Event grease

[sunny123]

I was just wondering what your opinions are on greasing their legs for cross country? I have never bothered before as we are not doing high level things, but i have just come back from advanced camp and the instructor (my horses previous owner) said that as i am riding an inexperienced horse i should put grease on just incase. There was a double on a very bad stride which she scrambled over (she refuses to refuse!) and scraped her knee, which then swelled up but is fine now. Would grease have stopped that? She said i should wear it for xc schooling aswell as comps because you never know when they might leave a leg behind. Just wondering what you do! Also how do you get it off??? Sorry if that made no sense atall, thanks.

 

[Baggybreeches]

I always grease up, I use the light blue one with some herbal stuff in, cant remember but I think its a Carr Day & Martin one. Definitely worth using.
One horse in the Grand National was wearing grease, it washes of with water and a little shampoo,

 

[sunny123]

Thanks! I will look out for that, roughly how much is it? Otherwise in the mean time we will just use Vaseline.

 

[Baggybreeches]

Not dear I think I paid about £8 - £10 for a tub (feed supplement size) and that does the best part of a season including schooling. Will give you proper name tomorrow (too dark and cold now to go looking for it)!

Vaseline is not great, udder cream for cows is better, you can usually get that from a farm supplies store, it is much easier to get off!

 

[Dutch]

Yes definately grease the legs for XC! It is a bit of a nightmare to get off though in the event of a trip or fall onto a fence will also help your horse and prevent himself or his skin from being injured.

We used to use a bucket of warm water (from a flask or just leave it out in the sun when you arrive at the event) and a tiny bit of fairy liquid!

 

[cazcrazyjonty]

we never use it unless we go to novice or higher when we were at pontispool i only saw one person wearing it....

 

[wench]

would you bother for a 2ft 3 xc course?

 

[dingle12]

i did a post about eventing grease last year they were alot of mixed reactions, i would not use it until higher level, i think with youngsters if they hit the odd fence it will be a reminder for them to get there legs out of the way.

 

[Safina]

I've never worn grease as, to date, I've not done much higher than 2.9ft XC. However, took the boy XC schooling this weekend and he took a dislike to the steps, tried to brake but his front legs slid down the first step so he had no choice but to go. Pulled up straight away to find he'd grazed the backs of both legs above where his boots finished. Nothing serious and no swelling/bleeding but I can't help thinking that grease would have stopped him hurting himself.

I'll be greasing from now on I think.

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive never used grease so far, and I am currently jumping Novice BE. If I went higher then I think I might though.

wench - Personally I dont see my point in using grease for a 2'3 XC as you cant really get stuck over one?!

 

[vickers22]

ive only used it once for the 3'6 xc at stockland lovell(just as well as his back legs hit a jump and slid over)but for my normal 3'3 xc i dont bother.

 

[sunny123]

Thankyou, thats really interesting. I guess we were schooling over 3'/3'3ish some smaller and a some bigger, but will be competing over smaller fences to begin with, and at the moment we are only doing unaff. I think i will give it a go just to be on the safe side because Ive had enough of lame horses, I just have a slight complex about people thinking that Im trying to look all professional and then doing really badly! One more question, i had always thought that you just did the fronts of all legs but now im thinking that you must do the backs of the front legs aswell??? Thank you so much for all your opinions so far!

 

[Safina]

I am the same....I am sure I come accross as an "all the gear, no idea" sort. LOL

 

[Bossanova]

I wouldnt bother below intermediate level. Grease can cause more problems than it may save- they cant sweat properly under it, if you drop your reins or slide them a bit too much and get grease on them they go mega slippy (trust me, I've lost control twice because got grease on my reins on a hard-pulling horse when it jumped over-extravagantly into water and it aint funny)

Some react against it as well and it is a bit of a pain to get off horse and tack

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Sorry, but I find it amusing when someone competing at BE Intro has their horse smeared in blue event grease (matched the bandages, boots and xc colours)!

I wouldn't bother unless it's at a much higher level.

 

[sunny123]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, but I find it amusing when someone competing at BE Intro has their horse smeared in blue event grease (matched the bandages, boots and xc colours)!

I wouldn't bother unless it's at a much higher level.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, thanks! This is how i was worried i would look! Just wasnt sure as i have alot of respect for this person, and she bred my horse, but whenever i have riden her horses for her they have never worn it so i was quite supprised when she said it to me!

 

[sunny123]

[ QUOTE ]
I wouldnt bother below intermediate level. Grease can cause more problems than it may save- they cant sweat properly under it, if you drop your reins or slide them a bit too much and get grease on them they go mega slippy (trust me, I've lost control twice because got grease on my reins on a hard-pulling horse when it jumped over-extravagantly into water and it aint funny)

Some react against it as well and it is a bit of a pain to get off horse and tack

[/ QUOTE ]

Thankyou!