The Supreme Products Guide to Producing a Champion

Most of the preparation for a show horse should be done at home. Giving your horse a quick bath and brush the day before a show will not have him looking in tip top condition. A show horse requires care and attention to keep him looking at his best throughout the season.

Feeding

Finding the correct feed for your horse is essential for making sure your horse looks and performs well. Regular small feeds are essential to a horses wellbeing. If your horse’s coat looks dull, add a splash of soya oil to his feed and he will soon have a shine back on his coat.

Rugging

Rugging your horse will help keep his summer coat looking good and discourage him from growing a winter one. Make sure he is warm - but not too hot otherwise he will be uncomfortable - at all times to help maintain a great coat.

In the summer it can become quite warm so you do not want to over-rug your horse. A Supreme Products Lycra Body Wrap is perfect for keeping your horse cool and comfortable whilst keeping the coat in tip top condition by preventing rug rubs. Add a lightweight rug over the top if necessary on colder periods.

Grooming

Daily grooming is essential to keep him looking good. By thoroughly grooming your horse you will help stimulate oil production and blood circulation, and will remove any dead skin cells and coat to give your horse a healthy glow. After grooming spray with Supreme Products De Luxe Coat Gloss to leave a natural looking shine to your horse’s coat

Trim any stray hairs on your horses head for example the ears, whiskers, jaw line and bridle path with mini clippers. Also make sure all heels are trimmed to create an elegant look.

Pay attention to the length of the mane and tail. If you will be regularly plaiting the mane, make sure it is pulled to a length that is manageable and will enable you to create neat plaits. In the show ring a nicely pulled tail looks elegant, however if you are not comfortable with pulling your horses tail the Supreme Products Thinning Comb is perfect for thinning manes and tails quickly and humanely.

Riding

At the start of the year make sure you get your show animals as fit as possible to be able to cope with the long days at shows. Spend a lot of time hacking out and building up the ponies and horses with more intense schooling. Good schooling work is important for the right build up of muscles to make them look more defined.

Throughout the season it is a case of ticking your horse over in between shows. It's a good idea to spend more time hacking the ponies and horses out and turning them out in the field in an attempt to keep their fitness and interest in showing.

Turnout

Turn out as much as possible. Ideally, aim for them to each get a few hours every day. Time in the field is very beneficial for horses and ponies, they get to relax and unwind which should stop them from becoming stale half way through the season.

During the season the ponies should be fit enough so concentrate on keeping them happy and sweet. After a show, give them a couple of days in the field, coming in at night for a feed and to be checked over.

For further information please contact Supreme Products on 01377 217150 or visit www.supremeproducts.co.uk