Preparing a Clydesdale for show?

[roshah]

So... my fat hairy cob is actually out of a Clydesdale mare... I thought that there was Clydesdale in him but didn't realise it was in the immediate family

Anyway, I want to enter him in an amateur heavy horse show... we'll most likely just be showing in hand. I'm more inclined to think of it as an opportunity to get dressed up and go socialise, so we're not worried about picking up any rosettes.

However, does anyone have any tips or weblinks to information on how to turn out a Clydesdale for show? I know traditionally they're dressed in ploughing gear with little darts and so on in their mane and the tail is docked... but I think so long as I have his feathers pristine and tail and mane braided in some vaguely appropriate fashion, we'll do rightly. It's kind of a glorified excuse to give the big boy a bath!

Any (pertinent) advice welcome!

 

[Tnavas]

What sort of class - most Clydesdale classes are for purebreds.

 

[roshah]

Evelyn... it's a heavy horse show and that generally means Clydesdales in my part of the world - although open to other draft breeds, but is generally the former. It's only a fun show as part of a summer fete. It's just dressing up, really. Just curious to know how I should braid his mane and tail.