Grooming to Win , livre ebook

Grooming to Win
How to Groom, Trim, Braid, and Prepare Your Horse for Show
Third Edition
SUSAN E. HARRIS

Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Copyright 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved.
Howell Book House
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
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ISBN: 978-0-470-04745-3
Printed in the United States of America
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Third Edition
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Table of Contents
F OREWORD
P REFACE
1 Horse Management: Conditioning to Win
2 Skin and Hair Care
3 Grooming and Daily Care
4 Grooming Tools and Supplies
5 Mane and Tail Care
6 Bathing, Bandaging, and Other Procedures
7 Trimming and Clipping
8 Blankets and Horse Clothing
9 Final Touches
10 The Show Hunter
11 Sport Horses: Turnout for Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing and Driving
12 The Western Show Horse
13 The Pleasure and Versatility Breeds
14 Other Breeds
15 The Saddlebred, Walking Horse, Parade Horse and Other Set-Tail Horses
16 Grooming at Horse Shows
A PPENDIX I Trimming Styles by Type And Event
A PPENDIX II Trimming Styles by Breed
I NDEX
Foreword
It s hard to believe thirty years have passed since I wrote the foreword to Susan Harris s classic stable management book, Grooming To Win. Susan and her work have certainly stood the test of time. She is a passionate, devoted, and totally committed horse-person and has been for a very long time.
Before one can talk about riding a horse, let alone training or owning one, one must consider caring for the horse. Unfortunately, due to this age of specialization, many riders know how to compete, but they certainly don t know how to care for, manage, and present their animals.
This third edition of Grooming To Win has stood the test of timeless, basic principles of horse management, yet it has kept us up to date and brought us into the 21st century. Nothing is really new in today s age; we just do things better and quicker. The great beauty of this book is that it not only covers the essentials of caring for a horse at home, but goes into detail about every sophisticated nuance of preparing the show horse for the ring.
This book is needed more today than ever before. Stable management is a dying, almost lost, art. Thanks to Susan Harris and her prolific writing (as well as her enormous influence) perhaps this art will live to see another day.
G EORGE H. M ORRIS Wellington, Florida
Preface
It has been years since the last edition of Grooming to Win appeared, and I m glad to have the chance to bring it in line with current show ring practices. In the horse show world, new styles, trends, and methods keep emerging like new channels in an old river. Some changes are fads of the moment; other reflect a more basic change in the type of horse, the way he is shown, and how we can best present him.
The more things change, the more they stay the same-technology and show ring glitter will never supplant the discipline, daily routine, attention to detail, and horsemanship that go into the making of a champion. A true horseman always puts the horse s welfare first, ahead of his own convenience, the current fashion, and even his desire to win. The more demanding the specialty in which you compete, the more important true horsemanship is to the success of both horse and rider. Those who prepare their horses for the challenge of competition, weather the demands of the show circuit, and keep their horses sound, healthy, and happy in there are good horsemen and women indeed, and they deserve our respect along with their winnings-so does anyone who keeps their own horse fit, clean, healthy, and happy, whether they ever compete or not.
In the new edition of Grooming to Win , there s an increased emphasis on conditioning and the physiology that under lies the conditioning process. A real show glow comes from within, not from a bottle, and understanding how this happens helps keeps us on the right track.
As the level of competition and the pressures of showing increase, we must consider the horse s mental health, attitude, and his relationship with people along with his physique and his looks. We must be aware of how we handle horses and use good judgment about how far to follow a fashion. Some things that are done to show horses in the name of winning are uncomfortable, unhealthy, or downright inhumane. We must be sensitive to each horse s attitude, needs, and reactions when grooming, conditioning, training, or showing, and do what we can to make his lot a happy one. Please groom your horse with feeling, listen to what he tells you as you work with him, and let your horse be a horse, even if it means you must brush off some mud later!
This book can never be the final word on grooming, as the subject is constantly evolving, yet I hope it will bring out some new and practical ideas while keeping the best of the old, traditional methods. If you have a grooming tip or a different way of doing things, I d love to know about it, and if your horses are shiny, healthy, and happy, you must be doing it right.
S USAN E. H ARRIS Cortland, New York
Chapter 1
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Horse Management: Conditioning to Win
Since we are responsible for our horses well-being, we must find a sensible balance between the horse s natural ways; the requirements of riding, showing, and training; and the needs of each individual animal. Show horses are not self-sufficient; we have a heavy responsibility to take the best possible care of them. The success we have in producing and keeping horses healthy, sound, and fit to show their best depends on how much time, knowledge, and effort we are willing to put forth for them.
When horses live as nature intended, they are usually fit, healthy, and self-sufficient as long as they have adequate range, forage, and water. Equine systems, habits, and behavior have evolved over fifty million years to help horses function and survive in a herd, constantly grazing and moving over a wide territory. It is only when we remove horses from their natural environment and use them for our own purposes that they need special care and management.
A horse in the rough is adapted to withstand harsh weather and fend off flies. The natural oils of the ungroomed coat prevent rain from soaking through, and his long winter coat keeps him warm even in bitter cold. The long mane and tail and the hair inside the ears protect him from flies, while long hair on the legs, face, and fetlocks keeps those parts warm and allows water to run off. Ranging over large areas and varying terrain toughens his feet and wears them down into a natural shape, and he grooms himself by rolling in dust or sand.

FIGURE 1. The natural horse.
Horses kept in domestic pastures are adapted to living outside but usually are more sedentary and less physically fit than range horses. Some develop overgrown feet, which can crack and chip and may cause stumbling, sprains, or gait abnormalities. Some pastures do not supply sufficient nutrition, while others have such lush grass that some animals are in danger of obesity and grass founder. Horses prefer to graze clean grass; but in small, overgrazed, or high traffic areas the grass becomes contami