Ask The Experts
Do you have a question that you would like to ask on any aspect of equestrianism? Use the button to the right to ask your question and this will be answered by our panel of experts and a response will be posted on the website.
Click on the question to view the answer to questions already posted.
Categories:
Clothing & Tack
General
Grooming Questions
Product Usage
Showing Etiquette & Tips
Clothing & Tack
Q.
How do I choose a Browband for my Show Hack?
A. Rob Walker says: Browbands can be as flamboyant as you like, hacks must wear coloured velvet ones (unlike hunters and cobs).
When choosing the colour and style, pick a shade that does not clash with your horses colour. Red, white and blue are very popular and for that extra bit of glamour, some brow bands are made with diamante!
Which ever colour brow band you go for make sure your tie corresponds.
Q.
My Friend has asked me to groom for her at county level show in novice working hunter. What do I wear?
A. Christine from Supreme Products says:
Thank you for your enquiry.
The main thing to bear in mind is for the groom to complement the horse and rider and not detract from the picture. So for a County Show I would suggest a pair of light coloured jodphurs and short boots and a jacket with coloured
shirt and plain tie. A riding hat is essential, no obvious jewellery, tidy hair etc. This will give a business-like presentation with a well turned-out combination of rider, horse and groom. It all helps!
General
Q.
What is the best type of fencing for sand ring for small riding school ?
A. Regarding the best type of fencing for an outdoor arena I would suggest a good quality post and rail fence with a gate allowing wide enough access for a vehicle or tractor through in order to harrow or roll the surface, collect droppings etc.
As for the best surface to put down - this depends on factors such as amount of use, price, your local area for rainfall, wind and drainage factors. My advice would be to do some research by asking around for recommendations from users - professional yards, riding schools & large commercial arenas
both indoor and outdoor so that you have information on the types of
surfaces available, the durability of the surface and equally important - the maintenance of the surface.
I think that personal experience and recommendation, both of surface type and contractor, is very important help before embarking on a major purchase such as this.
Grooming Questions
Q.
Any tips on how I can get my sharks teeth to stay?
A. Make sure that the coat is clean. Spray the area to be marked up with Supreme Products de-luxe Coat Gloss. Spray the area so that it looks really wet, particularly
for quarter marks. Then mark up or brush in the shark's teeth - and leave.
Supreme Coat Gloss will keep all in place. There is no need for additional preparations.
Q.
Hi l have a Fell pony with a lot of mane and tail but it gets very dry and course what can l use to improve it and keep it tangle free and shining on show days ?
A. Sarah from Supreme Products says: We have a couple of products that could really help you here - one is Moisturise & Condition which is excellent for challenging dry manes and tails (as well as for use all over the body) and can be used all year round to maintain shine and condition. Work it well in to the coat, mane and tail for best results. We also have Detangle & Shine which will do exactly as it says - detangle manes and tails and keeps them silky, lustrous and tangle-free.
One of our most popular products is 'Sparkle' which also contains a detangler and is fantastic for producing shine on the mane and tail (if you plait, plait first then apply Sparkle).
All these products are available on the site, in the 'Shop' area. As with all of our products, use them sparingly - a little does go a long way and will produce excellent results.
Q.
How do I pull a tail properly and where do I start from?
A. Question in full - My horse's tail has never been fully pulled, I have tried to keep it tidy and so have pulled the worst of it, but this year I am doing side saddle classes at some of the bigger shows and so need it to be perfect. I have pulled tails which have been pulled before and kept them tidy but never started from scratch, What is the best way about going about it and where do I take the hair from? Thanks
Christine from Supreme Products says:
Stephanie, thank you for your question. You have two options really. One would be to get
someone who is particularly good at pulling tails to pull it to a
'flute' shape (which is the the most attractive shape for the show horse) in the traditional way, 3-4 days or so before the start of your competitions and from there you could keep it in trim and shape with one of the Thinning combs that you will find on the Supreme Products website - one with fine teeth e.g. the 16 teeth comb.
Alternatively you could do it yourself with a Thinning Comb, but I would recommend you start with a 12 teeth comb if the tail is quite strong and bushy and refine the shape with the 16 teeth. Whichever
route you choose, once you have the basic shape you would only need to put the 'comb' through the tail to keep the tail hairs short and the tail in shape on a weekly or fortnightly basis depending on the rate of hair growth.
How to use the comb - basically you 'comb' down the dock in the direction of the hair growth and the pressure that you exert removes the hair. You can get a very good finish with this comb and the tail hairs don't look chopped off as they do when people take clippers to the tail. This method is quick
and totally painless to the horse.
Sarah from Supreme Products says: Another useful tip for both mane and tail pulling is to do it when the hair is dirty rather than 'just shampooed.' If you try to pull mane or tail after shampooing, the hair will be too slippery - so always pull dirty hair - it makes the job much easier!
Q.
How many plaits should I do?
A. Rob Walker says: Many people get told to plait to an odd number, however I like to plait according to the neck. A short neck should have more plaits, which gives the impression of it being longer than it really is.
Likewise, a long neck should have fewer bigger plaits, which shortens up the overall appearance.
Product Usage
Q.
How much DeFUSE would I approximately need to use on a fairly nervous 15hds shp weighing approx 450kg? So I know which size of product to buy.
A. Sarah from Supreme Products says - With DeFUSE there are two things to establish - how much to give and how far in advance to give it for when it is needed.
With a nervy 15hh horse, we would suggest starting 'high' and making sure this works for you, then once you have established the product works you can reduce the amount the next time you use it (just by a small amount each time) until you find the 'balance' that works for you. How much to use is the $64 million question!
The guideline amount for horses is 60ml - 120 ml and - depending on your horses' metabolism - it is really a case of establishing the right amount to use.
As I mentioned, we would recommend you start quite high, possible 100ml and ensure that this works. The next time you use the product, administer 90ml and if you are happy that this also works then you may wish to reduce the amount the next time you use it.
If you give too much of the product (i.e. more than is needed for your particular horse) there will be no adverse effects, all that will happen is that the excess will be wasted. This is why we recommend reducing how much you give each time until you find the 'balance' (the correct amount) the works for your horse.
You might well find that only 40ml works brilliantly for your horse, conversely you might find you need 120ml.
I would suggest you start with a 500ml bottle, try it and see, then once you are happy that it works - and we have had some fantastic feedback since we introduced this to our range nearly 10 years ago - then you can go up to the next size.
For your info - the shelf life of this product is 2 years if you keep it at room temperature and once you establish how much to use, it should work very well for you.
Finally, for reference, the guideline time to give the product is 2 1/2 hours before a 'nervy' situation - be it a class; shoeing, travelling etc.
I hope this helps....
Showing Etiquette & Tips
Q.
Do you have any tips on how to stand an In Hand horse up correctly for the judge?
A. Practise standing your horse square with the head in the right position. Some horses need to look up to give a more swan-like impression, whilst some need to keep their head lower if your horse lacks length of rein.
Try to stand on a good piece of level ground or slightly up hill as this will enhance the appearance of the horse. When walking away from the judge and trotting back do so in a straight line.
Always have a helper on hand to help encourage your horse forward - dragging a horse is never a good look!
Q.
HOW DO I MAKE MY INDIVIDUAL SHOW STAND OUT?
A. The main point to remember about the individual show is that it is your sole opportunity to impress the judge, where for two or three minutes all eyes are on you, so make the most of it.
Your individual show should be catered around your horse's or pony's best points, if he has an extravagant trot then you should add an extra trot to finish, likewise if his canter is exceptionally good, ride more in this pace with a two time change.
Always make the most of the ring space and keep your show short and sweet. If you are including a rein back in your show make sure it is well practised. It should be an even two time gait performed from a square halt, and can not be done from a tense halt as the rhythm will be affected and probably reverse to one side.
Q.
What makes the perfect show horse?
A. Rob Walker says - It goes without saying that a perfect show how horse will have correct conformation, impeccable manners and breathtaking paces.
A horse that has amazing presence has the ability to grab the judges attention, something which you should always look for when you are searching for a perfect horse.
If I were to choose my ideal horse I would pick an old fashioned lightweight hunter with plenty of Thoroughbred breeding. An athletic type, who could easily cope with a day out on the hunting field.
The thoroughbred breeding would bring quality and presence with a trainable attitude.
Over the years there have been many good show horses but one stands out of the crowd for me, Top Notch ridden by Norman Crow, a great example of what a lightweight hunter should be.
Top Notch was always special when you saw him in the ring you had to look at him, he breathed quality.
A fabulous dark brown gelding, with tremendous presence and near perfect confirmation, he was just a winner.
A traditional sort, Top Notch always looked athletic and always had a great attitude towards work and showing. Conformationally Top Notch was near perfect.
