I've entered Tack & Turnout - advice please!

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FinellaGlen

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As per title, I'm entering my first tack & turnout on Sunday and I've just realised that I don't actually know what it involves
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Any advice? Thank you
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Has anyone got any tips at all for me? My horse, myself and our tack and clothing will be as clean as I can get it but does anyone have any tips for presenting a really good picture? I struggle to get my stirrup irons really shiny for instance so any good ideas for cleaning them would be welcome.
 
you're brave!!!!

everything needs to be clean.....and the less tack the better....

they check everything....so remove anything not deemed neccesary..

i did this ONCE..and was mortified at the places the judge looked for "grime"...
AND found it!!!
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He he, not brave, just trying to pluck up the courage to actually ride in the ring
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So far I've only done in-hand showing and I like that a lot but I would also like to do ridden showing eventually. I'm not expecting to do very well but I don't want to get ordered from the ring in disgrace either
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Thanks for the tip about keeping tack simple. I hadn't thought about that. I will also have to clean all those nooks and crannies on my saddle that I normally "forget about" then
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i think its because FG wont actually have to "Do" anything once she's in the ring..as it's her 1st time..she may find doing a "show" in front of a judge a bit much at this stage..

Tack and Turnout will be very "safe" for her.
 
sophie - it is a really small show and there are only a few classes to choose from. I am also doing M&M in-hand but I really wanted to do a ridden class because I haven't ridden "in public" for years and I figured that tack & turnout wouldn't focus on my actual riding at all. I have to admit that I am not exactly looking forward to it though because I am bound to get a splodge of mud on my face as I enter the ring or something equally stupid
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JM07 has hit the nail on the head there. I am trying to break myself in gently you see
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us ladies of a certain age understand these things!!!
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Ah right sorry,
Im going to invest in rescue remedy!
I enjoy showing my sec A in hand but the ridden is really scary!
Im OK once im in the ring, its the leading up to it!

After this season I wont be showing anymore.
Hopefully next year I will have my confidence back to jump.
 
Apart from having everything spotless... clean hooves inside and out, no risen clenches or overgrown hooves. Very discreet numnah if you need one. No boots, bandages, martingales. Have someone to clean the underside of your boots when you're mounted. Steer clear of white gloves! Have the buckle of your rein(s) on the left. If you have a standard show issue number, cut round the numbers in a neat circle and either pin or sew to your jacket; the black twine they give you looks very tacky. Have a neat buttonhole. Make sure there are no grease "jockeys" on tack or your boots. If you're using spurs have leather straps fastened the right way round. Sew up the ribbons on the back of your hat if you have them. Are you plaiting or is ned a native?
Good Luck!
 
chriscrogul, thank you for that. Ned is a native so no plaits to worry about, thank goodness. Good advice about the number attachment. I tend to look like a sack of spuds at the best of times so tying a bit of twine round my middle is never a good look for me!

JM07, is swigging the brandy from your hip flask whilst in the ring considered a faux pas?
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I think pinning or sewing numbers looks awful and sewing it will damage your jacket, most competitiors (who show regularly or who have done county) will have either elastic in the colour of thie jacket or plaiting thread.

Make sure there are no knots in his tail, my advice is to brush it thorughly with lots of coaty detangler then pop it in a huge plait and fold it up so it doesn hang low have someone take it our just before you go in the ring

leave travel bandages/boots on as long as possible to keep white legs clean.

Make sure your hair is in a bun.

any crease on your saddle is faie game so ensure you get right into them.

Once you have cleaned your bridle take a match stick and push it through all the holes to remove excess soap from inside them
 
if you look like a sack of spuds riding - try wearing one of those support bodice things that marks and spencers do - it will work wonders - and I saw that picture of you last week and you were slumped badly but not fat like you mentioned - lol x quiet thin I thought x

be warned tho - some local tack and turnouts are truly dreadful - I did one last year and got asked to leave the ring as I was not in a showing saddle - I had my brown GP saddle on which is really straight cut - !! I was really annoyed but it got us into the ring which is all that matters xx
 
FG, clean the bottoms of your boots, and wear plastic bags over them while you mount up, then take the bags off once you are on board. I have always seen judges inspecting the soles of people's boots ! A hairnet is essential as well, and a very little bit of make-up can make all the difference, esp if you don't normally wear much (I am not implying you need make-up to look good, by the way !!).

Make sure you have buckle guards on your girth straps, you'd be amazed how many people don't, and make sure you clean the underside of the buckle guard as well!

Things like bits and stirrups are best cleaned in the dishwasher, as already mentioned. I personally would take the rubber tread out of my stirrups for this particular class, as I find them IMPOSSIBLE to get clean and are just another place for gunk to get trapped.

Best of luck !
 
I found it useful to take a lint roller with me - even if your jacket is inside a suitor you can often find it has picked up loose threads or random price labels, or dust! Get someone to roller you before you go into the ring
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I really loved mane and tail conditioner too as it seemed to help with shine and lustre as well as keeping mane and tail tangle free for longer
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Best of luck!
 
Spare gloves tucked in your girth strap - that was a new one to me a couple of weeks ago.

Think you are mad doing tack and turnout - far too much like hard work!

Best of luck though - enjoy it.
 
Just a thought as you have a grey. If you use chalk make sure you brush it all out. The judge will probably run her hand over the coat and it won't go down too well if she gets chalky hands! Make sure all the bridle parts are tucked into the keepers. Poke the holes of any leather out to remove excess saddlesoap. Turning out an unplaited native is just as hard so make sure the mane / tail are brushed and spray through conditioner to keep it tangle free. Don't forget hoof oil or a clear oil/ spray for white hooves. Have fun and good luck.
 
Thanks very much everyone! It's absolutely pouring down with rain here and the same is forecast for tomorrow so I am really hoping that the show isn't going to be cancelled
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OMG!
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Remind me never ever to do tack & turnout! It sounds like a complete nightmare! Although have an evil feeling that I'd quite like to be a judge in a T&T class! Mwahaha!
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Bit late with my advice as I see that your class is tomorrow, but anyway...
I had a grey that I used to do turnout on and I started the cleaning process a week in advance!
Only last minute advice as well as others suggested here,
use WARM water when washing, gets the grease out better, and make sure those socks, mane and tail are really clean, not just on the surface, but right down to the roots.
It's no good just looking clean from a distance, the judge will put her hands on your horse and that's when the clean will be separated from the sparkling clean.
Don't forget to clean under the tail, and the undercarriage too.
For the next time, get yourself a new pair of stirrup treads and keep them for showing only. As you have found, they are b*gg*r to get clean.
Don't forget too, inside neddies ears, it gets really greasy in there.
Final bit of last minute advicce, get a helper for pulling off your plastic bags on your boots, passing your gloves and giving tack a last wipe over.
Best of luck!
Hope it doesn't rain, and let us all know how you got on!
 
Dont forget to wear a flower or a badge (riding club type) on the lapel of your jacket..... a hairnet...... carry a cane or whip.....make sure horseys bum is clean and wipe any froth from the bit/mouth as you enter... mane and tail should be tangle free and the judge should be able to run her fingers through without tangles.
 
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Dont forget to wear a flower or a badge (riding club type) on the lapel of your jacket....

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No not on an M&M no flowers or badges on M&M's infact non if you are wearing a tweed jacket, you only ever wear a button hole when wearing a navy jacket.
 
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oops sorry...... On my crib sheet, it didnt differentiate between navy and tweed.....

You just got 2 extra marks for a flower or badge.
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Suppose local shows wont be so hot as county though..... do they do T&T at county shows???
 
merlinsquest, they do a version of it called style and preformance, ie tack and turnout with a ridden show and marks for manners/way of going.
 
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