Black hoof polish for shows or not???

My bambinos

My bambinos

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I show my horse in ridden hunter classes he has black front hooves and stripy back (he has small white snips on his heels) I recently went to a showing clinic with a very well respected showing producer & judge we had to enter the clinic with our horses and ourselves as if we were in the show ring so I painted my horses hooves with black polish (the one that doesnt come off until the next day) as I always do for a show and she said I shouldnt use it I should use clear polish as I am turning his natural hoof appearance into something they are not :eek: so I stopped using it and use clear instead but it looks rubbish and once I have done one lap of the arena, etc they look like I have never put any on :(

So what do you use have you ever been told not to use black or had any judges comments? I know it may not seem important to some people but I have a big show coming up and I want to go in looking the best i can.
 
We used to use it on our ponies regularly, I know its not allowed under some rules for coloureds and natives, but not heard of it being disallowed in hunter classes?

Check with the SHB or whichever society your riding under to their individual rules :)
 
My mare has stripey hooves and we use clear polish as some judges really hate black polish and TBH so do I, to me it just looks really naff.
 
Same brand as th black stuff but make a clear version.
A lot of professionals use it, but we use the black sabeline at work as it is better for the horses hooves.
 
Ye that's what I've got its supershine by absorbene and I've tried supremes it just looks like I haven't put any on soon after
 
Ditto the others about the clear stuff (absorbine? Comes in a little black pot with a sponge on a stick).

I like black hoove on mine as I think it finishes off the whole picture, I always find myself thinking something has been missed if I use clear :D

But knowing I have used it to hide 'imperfections' like slightly chipped hooves etc. I can see why some judges and societies don't like it.
 
I personally prefer the black stuff (except on 'natural' state horses such as arabs and natives). I think it looks much more finished. Show ponies, show hunters, cobs - they're show animals so makeup to finish the picture doesn't bother me.

Black varnish seems to be like marmite - I've heard big names in the show ring praising it and condemning it.

I use the absorbine clear on my connie - i have to say it's a nightmare. The shine doesn't stay as well as on the black stuff. If the hoof isn't perfectly dry (and when you've a grey connie you spend a heck of a lot of time bathing) it goes on weird and doesn't 'shine'. That bad effect is multiplied if there's any surface on the hoof.

I'm considering getting a pot of the kevin bacon liquid and seeing how long that holds its shine.
 
I've never heard of the Kevin Bacon one will have to look that up, I know what u mean about the clear not being shiny im going to have to put 50 layers on! :D
 
Leg_end said:
I use the Kevin bacon day to day and wouldn't recommend it for a show finish.
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I use the..harder stuff...not sure how to word it, every day and I'd agree as it just smears on the foot. But the slightly more expensive liquid the farrier puts on gives a nice shine. Unless you mean that it doesn't last?
 
We use the black stuff, even on the greys and white legged horses! For showing and eventing, never had a comment. I think it looks smart, even with white legs...

My horse has three black feet and one white foot, no way was I buying two different types of hoof oil :p

Eta: the black hoof oil also works for covering up scars :o
 
I use the Gold Label black varnish for american classes, but ordinary Sabalene for English riding horse classes. I thought the black varnish was frowned upon - but apparently not!
 
I bought some black but Never really been sure if I should use it or not, I think it looks really smart but seems like everything else with showing depends on the judge
 
MissSBird said:
I use the..harder stuff...not sure how to word it, every day and I'd agree as it just smears on the foot. But the slightly more expensive liquid the farrier puts on gives a nice shine. Unless you mean that it doesn't last?
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Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you! I use the liquid and it looks great for about five minutes hen comes off when you do any work :(
 
I know nothing about showing, but could you use black in front and clear behind? - it sounded to me like she was objecting to covering up the stripes.... and it the fronts you notice more.
Although that will mean 2 pots which is a hassle, and I don't know if mismatched is worse?
 
Puffin said:
I know nothing about showing, but could you use black in front and clear behind? - it sounded to me like she was objecting to covering up the stripes.... and it the fronts you notice more.
Although that will mean 2 pots which is a hassle, and I don't know if mismatched is worse?
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Not really no they would have to be all of the same, she didnt know his back ones were stripy I just think she didnt think the black polish should be used regardless.

Thanks for your suggestion though :)
 
Tricky - a friend of mine very successful in show hunter and cob classes up to HOYS level uses black on hers but she was a guinea pig in a showing clinic and the invited judge did not like the black, as he said his personal preference. I have an appy with stripy hooves so use clear absorbine, put one coat on after done all the washing etc then put another one on later, looks good, never tried him with black, you are creating a picture so go with whatever looks best and finishs the picture, you are never going to please all judges what one likes another one doesnt, thats showing!!
 
I have a spotty with stripey hooves and we use black for eventing and showing as never really thought about it. In his spotty show classes they've never mentioned it.
 
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