I think anyone who owns a grey horse or pony can confirm it takes some serious love and commitment to get them show ready. Those with bays or chestnuts might only need to give them a quick hot oil rinse over, however we grey horse owners face an almost epic level of washing, with possibly the need to repeat it the morning of the show!

Over the years I have learned some tricks of the trade that might ease some of the hardship.

• Pre-Washing

Start ahead of time if your horse is badly stained. 2/3 washes might be needed depending on the levels of dirt or staining. If you can sponge off the worst areas while it’s fresh this will save you a lot of work in pre-show preparation. Hosing off your horse after work in hot weather or a bucket and sponge during the winter can make all this difference. If you find your horse has a flaky coat or his mane and tail are less than dandruff free, a medicated shampoo could be a very good alternative between ‘show washes’. Another alternative is to hot oil the horses coat. Two products I use and am very satisfied with are Shapleys Medi-care and Shapleys Hot Oil No 1

• Turn up the heat

Hot water is essential if only not to end up with frost bite yourself! It is also much more effective in helping remove stubborn dirt. There are a lot of portable options available nowadays to suits all budgets and needs. The old-fashioned boiling kettle has been used for many years here too so if your budget doesn’t stretch to it at present worry not!

• Choose your Shampoo

Your shampoo – an essential ingredient for show ring success  – I have used the Shapleys Equitone Whitening for years and was so very fortunate to be asked to become their brand ambassador in Ireland last year by Packhorse. I recommend wetting the body and then wiping off the excess water. After that apply the shampoo and leave it for about 10 minutes. This allows it to be more effective, really working to get the stains out of the coat and give a brighter than white result.

• The cover up

Invest in a lycra suit or the Horseware show rug. Such options keep the major body parts covered overnight in the event of lying down or rolling ahead of the main event . *Just a note I do find some of the lycra suits that cover the head can pull back and go near the eye. I tend to leave it off the head. I really like the Horseware show rug as it has a tail bag that is attached by velcro and had a long tail flap as well. The show rug has a much nicer fit around the eyes so tends to be my go to option. None of the rugs are 100% perfect but they do go a long way towards solve all your problems but they really do make life easier.

• Bedding

The bedding you choose for your horses or ponies to rest on can play a huge part in how long and what kind of prep you will be subjected to on show morning. Shavings can get caught in tail and give you extra work. A tail bag is a life saver. I have used may of the common ones on the market but have found they all fall off during the night. This is another reason why I love my Horseware show rug as the tail bag is attached by Velcro so stays in place. A plait in the tail is a great way to help, not only create volume in the tail, but help reduce shavings or straw getting too entangled in the tail. My girls love rolling in a nice new clean deep bed so it can be helpful to put down the new bed the day before so the excitement has worn off and then just top up the night before the show.

• Legs Eleven

Knees and hocks tend to get the most stains. I recommend two options:

Snuggle Hoods have easy to use fleece leg wraps. These can be great if your horse has short legs by sizing up they will easily cover the knees. They are also super quick to pop on and off. Depending on the horse they might suit for the hock buts if not use bandage pads. I have a great set for years that are shaped for the hocks. You can use these with stable bandages. If you aren’t familiar with bandaging I do recommend the fleece legs wraps for safety.

• Morning (of the show) Routine

Do leave everything ready in case you need to wash any areas again. It can delay you so much to have to get everything out again. I have my ‘at home products’ separate from my show ki,t as then I know I won’t leave anything at home that I might need later that day.

These are some of my pre-show preparation handy hints. While it is certainly not an exhaustible list they have served me well season after season. I am forever trying new methods to see if I can improve upon these trusted steps so if you have any tried and tested tip please do share them.

*Please note that I am brand ambassador for Shapleys Products in Ireland