How to Prepare a Horse for Competition

Horses make wonderful companions. When they are properly trained and cared for, they offer their owners a source of fun and friendship. A huge advantage of owning a horse is entering it into shows and competitions.

Preparing a horse for competitions requires cleaning, planning, and grooming. It is up to the owner, veterinarian, and farrier to make sure that a horse is ready and able to participate in a show.

Here are a few ways to ensure that a horse will be all set the day of a competition.

Feed it the Right Food

Feeding a horse the proper food at the right time prior to a competition is essential. According to Equisearch’s Kelly R. Vineyard, an equine nutritionist, giving a horse a grain meal at least four hours before a show is best. She says that throughout the day, a horse can eat small forage meals and batches of hay because it prevents “an unwanted rise in blood insulin and will not affect the availability of fuels during exercise.” Along with being satisfied with its food, it is also important that a horse drinks water and/or eats grass the day of the competition to stay hydrated.

Do Warm Ups

Warming up a horse before a show will get it in the right state of mind to compete. It will encourage the horse to relax and be helpful in avoiding injuries, says Stefanie Reinhold, an equine massage practitioner. An easy warm up involves 15 minutes of walking on a long rein for horses under 20 years of age, and 20-25 minutes of walking for senior horses. An owner should walk his or her horse on the outside of the arena, making circles, then gradually make small circles after 10 minutes. Reinhold states that during the final five minutes of the warm up, a horse should be able to bend in the circles, “have a willing and relaxed walk and stretch his head forward/down.”

Groom and Clip

A horse must be mentally, physically and aesthetically prepared for a competition. This means that it should both feel and look good. According to the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), an owner should soak and clean the horse with mild soap and conditioner. Soap needs to be completely rinsed out, and a horse should avoiding drying out in cold temperatures or in the sun, which can bleach its coat. The AQHA’s site states that there are two kinds of blades, 10s and 40s, that are used for clipping. The 10s are “for thick hair that is found in the bridle path, underneath the jaw and on legs” while the 40s are “for fine hair that is found on the muzzle, around the eyes and both inside and outside the ears.” The ears are the most difficult part to clip, and a restraint should be used if necessary. When clipping is completed, a horse needs its coat brushed and special attention must be given to its tail and mane.

Hoof Care

While dressing and polishing are often used for aesthetic reasons, caring for your horse’s hooves is especially important. Skipping proper hoofcare can result in short or long-term problems for your horse, such as stone bruises, thrush, or lameness. You want to clean all the nooks and crannys of your horse’s hoof, using a hoof pick, especially between the bars and frog. We recommend that you pick the feet before and after any ride. We also recommend that you work from heel to toe to avoid potentially hurting yourself or your horse – if you’ve never done this yourself, the Blacksmith Buddy is a useful training tool.

Administering Medicine

If a horse needs its medicine, make sure the medicine is administered on schedule before a show. A horse that seems dehydrated or has low energy before a show may be given electrolytes. According to Tufts.edu, it can be dangerous for horses to have too many electrolytes (NaCl), so owners and veterinarians need to follow guidelines. The requirements for NaCl “range from one tenth of a percent of the ingested feed for a broodmare, to three tenths of a percent of the ingested feed for a competition horse.”

Photo credit: Angie Garrett