Trimming a yearling for the Futurity

phantomhorse

phantomhorse

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To what degree should I trim my yearling for the up coming Futurity? I've pulled her mane and expect to plait it but should I plait or pull her tail too? Or can she just go with it natural?

Also not sure if I should trim her facial whiskers and inner ear hairs? She has a very fluffy inner ear so I might just trim the outer edges to neaten them up, but what about the long muzzle and eye hairs? Normally I would for showing but for a yearling entered into a Futurity class?
 
My yearling will have his feathers trimmed (for some reason he has quite a lot), some of his facial hair trimmed slightly and his tail tidied up. I will not be plaiting it, but will make sure it is nice and neat
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If anyone has seen a picture of my yearling as a foal they will know how much ear hair he has
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I am hoping some of that might go too
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Don't forget that the Futurity is NOT like a showing class .... so all we are planning to do with our youngsters is to haul them out of the field, wash, buff them up, plait, and ..... hey presto! (We hope) I think that especially with the foals and yearlings, they are not expected to be "prepared" as though they were being shown, and we are working on the basis of what the BEF fact sheets tell us .... I just hope that we are not put to shame on the day!!
 
Can you wear black trousers? (I know it says white on the factsheets but do you think it really matters). Thanks
 
From looking at pics of previous years I genuinely don’t know what to wear anymore as the instructions say one thing and yet I have seen people wearing black trousers and dark polo shirts, cream trousers and navy shirts and most seem to be wearing trainers….
 
I think it is preferable to wear white, but not everyone does
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And I will certainly be wearing trainers to get running
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The only reason my yearling is being trimmed is because he is going to a practice show before hand, a 'show' show as he has never been to anything in his life and I did not want the futurity to be the first thing
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My babies will be bathed, trimmed, feathers, bottom of tail, any really sticky out bits from ears (but not inside the ears) mane plaited.

The younger ones will be going back out in the field after the futurity so I do not want to take away their natural protection too much. I will probably put rugs on them for a week or so after, due to the fact that the natural oils have been washed out of their coats.
 
How do you manage to bath your babies? My yearling goes mental if you approach him with water. I have trained him to stand with a hose pipe on his lower legs and that's been a struggle enough with him rearing and barging around hysterically. He does stand now - grudgingly! Would love to bath my yearling as he's filthy but I'd have to sedate him first and even then I think he would be dangerous to handle. I find it easier when they are 2 to 3'ish. Seem more 'reasonable' when they have a stressy at that age. But then again, I've never had to prep a yearling for public viewing, either
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How do you manage to bath your babies? My yearling goes mental if you approach him with water. I have trained him to stand with a hose pipe on his lower legs and that's been a struggle enough with him rearing and barging around hysterically. He does stand now - grudgingly! Would love to bath my yearling as he's filthy but I'd have to sedate him first and even then I think he would be dangerous to handle. I find it easier when they are 2 to 3'ish. Seem more 'reasonable' when they have a stressy at that age. But then again, I've never had to prep a yearling for public viewing, either
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My two year old had her first bath last week, a bit of a battle but she ended up clean!!!
I didn't tie her up but threaded her leadrope through the tie ring and used it like a pulley, much safer. I also used a big wet sponge which is less scary than the hose! Once she realised that she quite enjoyed the scrubbing bit, especially on her itchy bits! she was quite good.
It did take a while to get her rinsed, I used a very fine sprinkler head on the hose (the one with a tringer gun), but the best way if they won't stand is a plastic jug, and just use that to rinse. Best if you have help too, one to hold, one to scrub/rinse. I also think if you are going to bath do it about a week before your event, otherwise it takes the shine from the coat and although it's clean it can look dull.
Best of British!!
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How do you manage to bath your babies? My yearling goes mental if you approach him with water. I have trained him to stand with a hose pipe on his lower legs and that's been a struggle enough with him rearing and barging around hysterically. He does stand now - grudgingly! Would love to bath my yearling as he's filthy but I'd have to sedate him first and even then I think he would be dangerous to handle. I find it easier when they are 2 to 3'ish. Seem more 'reasonable' when they have a stressy at that age. But then again, I've never had to prep a yearling for public viewing, either
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With at least a couple of people in an enclosed area (or as enclosed as you can possibly make it), start off with a soapy sponge, not a hose pipe, scrub, then hose pipe off. Once they realise they can not get out of having a bath, they soon give in. I put the chain over their noses, so they learn that stay means stay.

I would not advise anyone to try and bath a jumpy baby on their own, if they learn that they are stronger than you, you will have the biggest battle on your hands from then on and not just with bathing them.
 
Right, so I need to find a victim to assist me and them arm myself with a nose chain, bucket of warm soapy water, a big sponge and a sprinkly hose attachment. Right ho.

Mind you, weather the way it is today might be as well for me to soap him up and put him out in the field to rinse! Probably do a better job than the hose
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