Tips for Coats & Conditioning

Paul Austin’s Tips

Coats are not perfect after one week. It takes repetition and constant work.

• Give yourself time. A coat takes eight to ten weeks to get perfect. If you have a show in four weeks, you have missed the boat. Plan and prepare. And don’t forget lights, lights, lights. Ours go off at 10.30pm and are on at 5am.

• Good old fashioned elbow grease. A curry comb and body brush are your best friends. Brush before every ride and if the coat is shifting, after a ride too.

• Rug to the weather and conditions. Our horses here are never allowed to get cold and are also never allowed to sweat. One of our rules is, if you still have a jumper on, they probably need one too.

• In Queensland, we show over winter and our horses hold their coats. We will put them out in winter rugs and when it warms up, strip them back. Same goes for the afternoon too. They are in before the temperature really drops and have a final rug added if needed at 8pm.

Alexis Hellyer’s Tips

• I have always focused on our horses being healthy from the inside, as well as the outside. I like to use Hi Form Oxydane in the pellet form, this is an allround top-class supplement that also covers the gut health, the immune system, as well as antioxidants.

• The cleaner the rug - the cleaner the horse. Living in Queensland we have humidity and afternoon storms. Our horses are bathed at least once a week with the amazing Heiniger Products, in particular the cleanse shampoo, but are hosed off daily if sweaty when being out in the paddocks. Their rugs are also washed at minimum once per week.

• We use a Mattes sheepskin mitt from Trailrace daily to apply fly sprays to sensitive skinned horses to stop insects hanging about. We also use these mitts at competitions to apply products to the horse's coat in an even application.

Nina Clarke’s Tips

• Maintaining a healthy diet. I am really lucky to have fantastic pasture, which is a huge bonus. My horses spend more time in the paddock than being stabled, but they are stabled over winter. I use Barastoc feeds and good quality hay. The supplements I use are dependant on the horse, being eventers they all get electrolytes and a vitamin and mineral supplement.

• Keeping them clean and in good quality, clean, wellfitting rugs. The horses have a wash every week and fresh clean sheets. I am extremely lucky to be sponsored by Skye Park Rugs and I think they have the best cottons, and also lovely moleskin rugs for winter. My horses are also only in canvas rugs — which I really love as they breathe. It is important not to let the horses get too hot. I layer with woollen rugs when it is cold.

• Grooming and work. Grooming with good quality clean brushes is essential. you don’t have to spend hours, but it increases blood flow to the skin and enables you to notice any changes to the horse’s skin really quickly. Making sure you know your horse’s legs and hooves really well is also a must, by picking out the hooves every day. I also think that regular, correct work, produces well-muscled and healthy horses, which translates to them looking amazing.

Tiffany Walter’s Tips

• A healthy diet. Your horse's diet is the most important part to achieving healthy condition and a great coat on your horse. I try to keep my horses diet as natural as possible by feeding quality hay and a vitamin and mineral supplement like Equine Vit and Min. I love Hygain Micrbeet as I can simply mix in all my supplements and it’s safe for horses with metabolic related issues. As my horses don’t always have grass to eat CEN Oil is another fantastic product I feed for their omega 3 intake and amazing shine to their coats.

• Use quality products for that show ring shine. I believe if your horses are healthy it will show in their coats, so other than keeping them rugged to stop bleaching in summer and under lights during winter, I don’t do a lot to their coats at home. When it comes to show prep, Equine Image are my go-to for everything I need to get my horses show ready. I have horses in just about every colour with lots of white and I have found nothing works better on white hair than Platinum Pony shampoo and conditioner. I like to use a stain remover like Nettex first to help lift all the dirt out and also for touch-ups the morning of the show. Lastly, a show shine spray and you are good to go!

• Regular exercise. Regular controlled exercise is not only beneficial for building topline and muscle but also important for bone development in young horses. Even before a young horse begins full-scale training, they can benefit greatly from preparatory physical conditioning. Your horse’s topline isn’t just a reflection of good breeding and conformation, it’s a reflection of their general musculoskeletal health and comfort. All my horses get daily turnout, regular hoof care and bodywork to keep them in the best condition to perform at their best.

Sign up to our newsletter