How do you get that "Show Horse Shine?"?

-Vegetable oil: great for the coat, cheap, and easy to add to the grain

-MTG: works wonders to make the hair grow over a scar, or add length to the mane/tail

-Paprika: prevents sun-bleach and adds a nice shine to dark colored horses (black/bay or paint/appaloosa with black/bay spots). Add 2 tablespoons to the grain a day, mixed into it well. The horse usually doesn't even taste it. There is another product called "black as knight" but paprika does the same thing and is much cheaper.

-Flax seed: GREAT for the coat, you can buy it in treats too. They are called "FlaxSnax" and are great for the coat.

-Regular brushing/bathing: This is the best way to ensure a good shine. Rub the coat daily with a curry comb and then finish with a soft rag to get rid of dead skin cells and add a shine. If you only groom well right before a show, that's like only brushing your teeth right before going to the dentist... they can tell! Looks a lot better if you remove dead skin/hair daily.

-Keep the horse inside during the day and outside at night to prevent sun bleaching in the summer. If you can't do this, put on a fly sheet and lots of sunblock.

Don't put an egg in the grain... horses are herbivores and aren't meant to eat eggs, plus a raw egg is just as bad for them as it is for us.

The best way to get a horse used to a new environment is by taking them to many new environments. If you have never taken your orse away from home, then it is probably a good idea to find another barn near by that has what is called a "day use fee." this is basically just a rental of their facilities for your own use even if you do not board your horse there. This way your TB can get used to going somewhere new, with a new set up, new horses, new smells etc, with out needing to have the calm attitude of a more experienced show horse. So taking him to somewhere new for just a day would be my first step. I would get him out of the trailer, tie him up, tack him up at the trailer (all things that he will have to get used to for being at a show) and then lunge him in an enclosed area somewhere on the grounds. Do this for about the same time as you might have at a real show. Take him in the arena and school him as if you were riding in a show. You try to look your best, show off to whoever else is at the barn at the time. Once you are in the ring do not overly school him, try to trust him and hopefully all the work you do at home to train him will show through his nerves. This will also give you an idea of how "hyped" he gets at a new barn. My horse picks his head up a few extra inches no matter what I do whenever we go somewhere brand new, so I know that I have to correct for that. Then you have a better idea of what to expect at a real show. Look for patterns or what he gets scared a. For example, if there is a mirror in the new arena let him get a good look at it, but try to do it as if you were being judged, don't just drop the reins and let him have a good long look, make him go past it in a normal fashion. Same for anything else he might encounter. If you act like it is no big deal, he will be more likely to act the same way. After you have taken him to a new barn where there are not a bunch of nervous people and horses you will have a good idea of what to expect for a show. Then I would suggest taking him to a schooling show and maybe entering in a few flat classes, or whatever you feel comfortable with. Do the same routine as you had before, tack him up at the trailer, lunge him in the warmup ring, ride a little in there too, and then go stand by the gate for your first class. Go in and trust that he will do well, the more you think he will do fine, the better he will be. Also, try not to change any of his tack just before the show, you want to know what to expect, so keeping everything but the environment the same will be your best bet.

Good quality feed, and Cocosoya oil. Also, a good worming program.

But I've got to tell you. The best shine I've ever achieved on a horse came from the above AND 10 hours of good grass grazing daily.

I respectfully disagree with those who suggest regular baths for a horse. The reason grooming (currying especially) brings a shine up on a coat is that you distribute the oils (sebum) in the coat down the entire hairshaft. If you bathe with soap, you strip the oils out of the coat, thereby reducing the reflective surface. Keep soap/ liniment baths to a minimum, and if you must bathe, try to use clear water only. This will keep the shine factor popping.

Besides nutrition, which is the most important Blanketing is a crucial part of an amazing show coat...you need to layer stable blankets starting with a nylon sheet, then have on hand a light weigh, med weight and heavy weight stable blanket and use accordingly to the weather each day...You need to blanket just enough to create a little heat but not be too warm, this brings out the oils and will bloom a coat out...To have a Top Show coat your horse needs to be inside out of the weather or covered up if out on turnout to prevent any scrapes, cuts, or being sun bleached....Its not easy to keep a top show coat.

Step 1. Regular worming program

Step 2. Good quality feed

Step 3. Suppliments. I like Rice Bran. A product called "Nu Image" is also good.

Step 4. Keep them out of the direct sunlight. I used to turn my show horses out at night, instead of all day.

Step 5. Grooming. I also like to rinse sweat off of the coat. I know "washing" is not good, but I don't see any harm in rinsing.

The best way to get that natural healthy coat is by giving them a good balanced diet, if they have everything in their diet they'll be healthy and will produce a good coat - so many people seem to over look this these days in place of all the special 'coat shining' feed that actually does no good if the horse is not healthy.

Flax seed for a shiny coat

(I also agree with the vegetable oil/corn oil, and it will also help to add weight. Not so much the egg idea . . .)

. . . And what sazzy said - A good QUALITY feed is definitely Step 1.

Okay, so this sort of involves grooming.... Groom your horse every day, and put finishing spray on. Also, Clean your horse. There's also Some shine grain in most tack stores. (especially TSC) hope this helps!

Some people add an oily food to their feed like flax seed to give the coat a shine. The easiest way is to buy a product like Show Sheen and just spray it on and brush.

Baby oil is apparently good :D