Horse Shows
In a horse show there are different classes for different breeds, colours, and sizes of horse. You can have classes where the quality of riding counts overall, and classes where no riding has to be done; such as best mare and foal.
There is a lot of work to be done on the night before the horse show.
Firstly all the legal documents about your horses passports and travel arrangements have to be sorted out.
You will need to prepare your horse or pony on the night before the show, by giving then a full groom and a general wash. Use a strong comb to get out any mud which could couse tangles in the coat.
Brush the mane and tail getting it free of tangles and to the best possible quality. Using a soft brush go over the hooves and check for any mud in the frogs. Do not use a hoof pick on this part of the hoof as it is the most sensitive part.
At horse shows some people often like to put oil on the hooves to make them look shiny.
Over night put a blanket over the horse so it won't undo all the hardwork that has gone into making the horse look the best.
If the class you are doing has riding envolved remember to clean all of your tack first, and most of all practise the riding and make sure that you know how your horse may react to things.
When it is your turn to perform try not to be nervous, especially if you're riding you're horse because if they sence that you're not relaxed the horse may misbehave. Try to relax and you'll get the best result.
Here's a tip on how to catch the judge's attention: if you're in a mare and foal competition, people normally lead the mare at the front so why not try leading the foal infront.
Goodluck if you compete in any horse shows!
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