Photo perfect turnout Image courtesy of Shapleys. Katie Louise Photography.
We asked top show rider, producer and judge, Katie Jerram-Hunnable for her top 5 tips for ‘winning look’ perfection.
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Do Your Homework
Producing a show horse takes time, knowledge and patience. Shows can be busy environments, and the warm-up space is often limited so giving him some experience at home will ensure this doesn’t faze him. Before attempting a showing class, you need to ensure that your horse is also happy to be ridden by someone other than yourself.
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Make A (Good) Impression
Judges are always looking for that horse and rider combination that presents a beautiful picture as soon as they walk into the ring. They are beautifully turned out and step into the ring with confidence and that ‘look at me’ presence.
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What To Wear
Make sure that you and your horse are dressed correctly for the class you are riding in. For example, coloured browbands are for riding horses, show ponies and hacks as opposed to working hunters, hunter ponies, Traditionals, hunters, Natives and cobs.
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Perfect Plaits
Take a few moments to examine your horse’s neck conformation. Plaiting can enhance the neck and top line: if it is weak and needs more top-line, then a good trick is to position the plaits, so they sit on top of the neck, rather than flat to the neck, to give the illusion of more top line.
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Trim & Proper
Unless you are showing a Traditional or Native, trimming is part of show-ring turnout. Make sure your horse is happy to be clipped and that he is fine having his legs clipped out. Wearing a helmet when clipping out a horses’ legs is sensible, considering your head is so near his hooves.
To ‘Outshine’ the competition, our grooming brushes are formulated with patented bristle technology to help promote beautiful, natural shine. Discover why our brushes ‘shine with science’.
And, if you’re looking to add a finishing touch with precision to your turnout, our Quarter Mark Brush designed, in collaboration with Katie, is perfection in a brush.
If you enjoyed these tips, you will discover more fabulous showing advice in our How To Wow The Judges In The Show Ring Journal.
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