Some Tips
In the Fall, I bring them in @ 3:30 PM and the lights stay on until 8:30. They come back on @ 6:30 AM & go off around 9 since I turn them out.
In the Summer, I won't bring them in until 5PM. I keep the lights on/off program the same year round. The horses go out @ 7AM in the summer because, since I live in Florida, I will sometimes bring them back in around 11-3 to save their coats from sun bleaching and they have Fans in their stalls. :o)
How do people get that glossy coat? 16 hours of light, Proper deworming, Proper diet, Proper supplements, and the right shampoo!
Diet always depends on the individual horse. However, I highly recommend Seminole Feeds. Again, since I live in Florida, ALL my horses get Electrolytes added in their feed, & I also use Ultra Bloom. Sand is always a factor here too, so I hot bran them every 2 days.
Deworming should be rotated every couple of months. I worm my horses every 6-7 weeks with Equimecterin or Zimecterin.
I always wash my horses with very warm but not hot water and use Shapley's High Shine Shampoo & Natural Elegance Conditioner & rinse well. I use a black Grooma Loopa mitt (GREAT for Poultice removal too!). I am a firm believer in SHOWSHEEN! *L* Nothing works better for repelling dirt, detangling, and spot cleaning. Just NEVER ride bareback with it! However, I will also use Shapley's High Gloss Spray for a mirror ring coat. It does NOT repell dirt though.
Want a long, lush, silky tail? First off, never, EVER rake or brush out knots...HAND pick them out. Second, Keep it in a tube sock! First I wash & rinse the tail thoroughly . I use Shapley's NO2 Heavy Oil when I am going to put them in socks. Shake loose water from the tail, then spray a medium application of NO2, work through with fingers, carefully hand picking out any tangles. Grab the tail at the base of the dock and shake loose the guard hairs, then section the tail into sections and place them each in a tube then braid it. The first 3 plaits I keep loose, then braid the rest snugly. I don't recommend going any more than 5 days without redoing it. :o)
Want super white socks?Wash them thoroughly, then when dry, clip them with a blade now lower than a 15 and no higher than a 30 @ least 3 days before the show (any goof up marks should sort out by then). After they are clipped, use a quarter size drop of Whisk with Bleaching action on each sock. Do NOT leave on more than 3 minutes and rinse thoroughly! I've never had it burn a horse, but that doesn't mean it couldn't.
Have nicks or scrapes? Cover them with Shapely's Cover Spray(white, black, chestnut, bay).
Want Glossy high shine hooves for the ring? Buff hooves lightly with a hand held sander or, scrub with Whisk and a Copper brush first, then apply 1 coat of Ultra's Hoof Polish in either Clear or Black. I normally wait 10 minutes before I spray on Ultra's Hoof Polish Enhancer. It's like a laquar and creates a glassy surface! Use Ultra's Conditioning Hoof Polish Remover after ever Polishing!
Want your horse's face to stand out in the crowd?I clip the horse's whole head with a #15, the underside of the jaw, white marks(stars, strips, & blazes), outsides of ears with a #30 blade, & around the eyes (WATCH THE LASHES!), muzzel, inside the nostrils, inside ears and edges, with a #40. IF you really want a clean muzzel use a disposable razor, but BE CAREFUL! I do NOT recommend doing so with a young horse or a skittish horse. Final touches: How about Ultra Highlighters in Black or Clear? Black will darken dark pigmented skin(muzzel, around eyes, inside ears). Make sure you blend this stuff really well or it will LOOK like you used black grease *L* and make SURE you wear a shirt you HATE! Clear is great for light pigmented horses or to just wipe thinly over entire face and cheeks. :o)
