Shiny Happy Horses

Sound Horsemanship Clinic Near Boston Saturday

I’m up on the latest greatest! This Saturday I'll expand on winter, soundness, handling, bandaging and braiding information...

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Maintaining Arena Footing

Heritage Farm's Gerardo Escalera shares best practices for maintaining arenas.  Good footing is pivotal to keeping horses sound. Twenty years running one of the most successful show stables of all time has revealed some surprises...

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Bathing Alternatives

Cold backs and muscles make horses prone to soundness problems. Soap MUST be rinsed well, or skin irritations will ensue.  So, without warm running water, bathing is not a wise option. YET, those competing or getting clipped need to be clean. There are two very viable options for bathing without wetting horses.

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Horse Resists Clipping?

Learn How To Help Your Horse Accept  Clippers

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Is That Horse Body Clipped??!

YES!!! Freshly clipped and SHINY!!!

I get a lot of questions about Body Clipping. This image was taken last week. The horse had its FIRST CLIP of the fall a week earlier. Does the coat look ruined??? That is great grooming. It's a HIGH COMPLIMENT is when someone asks, “Is that horse clipped?”

This horse gets groomed vigorously daily, before and after work.  This keeps the hair fine.  Currying exfoliates and stimulates oils.  Grooming pulls natural protective oils down the hair shafts, to close the end.  That is why this horse does not have the wire brush look.  Instead, he looks like satin!

The Ace of Spades Treatment

Normally, Ace of Spades is bathed once a week, sometimes more often. He also got a soap bath before and after clipping. The barn only uses the shampoo that instead of stripping the coat, actually enhances natural oils: This Lucky Braids shampoo is all you need to achieve that great coat.

This TopTurnout Salute goes out to the great groom Martha Briseno and all of Snowbrook with trainer Kimberly Prince. Their horses are always meticulously managed.

I just love to honor and celebrate EXCELLENCE in HORSEMANSHIP!

~Ruthann

The Painted-On Look

Amanda Steege's Top Turnout

We call this the PAINTED-ON LOOK. People talk about numbers of braids. A great braider knows what's REALLY important is that the:

• Bottomline of the mane is perfectly straight.
• Mane braids are sized so they sit well on the neck.
• Cheat the angle so braids are longer toward the poll than the withers, and the neck looks rounder.
• Maintain a really uniform and/or gradual visual rhythm to the braids and they carry your eye down the neck.
• Braids are comfortable and sturdy. Braids that look painted-on won’t jiggle to distract the eye, nor go askew with scrubbing crest releases.

This is a topnotch braid job by Jeff Claxton, is yet another way Amanda Steege distinguishes herself and Ashmeadow Farm for *EXCELLENCE IN HORSEMANSHIP.* Consider this another Top Turnout Salute!

Braid like a pro

If you want to braid like this, lots of tips are posted in the Grooming Resource of this site.  Get the formula down and your manes can look like this every time.  I suspect this took about 35 minutes. Here's how to learn to braid like a pro.

Enjoy,
Ruthann

*This grey is SHINING IN THE DARK for Lucky Braids All-In-One Shampoo.

Grand Prix Riders' Braiding Advantage

“Horsewomen are always several notches above riders....”

                                                                            – Judy Richter 

Why braiding is important

Special Mention

Photo credit and THANKS to: Linda Umla. — with Norfield Stables LLC at the New Albany Classic