Grooming tips/tricks/advice

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Npsouth

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I have a young horse who I’m hoping will become a dressage prospect for me to start my competing journey with.

During a recent lesson; a coach jokingly commented that I’ll need to let her tail grow for dressage (it’s been cut short following a season showing).

It got me to thinking, what are people’s tips and tricks for grooming - how do you like to turn a horse out? Tail plait or tail pulled? Super short mane for plaiting or a bit of length?

I appreciate a lot of this is subjective to personal preference (or is it?!), some will also probably vary based on discipline but I’d love to hear any and all advice and preferences. I’d like to be able to turn my horse out ‘properly’ and I don’t know if I have my own preferences right now!
 
I’m an eventer at heart,
I love a properly pulled tail, but will only properly pull if the horse really doesn’t mind, otherwise will reluctantly use a combo of tail rake, dog stripper and clippers to get the next best effect.
Length wise I don’t like a short, just below hock, length. But equally don’t like silly long. I’d say just above fetlocks is my preference for the types of horse I have.

Manes, a bit like tails prefer real pulled, but will use gadgets if the horse doesn’t like pulling. As for length, it depends a bit on the horse and the type of plaits that suit their neck. Generally on the shorter/thinner side though.

Whiskers on always. But cat hairs and external fluff off.
 
I am a dressage girl through and through but petrified of competing, so I enter online dressage where I can film my test in the safety net of the yard and I send it in online to online shows x

Whiskers always on for me - I hate that some people take them off (although I do believe that it's now illegal in some countries but could be wrong!). I do trim a bridle-path for the bridle to sit neatly behind the ears, and I trim around the ears to give a cleaner appearance but I don't take any fluff off. I also take off any cat hairs that I see.

Manes - I like them trimmed to a medium length so that the horse isn't left with no mane, but short enough to plait. As a rough guide I tend to aim for just under half the neck to be on show when the mane isn't plaited. When videoing for a test, I always plait the mane, but with the forelock, I tend to do a trick my old instructor told me, and rather than plait it, I ball it up to look as neat as possible and give the illusion of a plait. My boys hate their forelocks being plaited and always headshake/don't settle, and after numerous checks on them both, my vet has come to the conclusion that they simply don't like it.

Tails - I LOVE me a good pulled tail, but I use a solo rake or other gadgets as I feel really guilty pulling their hair out the traditional way (even when they're warm and it's supposed to not really hurt them!). Length wise, I aim for half way between the hocks and fetlocks as I don't like it too long nor too short. With tail plaiting, I can never get the damned thing right, so I do a trade with my friend (who is fab at doing tails but not so much manes) and we help each other out that way aha!

White parts - Now this I consider myself pretty darn good at having had light coloured horses for most my life, and currently owning two beautiful Appaloosas who themselves are pros at getting caked in anything they get their hooves on! I absolutely swear by Carr, Day and Martin Dreamcoat spray - you can use it all over the body and it gives a lovely shine without the risk of tack slipping. It also doubles as a detangler too which reduces the number of bottles you need. It's also awesome at keeping dust and stains away - it's really become a staple for me in my grooming kit! Wash wise, I swear by Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo, NAF Purple Shampoo and also Absorbine 2 in 1 shampoo. All 3 give fab results, suds up well, wash away easy, leave your horse smelling lovely and leaves them shining too! Cowboy Magic you need to use a conditioner with it (they have a Rosewater conditioner designed to be used with the same named shampoo) and the same with the NAF shampoo but the Absorbine is 2 in 1, so saves an extra bottle if you're short on space.
 
It probably depends how all in you want to go for the 'look' of a specific discipline over your personal preference.

For dressage the tails are usually longer (possibly it helps create more of a sitting and off the forehand look?) and the plaits are done to enhance the neck/ outline and the mane would be pulled accordingly. Tails are also pulled.

Personally for me I like a short showing tail that's on the hocks, a mane that is as short as I can get while still being long enough to get appropriate plaits in and a pulled tail. I used to actually pull the mane and tail but after having a horse who didn't like pulling I got used to using rakes and scissors and wouldn't go back to actual pulling now.
 
My turnout philosphy is very pragmatic:

I like a longer tail in summer, so they are more effective fly whisks, and shorter in winter to keep it out of the mud. I refuse to pull tails, or rake/ trim them, because I think they need them against flies in the summer and rain/hail in the winter.

Manes are left long until I need to plait. My technique usually horrifies people but it works - I plait down to the require length, fasten with a band and cut off the excess before rolling and stitching up. Yes, it can look a little wonky when I undo the plaits, but not too bad - just takes a quick tidy.

I always keep the bridle path trimmed because I find it easier, but I never ever trim whiskers. I do clip under the jaw when I do a half head clip though. I tidy any ear hairs that are impersonating an Emperor Penquin, but no more than that.

Fetlocks are usually left alone, but I might tidy them a little in winter if they are starting to gather icicles.
 
I like a mixture of to type and with a dressage sway. Tails I do 2 fists above the fetlock, so pretty long. But my hairy cob has just short enough to not stand on for rein back. Just slightly shaped at the top not fully pulled. Driving is correct to have natural tail tops. Manes long enough you don’t need over 13 plaits! I usually just band rather than dressage plaits but still aim for 11. Hairy cob has full mane and running plait.
 
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