Well groomed

ABOVE: A BEAUTIFULLY TURNED OUT HORSE CAN’T FAIL TO CATCH THE EYE ON THE BIG OCCASION. BELOW: RACHEL STEPHENS, WHO GROOMS FOR MATT FROST BEGINS HER PREPARATIONS SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE A SHOW.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO ENSURE TOP DRESSAGE HORSES ARE PRUNED TO PERFECTION FOR A SHOW? STEPHANIE BATEMAN SPEAKS TO SOME OF THE INDUSTRY’S TOP GROOMS TO FIND OUT.

Picture-perfect plaits, “They all get brushed every day For a day show, Matt Frost’s great for their skin’, and .a gleaming coat and with a body brush to remove the groom Rachel Stephens starts salon-grade conditioner, again socks so white they dust and bring out the shine. At preparing a few days before. designed for human use, for their glow – preparing an international show I groom “I’ll wash their manes mane and tail. dressage horses for a them three times a day with a and tails so they’re show is no easy task, but with a body brush.” not slippery clean on little organisation and elbow grease, When it comes to bathing, the day of the show,” fabulous results can be achieved. most grooms bath a day or two she explains. “I bath

So, when should you begin beforehand. them the night before your show day preparations and “If we’re going to a stay away and will leave a clean what’s involved? show, I bath the day before we cotton sheet on and a

Carl Hester and Charlotte go because some of the shows rug on top if needed, Dujardin’s groom, Alan Davies, haven’t got great facilities,” says to keep them clean.” says that preparing a horse for Claire Bell, Spencer Wilton’s Claire Bell uses a show happens weeks, if not groom. “I use purple shampoo diluted medicated months before. which gives the coat a nice shine shampoo marketed

“Instead of slippery coat sprays whatever colour they are. I’m also for human hair to create a shine, I prefer a dose a big fan of shine spray which I ‘because it’s of daily elbow grease,” he says. put on after I’ve bathed them.” sensitive and

“For white socks I use blue shampoo and leave it on for a few minutes be ore rinsing off ,” she adds. “I chalk the white socks wet – I make a paste and aint it on.” When it comes to clean manes and ADAMFANTHORPE tails, Alan likes to wash them a day earlier.

“If they are worked the day be ore a show, I’ll give them a bath afterwards and wash their manes and tails,” he says. I ut mane and tail spray on after washing which removes any dust and shavings on show day. They wear a tail bandage rolled down to the end on the way to the show to ee them clean.”

TRIMMING AND PULLING As it s not always a uic ob, most grooms keep on top of trimming and mane pulling so it’s not left to the day of the show. hen trimming, they all have a bridle path and I clip out the uff y ear hair,” e lains Gareth Hughes’ groom Steph Sharples. “I only have a couple of horses that need to have their manes pulled as they have such thic hair, and I li e to use scissors by snipping at the ends upwards rather that in a straight line. I also use scissors for the tail and will pull a few hairs to fi nish the loo .” Steph advises pulling after the horses have worked as the hairs will come out easier. ate gloves can also be inder on your fi ngers,” she adds.

Claire Bell is another who prefers to use scissors on manes.

“For those who don’t like their manes being pulled the traditional way, I dam en the mane down with a wet sponge and use a comb and scissors,” she says. “I don’t pull them too short either as they need a bit of length or laiting.” he adds I ust trim the edges of the ears and under the head with cli ers,” she says. e leave whis ers on.”

ADAM FANTHORPE

ABOVE: GARETH HUGHES’ GROOM STEPH SHARPLES PREFERS TO USE SCISSORS TO TRIM THINNER MANES, SNIPING UPWARDS FOR A NATURAL LOOK. INSET: PURPLE SHAMPOO FOLLOWED BY CHALK ON WET LEGS CAN HELP TO MAKE WHITE SOCKS GLEAM.

Each groom has their own preferred method.

“I use elastic bands and I like the mane clean,” says Alan. “I

ADAM FANTHORPE

have a little trick where I roll the plait through the band have a little trick where I roll the plait through the band so you can’t see the elastic. It’s quick and easy and means you can take them out easily without breaking or cutting any of the mane. Afterwards, I use plaiting spray which helps keep them in place.”

Alan is quite particular about the size and shape of his plaits.

“I like them to have a nice wing on them and not be too small,” he says. “I prefer them medium-sized so they make a nice shape along the crest of the neck.”

Claire Bell opts for sewing in her plaits.

“Neville (Super Nova) has a thin mane and trying to keep it all in with bands is a nightmare,” she says. “Sewing helps them stay tidier and you can tuck loose ends in easier. If it’s a day show, I plait the morning of the show – I’m not a fan of leaving plaits in all night. If the mane is really fl y-away I’ll use hair spray.”

Rachel likes to be in the right position to get the best plaits.

“I make sure I am up and above the horse’s neck so I’m looking down at the plaits,” she says. “I start at the top of the neck, plait down and roll up and then French plait the forelock which I band.”

A tip for making plaits look good is to make sure they are even, explains Lottie Fry’s groom Claire James.

“They will always be slightly bigger in the middle of the neck, but ideally they need to be gradually smaller as you move down the neck,” she advises.

ABOVE: BANDS OR THREAD FOR PLAITING? THE JURY’S OUT BUT AIM TO GET ABOVE THE HORSE FOR THE BEST VIEW OF THE NECK.

CLIPPING There’s nothing worse than a horse with streaky clip lines or blotchy irritated skin from cli ing, so how do our e erts ensure a slee , even fi nish

“If we’re away for a couple of wee s, we cli as close to leaving as ossible,” e lains achel. I bath them the night before they are clipped and spray them with a coat shine to help the clippers glide through. I also loosely plait the mane before I clip so that I don’t end up taking chunks out and tails go u in a tail bandage.” o revent irritation, achel pays attention to the temperature of the clippers.

“I leave plenty of time and give the cli ers re uent brea s to cool down,” she says. I m also careful what oil I use on the clippers as some can irritate the s in.”

Alan cli s a ew days be ore a show and uses a skin wash in warm water after they’ve been clipped to remove any loose hair and dirt.

“It’s very good for stopping rashes,” he e lains.

Claire James will do a full body clip a week before competition after the horses have been bathed. It allows a bit o regrowth,” she says. “They will then get another shampoo after clipping to remove all the loose hair and the grease dee in the coat.”

LIGHT COLOURED HORSES Grey horses can be the bane of a groom’s life, but there are ways to keep them clean.

“I skip them out all the time to prevent poo stains,” says Rachel. “If we’re going to a show, I put leg wraps on them and a lycra all in one body suit. You can also use a blue rinse which is a powder that you add to water, apply to the white bits and then rinse off.”

Charlotte Dujardin’s mare Florentina (Flora) is grey, but Alan has an effective routine.

“The aim is to try and keep her clean all the time to stop the stains setting in,” he says.

ADAM FANTHORPE

ABOVE: ALAN DAVIES CARES FOR CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN’S FLORENTINA AND SAYS THAT THE BEST WAY TO KEEP GREY HORSES PRISTINE IS TO REMOVE STAINS AND PREVENT THEM SETTING IN. BELOW LEFT: QUARTER MARKS ARE THE ULTIMATE FINISHING TOUCH – PURPOSE-DESIGNED SPRAY HELPS THEM STAND OUT.

ADAM FANTHORPE “Purple shampoo prevents the hair staining, so she is washed with this a couple of times a week. I use a spot spray on the morning of a show to remove any stable stains.”

FINISHING OFF For the finishing touches, Claire Bell keeps it simple and uses shine spray and a splash of hoof oil.

“I put a bit of the spray on a cloth and wipe it over Neville when Spenny gets on,” she says. “It leaves a lovely shine without making him slippery.”

Rachel uses black equine eye makeup plus a splash of baby oil on the plaits to ‘make them shine,’ and Alan wipes oil enhancer over their eyes and muzzle to ‘make the skin gleam’ and applies hoof oil.

“I use Vaseline or baby oil to give a lovely shine to their muzzle and eyes, and I also find that talcum powder can bring up white socks nicely,” says Steph.

When doing quarter marks, Alan uses a brush from his own collection – Alan Davies Quarter Marker Brush.

“It’s made with natural hair and leaves a lovely finish,” he says. “I make sure the coat is really wet first and then use quarter mark spray and do it freehand with my brush, and gloss spray is then sprayed over the top to keep it in place.”

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT…. Claire Bell: “I couldn’t live without my cooler rug – it’s great if you have to wash the horse off in the cold as they are dry in 15mins.” Rachel Stephens: “Keep adding mane and tail spray to their mane and tail every day because it stops them rubbing them and helps keep them clean.” Alan Davies: “Clean rugs are really important – a clean sheet after a bath the night before helps to keep them sparkling.” Claire James: “Be prepared for anything!” Steph Sharples: “If I have several horses to plait, I will thread my needles before, so I don’t have the fiddly bit to do at the important time.”

PRODUCT WATCH

SILKY MANE & TAIL D-TANGLER Care for your horse's mane and tail with our deluxe conditioning spray for a smooth, shiny tangle-free fi nish. Leaves a non-greasy, non-sticky natural shine that will not attract dust and allows mud to be easily brushed from hair.

Naf-equine.eu/uk THE LEMIEUX FLEXI BRUSH GROOMING KIT comes with a full set of the LeMieux Flexi Brushes along with a Heritage Tangle Tidy Brush, and teamed with the

ProKit Lite grooming bag, making it the perfect all in one kit.

The ergonomic shape of the Flexi Brush fi ts into the hand perfectly which reduces wrist strain and gripping effort on the brush, while an elasticated strap allows for the perfect fi t. Colours: navy and burgundy.

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SHOWSHEEN® HAIR POLISH AND DETANGLER Makes coats sleek helping to accentuate body tone and defi nition. The unique formula contains pro-vitamins that condition skin and silk proteins to strengthen hair giving it a healthy shine. Now with a revolutionary sprayer head for a vertical or horizontal spray pattern – even when spraying upside down!

absorbine.co.uk SUPREME PRODUCTS ACCESSORIES BAG Stylish and practical! This sturdy black grooming bag with gold detailing includes multiple storage compartments and features a mesh base for easy cleaning, ideal for storing shampoo bottles after bathing. Complete with removable shoulder strap and grab handles.

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CAVALOR STAR SHINE is a long-lasting hair conditioner with a unqie and pleasant aroma. It can help give your horse’s coat a brilliant gloss, add volume to the hair and keep the mane and tail tangle-free for up to a week. Star Shine contains a mixture of a high-quality silcones which are essential for an excellent detangler. Cavalor® Star Shine helps repair damaged hair while enhancing coat colour and structure with an unforgettable shine.

cavalordirect.co.uk THE LEMIEUX HARDSHELL GROOMING BOX has a strong reinforced aluminium frame and a durable scratch-resistant casing making it supremely practical and hard wearing for all your grooming needs. The inner lining is made from soft shock absorbing foam to protect any sprays and bottles inside when travelling, and the removable insert carry tray is perfect for grooming on the go. The lockable lid will keep your possessions safe. Colours: navy and silver.

RRP: £64.95 | lemieuxproducts.com

HY – EVENT PRO SERIES GROOMING BAG A stylish and practical bag for keeping all your grooming products in one place. This sturdy bag comes with a generous amount of space and six open pockets, perfect to hold all your lotions and potions. Inside the bag features an easy-to-clean lining and zip pocket. The bag is finished with a reinforced base and studs to prevent damage.

hy-equestrian.com BRITE WHITES SHAMPOO can be used neat on stains (simply massage onto area, leave for five minutes and rinse out) or as a normal shampoo. Brite Whites leaves the coat soft, shiny and snow white. Guaranteed! Brite Whites is a dream come true for greys, coloureds and those dirty white socks!

lemieuxproducts.com SHOW OFF For all the dirty horses and ponies in the world, who would really like to be clean and smart, we have created this fabulous shampoo which not only cleans deeper and shines brighter, it smells wonderful too! So to make your show horse showier, your black horse blacker, your white horse whiter and all others in between simply more dazzling, just add Show Off to your water and work up the suds. The results will be dazzling!

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PLAIT IT UP Off to a show? Keep the wisps and strays at bay with Plait it Up spray for showstopping plaits every time!

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