Pictures Taking a skewbald to a show without a bath?

JGC

JGC

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My question is, is there anyway to go out and compete at dressage/SJ in the winter months and be presentable without having to give her a bath? Obviously in the summer this wasn't a problem, but I went to a show on Sunday, gave her a bath on Saturday (it was about 20 in the day and 15 on Saturday night), but then it poured with rain on Sunday evening and was about 3, so I felt bad I'd washed out all her protective greases (I put a rainsheet on, of course). I've only had chestnuts and bays before so this really wasn't a problem!

My pony is never clipped and for the time being is still out 24/7. Then she'll be in at night and out from 8 to 5 sometime in November. I live in the Alps, so the weather can be well into the minus temperatures (currently 3 at night) and often snowy.

If I curry within an inch of her life and get a magic Haas brush, will that work? One of those vacuum cleaner thingies? Wait for the spring to compete? The thing is, sometimes she looks clean, but once I start riding and she sweats, she sweats dirt o_O243457416_608984396944380_446836062286814198_n.jpg
 
Yeah, I guess it boils down that I'd rather not compete than have to clip, as she does so well keeping warm as she is even in the extreme negative temperatures. Was just hoping there might be a magic solution!
 
i'd still go tbh, dressage and SJ you want to be as clean and tidy as you can but there aren't marks for turnout so if she looks a bit grubby because she lives out with her natural fuzz that's not the end of the world. I think you can polish off a fair bit from the surface with some hot water and a good cloth and then perhaps you can quickly repeat that between classes if she's got a tidemark ;)

can you use different coloured saddle pads in France? in the UK i'd suggest popping on a brown or black pad to not highlight any less-than-sparkling white areas of the horse ;)
 
I had a grey who absolutely hated baths, or even being wiped with a baby wipe (rolling in muddy puddles and using his own poo as a pillow wasn't an issue apparently!). For dressage, I would use a spot stain remover - Cowboy Magic do a good one, as do Naff - and brush to remove anything too nasty. Occasionally I'd look at pro pics and realise that he wasn't nearly as clean as I'd hoped but ultimately he was tidy and occasionally went well, which was more important to the judge!

I don't think it would matter in SJ other than for your personal pride ;)
 
Personally the bathing or not would be less of a concern for me than regular work with a full winter coat. The horse is surely going to be getting sweaty and with a full coat she's going to take ages to dry
 
Hadn't thought of hot clothing - never had to bother I suppose! And I'll get some spot cleaner. For SJ, I use a brown saddle pad. I can't see in the rules that a white saddlepad is mandatory in dressage either, although I would have to persuade my instructor, who's pretty traditional about turnout. Maybe I can find an off-white/cream one as a compromise! Thanks for all the suggestions

She's only in full work (and that's only 4 times a week ridden) til end of November-ish and then very light work in December/January into February, with at least a couple of weeks off completely. Between the Decathlon cooler and the Bucas turnout rugs she dries off pretty quickly in a stable with some hay before going back out. Winter hacking is walking and really never warm enough to make her sweat though.
 
Spot cleaning and got clothing might be the way to go. I don’t tend to bath my boy a lot but he does get hosed down and spot cleaned. And in winter for hunting I have hot clothed him.
 
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Personally, with my tobiano I fully clip and rug accordingly. He's a gelderlander so not overly thick coat but once through he gets too hot in work and I can't ever seem to get his skin clean unclipped which means, he's nice and white after a brush and cloth and then sweats all the dirt to the surface! And I have all the magic haas brushes!

When he is clipped he can be managed with a wipe down and not need a bath. I personally wouldn't take him to a competition dirty, it may not be a rule but it is a mark of respect to the judges to turn up clean and well presented.

I have bought a much more practical chestnut who will be much easier to prep for a show when he grows up :-)!!!
 
JGC said:
My question is, is there anyway to go out and compete at dressage/SJ in the winter months and be presentable without having to give her a bath? Obviously in the summer this wasn't a problem, but I went to a show on Sunday, gave her a bath on Saturday (it was about 20 in the day and 15 on Saturday night), but then it poured with rain on Sunday evening and was about 3, so I felt bad I'd washed out all her protective greases (I put a rainsheet on, of course). I've only had chestnuts and bays before so this really wasn't a problem!

My pony is never clipped and for the time being is still out 24/7. Then she'll be in at night and out from 8 to 5 sometime in November. I live in the Alps, so the weather can be well into the minus temperatures (currently 3 at night) and often snowy.

If I curry within an inch of her life and get a magic Haas brush, will that work? One of those vacuum cleaner thingies? Wait for the spring to compete? The thing is, sometimes she looks clean, but once I start riding and she sweats, she sweats dirt o_OView attachment 80677
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I’ve got a grey and she gets extremely dirty, it’s fine a bit later into winter when she’s clipped and always has rugs on but at the moment she’s just filthy. I use stain remover on her, you just spray it on rub in then wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge the show sheen one works miracles. If you don’t want to do that you can get no rinse shampoos that you just spray on rub in then wipe off with a towel, I have found that this doesn’t work quite so well as the stain remover but is still quite good.
 
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