattern, exhibitors may enter and perform the required pattern one at a time, then line up in a group on one side of the ring, other times they may all enter the ring, line up first,then work the pattern.
• Most patterns are deceptively simple: The exhibitor will lead the horse at a walk and trot, make one or two turns, stop at specific locations, and sometimes back up.
• However, all straight lines must be perfectly straight, all turns smooth and crisp, all changes of speed executed promptly.
• Orange highway cones are often used to designate the precise spot a horse and exhibitor are to walk,trot, turn or back.
• An exhibitor is not allowed to touch with the horse during a class. An exhibitor should treat each part of the pattern as a separate task leaving the maneuvers crisp, as opposed to sloppy and run together. An exhibitor should appear confident and happy;ultimately selling themselves and their horse to the judge by acting in a confident and professional manner.
• The winner of a showmanship class is usually determined by a formula that varies by the organization that sanctions the show, but usually counts grooming and cleanliness for about 40% of the score, and the pattern and handler's showmanship for about 60%.