Grooming the Sensitive Horse

Some horses adore being groomed, while others would much rather be left alone. A thorough daily grooming plays a significant part in producing the deep shine that we aim for on show horses. Not only does it help you keep track of any changes on your horse's body, but it also increases circulation and distributes oil throughout the hair shaft to help produce the desired sheen. For these reasons, even those otherwise healthy horses who don't always enjoy being groomed really do benefit from a modified grooming program.

Sensitive horses often object to the curry comb because of its stiffness. Currying is important for both blood circulation and to bring dirt, dust and sweat up away from the skin. For those horses who dislike even the more jelly-like soft curries, I have found that a cactus cloth mitt can provide a suitable alternative.

Cactus (or sisal) cloth

Cactus cloth is made of natural sisal fibres woven into a textured pattern. Its texture allows it to penetrate deeply into the coat, but it is also very pliable and horses seem to enjoy being groomed with it. It is available on its own or sewn into a convenient mitt, often with fleece on the other side as an extra grooming tool. It can be used in the same circular motion as a curry comb, and horses will often tolerate it on the more sensitive parts of the body that can't be curried normally.

Cactus cloth can be used as an alternative to a curry comb, but it is also a useful grooming tool on its own for actions such as drying and removing sweat.

One downside to using cactus cloth is that it is more difficult to clean than a curry comb, and the fabric can trap dirt and sweat where it can't always be removed with a stiff brush. In addition to regular brushing, it's a good idea to clean your sisal mitt with soap or shampoo when it gets visibly dirty.

Many sensitive horses take a strong dislike to being groomed with a stiff dandy brush. I am not aware of any good alternative to the dandy brush aside from finding the softest bristles that will still do the job, so sometimes all you can do is spend extra time with the curry or cactus mitt and then move directly on to the body brush.

The brush on the left shows the longer "flicking" bristles

I have found that sensitive horses seem to prefer the lighter touch that is possible by using a long-bristled body brush. These brushes have soft bristles that are longer than average, allowing for more of a flicking motion that removes dirt and hair with more flexibility and less direct pressure. It is used with the same long, sweeping motions in the direction of hair growth as you would use with a regular body brush, but with a little bit more of a "flick" at the end of each stroke. 

Some horses might prefer natural bristles over synthetic bristles, but experimentation is required to determine whether this might be contributing to any reactiveness.

Overall, it's fine to adjust your grooming routine to meet an individual horse's needs as long as you are able to find alternatives that will accomplish the same aims. Grooming should be an enjoyable experience for the horse, and if pain or other health-related causes of sensitivity are ruled out, sometimes all that's required is a different set of tools.

Video Roundup

For those who have finished showing for the season, now is the perfect time to practice grooming skills for next year. With so many different how-to videos available on the internet, it can be difficult to know which to follow for instructions, so I've pulled together a selection of videos showing good demonstrations of how to braid, bandage and clip.

All of these skills are best started with the help of an experienced horse person to guide you along, but videos can provide useful preparation, extra tips, or refreshers. 

Wrapping legs

This video does make an error in the direction of bandaging (it should be done, as shown, rather than as said, from the front, around the outside to the back, which is counter-clockwise on the left legs and clockwise on the right), and I prefer to overlap enough not to end up with an extra length of bandage at the end, but it is otherwise a very good demonstration of bandaging a leg. For shipping wraps, purchase a size larger for the cottons and allow the extra cotton to cover the pastern, and then leave just a little bit exposed at the top and bottom after wrapping as you would for a standing bandage (as shown in this video). As far as tightness goes, the bandage should be snug but you should still be able to insert a finger or two between the bandage and the leg.

Hunter Braids (Mane)

The tricks here are mostly to not use too much hair per section, to keep the braid straight while braiding, to braid each section to the same length as the others, and to pull the braid straight up with your pull-through.

Tail Braiding

It takes a lot of patience to learn how to braid a tail, so this one requires a lot of practice both to get the hang of handling all of those strands while keeping them tight, and also to take many small bunches for an elegant look rather than using more hair to get to the end more quickly.

Body Clipping

This is a good overall video, but personally I prefer to overlap my strokes more to prevent lines, and I try to keep all electrical cords safely against the wall away from the horse's legs except for the small section that I need at any given moment.

For those who don't wish to do a full clip, the next video demonstrates very nicely how to clip lines, and it also provides an excellent demonstration of clipping smoothly with an overlap between strokes, and always following the opposite direction of the hair growth.

Turnout Critique #16

This installment of Turnout Critique features a lovely rider and her grey horse who present an excellent example of good show ring turnout.

Photo used with photographer's permission

Grey horses present an extra challenge for good turnout because their hair stains so easily and is difficult to keep white enough not to look yellow in comparison to white saddle pads and clothing. This horse has been very thoroughly bathed and shows no yellow spots anywhere, not even on the more easily-stained parts of the body such as the legs (there is some reflection of the footing colour on his underside, which just gives the illusion of dirty patches). I suspect that if we could see the tail, the sections that aren't dark hair would be as white as possible, too. This indicates a dedication to frequent bathings to keep such stains from setting.

The mane is neatly braided in the appropriate hunter style, though the contrast between the light body and the dark mane allow us to see that some of the braids have been rubbed slightly. If this horse tends to be a braid rubber, keeping a slinky neck cover on until it's time to tack up could help to reduce the number of damaged braids. 

The tack all appears to be perfectly clean, and the bridle demonstrates proper adjustment; the noseband is set high enough to flatter this horse's face, while the throatlatch is the right length to do its job without being so short that it tightens against the throat, or so long that it swings forward under the cheeks. A D-ring bit such as this one is always an attractive option for a hunter.

I can't tell whether the marks in front of the girth are this horse's colouring or the result of girth rubs. If they are the latter, I would suggest using a girth cover between shows to help prevent them from developing.

The clean saddle pad is nicely chosen to suit the size and shape of the saddle flaps, with the maximum two inches of pad showing evenly all the way around. The excess stirrup leather is slightly longer than I would prefer to see it; ideally it would be three or four inches shorter, or tucked back under the saddle flap.

The hooves are oiled nicely to look clean and tidy, while also showing off how clean the white legs are. This horse has been neatly trimmed, both on the face and the legs, and he and his rider have both obviously been wiped down with a towel before going into the ring to remove any last-minute slobber or warm-up ring dust.

This rider is neatly and conservatively dressed in the appropriate manner for the hunter ring. Her jacket is well-fitted and is the ideal length for her in both the body and the arms. For a more formal occasion I would suggest a darker jacket, but the light grey colour is perfectly appropriate for a regular hunter class. The jacket is accompanied by a classic white show shirt and the appropriate beige breeches with a belt. Her boots are beautifully fitted, coming all the way up to the knee with enough height left over to give lots of flexibility in the ankle area. I would prefer to see more polish to the boots, but it's possible that the lack of shine is due mostly to the cloudiness of the day.

Her clean black gloves and helmet are both very good choices, and her hair is neatly contained in a hairnet in the hunter fashion. I wonder whether this rider's number is tied further above her natural waist than is usual, but the angle of the photo could make the line deceiving.

Overall this rider has done a lovely job of presenting herself and her horse to look their best.

Thank you to this week's featured rider for submitting this photo! Anyone who would like to participate in a future Turnout Critique can send one or more photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Quick Equipment Fixes

We all know that most horse-related things can be fixed with the help of baling twine and/or duct tape. This post will cover some additional easy fixes, as well as some uses of duct tape that you might not have considered.

Leaky hose

A horse show can be a very perilous place for hoses. Being repeatedly dragged over rough ground, around corners, and being stepped on by countless horses, many of them wearing studs, is a surefire way for a hose to end up with a puncture.

Punctured hoses have a tendency to spray water all over the barn aisle, or at whoever happens to be using the hose, but replacing each hose every couple of days to avoid these problems is not realistic.

Wrapping the affected part of the hose in duct tape is a tempting solution, but duct tape doesn't tend to stick well to a hose, even when dry, that has been exposed to so much dirt and that is moved so frequently. Inevitably, the duct tape will peel off after only a few uses.

My solution is to wrap the punctured section in Vetrap. This might sound counterintuitive, but the Vetrap sticks to itself rather than to the hose, ensuring that it will stay put (it's still best, however, to put it on while the hose is dry for best stickability). While the Vetrap is porous, it will lessen the amount of water that can escape and most importantly, the water will soak out in a uniform manner rather than spraying everyone and everything at random.

The Vetrap can also be covered in duct tape, overlapping the edges, to further seal in the water, though this top layer will likely require frequent replacement.

Bucket handle safety caps missing

When carting buckets to and from horse shows, it's quite easy for one of the rubbery protective caps on the handle to pop off and go missing. While this might not seem like a big deal, those caps are there for a reason. Your horse's face will come into frequent contact with various parts of the bucket, and the uncovered bottom of the handle is the perfect shape and sharpness to tear an eyelid or a nostril.

Because the caps can go missing from an otherwise perfectly good bucket, it's handy to be able to fix the problem rather than purchase a brand new bucket every time it happens.

My solution is to take a strip of duct tape and tear it in two so that it becomes about half its usual width. When the bucket is completely dry, wrap this strip of duct tape over the top of the loop in the handle so that the end of the wire is completely covered and there is no open gap, as shown in this photo. Leave enough of the loop open for the handle to remain mobile, and this set-up should last indefinitely (the bucket in the photo has been in constant use for at least two or three years with that same piece of duct tape on it).

Trouble filling hay nets

Certain hay nets can be a pain to fill as they want to fold back into themselves. One possible solution, as shown in the video below (credit goes to YouTube user davegg25), is to use a muck bucket or flake-sized Rubbermaid to keep the empty hay net in a more suitable position for filling.

Broken field boot zipper

This isn't a particularly innovative use for duct tape, but it merits mention because it's an excellent reason to keep black duct tape on hand. With black duct tape applied vertically along the back of the boot, a broken zipper becomes virtually unnoticeable from afar, and it is strong enough to hold the two sides of the boot together for an entire ride.

Blanket surcingles coming undone

You can purchase little rubber rings to slip over the base of the T half of a surcingle buckle in order to keep it snug and lessen the chances of it accidentally coming undone. In a pinch, these rings can be substituted with braiding elastics wrapped snugly around the T.

FAQ, Part 13

How do I measure for and use a belly pad girth?

Belly pad girths should always have elastic on both ends so that each side can be adjusted to keep the girth centred (not centring the girth would result in the wider part of the girth potentially interfering with the front legs). Girths such as this with "double elastic" have more give to them than the more traditional "single elastic" girths, which can potentially mean sizing down. I find that double elastic girths usually stretch about one inch further (about one billet hole) than girths with elastic at only one end, so if your single elastic girth is already on the long side, size down for a belly pad. If, however, your single elastic girth is verging on too short, you should be fine maintaining the same size.

Elastic often requires some amount of breaking in, so you might initially be worried that the girth is too short until the elastic stretches out.

You can also purchase a belly pad attachment that slides onto a traditional girth, but I find that these tend to hang down and move around more than a dedicated one-piece belly guard girth.

Can you stay in the ring between hunter over fences classes?

If there are no other horses waiting at the ingate and you have cleared your plan with the ingate person before entering the ring, most judges do not mind a horse staying in the ring and completing all of their back-to-back hunter classes at once. If there are other horses waiting to go into the ring, most riders will not appreciate their timing being thrown off by one horse staying in the ring.

If you do choose to stay in the ring, keep in mind that your performance for each class starts from the moment you enter the ring, so ensure that you make it clear where one class ends and the next begins by coming back to a walk before setting up your entrance for the next course, and remember that you are being judged at all times. If you feel the need to shout back to your helpers to remind yourself of the next course, a better idea would be to simply exit the ring for a few moments to gather yourself before starting your next round.

How do you stuff a horse's ears?

Stuffing a horse's ears is a fairly common practice in the hunter and jumper rings to make the horse less reactive to distracting sounds. Jumpers can wear a fly veil over top to help prevent the stuffing from coming out (there are also some fly bonnets designed to muffle sound themselves), while hunters must be stuffed more carefully.

There are various types of "stuffies" available, ranging from fleecy pom pom types to foam plugs to basic cotton. Choose whichever you and your horse are most comfortable with, making sure that the colour is similar enough to your horse's not to stand out. Most products need to be placed fairly deep in order to stay put, but there will still be some part that's visible, especially if your horse shakes them loose at all. Practice riding with stuffed ears at home before attempting it at a show because some horses will object initially.

How long of a pelham shank can I use in the hunter ring?

While there is no set rule (though as always, double check your local rulebook), the shorter, the better. If a shank is so long that it draws your eye to it, it's probably too long. The judge might wonder why the horse needs such a strong bit, especially if you use a lot of curb rein, which could potentially place you below a horse that goes similarly but in a less severe bit. Most hunters that go in a pelham are using something in the range of a Tom Thumb pelham, which has the shortest possible shank length.

What does it mean to "break" a green year?

The horse's green status indicates at what heights it has previously competed, allowing it to compete against horses with a similar level of show experience. There are different green levels depending on horse height (horse vs. pony) and the spectrum of classes offered in any given area. Once a horse has competed at a height that is above what the rules indicate for any given green division, it is said to have "broken" its green status, requiring a higher division the following season. For exact heights and rules, check your local rulebook.

Turnout Critique #15

This week's featured horse and rider are doing a lot right already. Our rider should find that a few minor changes to further refine their turnout will have a big impact on the overall picture.

I'm told that this horse usually goes in a front riser pad due to high withers, but he wears a half pad on top of a shaped pad for showing. While this is slightly more attractive than a foam riser pad, it still looks very bulky. Ideally the saddle fit would be such that extra padding wouldn't be necessary. Additional pads can actually make fit tighter, like wearing two pairs of socks, so taking the pressure off one area with extra padding can sometimes make the fit worse elsewhere. For showing, I would consider using the shaped pad with a small pommel pad just over the withers instead of a half pad; this arrangement is fairly common in the hunter ring and adds discrete padding without being bulky. They are available in various forms, from knitted/crochet to fleece to foam, and they can even be done in barn colours because the pommel pad is essentially invisible with the saddle over top. If the saddle fitter agrees with this set-up, losing the bulky half pad will go a long way towards enhancing their turnout. The shaped pad looks like it would probably suit the shape of the saddle nicely in this set-up with just an inch or two of pad showing evenly all the way around.

The bridle is quite thin for this large-boned horse, who could benefit from wider straps to give the illusion of a smaller head. The noseband is also adjusted a little bit low; bringing it up so that it rests an inch or two below the cheek bones would also make his head look more refined by shortening the distance between the browband and the noseband. In the same vein, this large-boned type of horse would benefit from a bit with bigger rings, such as a Hunter Dee bit, though obviously the horse's response to any type of bit is the most important factor. The bridle looks to be clean and in good repair.

The girth does not appear to be as clean as the rest of the tack. The outside of the girth receives dirt and sweat transferred from the rider's boots and the horse's elbow, so it's one piece of tack that really should be cleaned between classes if there is a break.

I am impressed by how white the leg markings are considering they do not appear to have been clipped. Brushing them and possibly applying baby powder or corn starch prior to entering the show ring would help to eliminate the slight brown tinge just above the hooves, and clipping the legs would make the whole process much easier. The white markings would be set off nicely by applying a fresh coat of hoof oil to the feet just before entering the show ring.

Frequent readers of the blog have probably noticed the presence of my pet peeve, the too-long excess stirrup leather. This should either be trimmed or tucked back under the saddle flap to keep it from swinging around and distracting both the judge and the horse. The stirrup irons are a classic style appropriate for both hunter and equitation classes.

This horse has been braided in the hunter style, but over the course of the show day several of the braids have been rubbed out of place. There are a few different ways to prevent this from happening. The first is to make sure that the mane is very clean prior to braiding; this will dissuade the horse from rubbing the braids out himself. Next, when pulling the braids up, make sure that you are inserting the pull-through perfectly parallel to the braid. Any tiny angle will encourage the braids to move out of place. Finally, the shorter the braids, the more sturdy they will be. Long braids leave a tail that can be easily moved around, whereas the bottom of short braids is very close to the knot, making them much more secure.

The tail appears to be flowing nicely as if it has been fully brushed out. For a thick tail like this, the easiest way to keep it from getting clumpy is to shampoo it frequently since dirty hairs tend to stick together, and then brush it out all the way from top to bottom before every class on a show day.

This horse's coat shines deeply, showing that he is well-cared-for. Based on this photo, it looks as though he could use a little bit more weight to cover his ribs better and suit his heavier build. I am also slightly concerned about his feet, which appear to be somewhat chipped. Jumping can be hard on feet and it's possible that this horse might feel more comfortable in shoes, though of course it's impossible to tell from a photo and he could be doing perfectly well barefoot.

Our rider is neatly dressed in suitable conservative attire for the hunter ring. The sleeves of the jacket are too short, but it is very difficult to find a jacket with extra-long sleeves for a long-armed rider off the rack without going custom. The jacket seems to be very clean and nicely fitted through the body, though the overall length might be just a tiny bit short (though in two-point position it is difficult to say for sure). For her next jacket, this rider might consider finding a brand that offers a tall option if her current jacket isn't a "tall" already.

Her breeches are an appropriate beige colour and are again very clean. While her field boots are beautifully fitted, they sport a layer of dust that should in future be wiped off at the in-gate.

The helmet is again a good conservative choice, though at least one big cluster of hair has escaped containment to detract from the overall neatness. It is nice, however, to see a chin strap that appears to be properly fitted instead of hanging too low to be of any use. The rider's black leather or leather-like gloves are also a very appropriate choice for hunter or equitation classes.

It appears that the nostrils and mouth have been wiped off prior to the horse entering the ring, which is very good. It's at this point that the rider's boots should also be included in the towelling.

A few of my suggestions in this critique have involved what to look for when replacing certain pieces of tack or attire in the future. None of these purchases need to be made immediately; they are simply recommendations for what would complement this particular horse or rider that much better when those items do need to be replaced. The remaining suggestions really are very minor changes that will make this pair look that much more professional.

Thank you very much to this week's featured rider for sending this photo in for a critique! Riders interested in being featured in future turnout critiques can e-mail their photos to showringreadyblog@gmail.com

Bitting Arrangements

Bitting can be complicated, especially when certain bits are made without an obvious orientation or with more rings than there are reins. This aim of this post is to make the process of setting up a new bit easier. These are amongst the more popular bits, and most other styles will follow a similar pattern. Whenever you try a new bit, I strongly recommend that you adjust and use it under the guidance of an experienced horse person.

Dashed lines on the bit diagrams indicate where two sets of reins or a single rein with converters (aka roundings) could be used.

Baucher

The baucher is a snaffle that differs from others in that it has two rings: one for the cheekpiece and one for the reins. This causes it to hang differently in the mouth in a way that some horses prefer, but it also makes it prone to being hung upside down.

There are no options here; the cheekpiece always attaches to the small ring while the reins attach to the ring that contains the mouthpiece.

Elevator/Three-Ring/Four-Ring/Continental Gag/Pessoa Gag

This bit has many names to go along with the many ways in which it can be used!

The cheekpiece always attaches to the small ring at the top, but everything aside from that is an option. Many will ride with a single set of reins on one of the lower rings, which makes it exclusively a leverage bit. Set up in this way, the horse has no relief from the leverage unless contact is dropped entirely. To remedy this, a snaffle rein can be added to the big ring, using either converters or two sets of reins. The lower the ring for the curb rein, the more leverage there will be.

Gag Bit/Running Gag

This bit incorporates both a bit and special cheekpieces which allow the bit to be lifted up in the mouth. The bridle's original cheekpieces must be removed to make room for the gag cheekpieces.

There are two options for using this bit. Many riders will just use the gag attachment with a single set of reins. The severity can be lessened by using, in addition to the gag rein, a snaffle rein attached to the big ring, which keeps the bit from being lifted every time contact is taken. I do not recommend using the snaffle rein without a gag rein attached; this gives the bit the opportunity to bounce freely up along the cheekpieces with every stride, which can be both irritating and confusing to the horse.

Pelham

The pelham is a popular choice for hunters or equitation horses that require more bit than a snaffle.

There are very few options when using a pelham. The cheekpiece will always attach to the top ring, and the curb chain will also attach to the hook there (sometimes the chain is run through the snaffle ring on its way to the hook to stabilize or shorten it). The pelham should be used with either two sets of reins or with rein converters/roundings. In the jumper ring, pelhams are occasionally seen with just a curb rein but this is very severe and should only be used in rare occasions by very talented riders. The reins or converters will always attach to the big ring and to the lower ring. For hunter and equitation classes, check your local rules to find out whether converters are permitted for your jump height and age group.

The tiny ring is for a lip strap, which is the most correct way to use a pelham despite not being very commonly used in the North American hunter/jumper scene. The lip strap is a thin rolled piece of leather that runs through the centre link of the curb chain to keep it flat and still, and it also keeps the bit shanks away from the horse's mouth where they could be grabbed.

Uxeter Kimberwick/Kimberwicke/Kimblewick

The Uxeter or slotted kimberwick is a bit sometimes seen on strong ponies (the pelham is a more appropriate bit in most other cases because the action is more refined).

The cheekpiece will always attach to the small ring at the top, and there is a hole below that ring for the curb chain hook. There are two options for the reins; the upper slot will hold the rein in a position opposite the mouthpiece that will act more similarly to a snaffle, while the lower slot holds the reins in a position to provide stronger curb action. The short length doesn't allow the curb action to ever be truly strong, but this bit isn't generally favoured because there is no relief from that small amount of leverage given that only one set of reins is ever used.