We sat down with Megan Johnson, Head Groom for Team SmartPak rider Jon McCrea, to get her tips and tricks for body clipping. What blades do you use when, and why? “I use a T-10 blade for the horse’s body,…
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Blog Archives
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Show Clip Tips from the Pros
We asked Caley Coffey and Dominique Gauthier, grooms for Team SmartPak riders Jason Martin and Charlie Cole at Highpoint Performance Horses, to share their tips for getting your Western horse show-ring ready: Clipping a horse can be stressful and messy,…
Ask the Vet: Clipping A Horse’s Whiskers
With show season coming up, is it truly harmful to shave/trim a horse’s facial whiskers since they are “connected” to their brain cells? – via HorseChannel.com You’ve asked a fascinating question, as there’s much more to whiskers than meets the…
My Top 5 Grooming Essentials
I started riding when I was nine years old. I can STILL remember my trainer at the time telling us to get tacked up for our group lesson and emphasizing a quick grooming session. More times than not, she would…
Posted in Ask The Groom, SmartPaker Stories & Adventures
How to help a short forelock grow
How can you help a short forelock grow? I have 3 horses, two of them have super short, thin forelocks that just won’t grow! The third horse has a really fluffy, thick mane that even pulling doesn’t help much. –…
Tips for maintaining the perfect tail
My horse’s tail is…Thoroughbred-y. It’s longish, but oh-so-wispy. How do you help a tail grow/fill out more – and how do you keep it from getting destroyed?” – Sara F. from Weymouth, MA My grandad would always say, “it’s the…
Rolex 2014 – A Groom’s Perspective
By now anybody who follows the eventing results know that for team dutton, Rolex this year was a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. My personal journey started early Monday morning, loading the horses and getting on the road…
Becoming A Groom
I’m 19 years old and in college to work with horses. I love your blog and read it avidly. I was curious to know if it was too late to start as a groom (I only know the basics) and…
Tips & Tricks For Shedding Season
Spring is coming and the horses are shedding! I have put together a few useful products for helping your horse shed out this spring as well as some tips for an easier shedding season. Tips & Top Picks: Adding in…
Ask the Groom: Working for Phillip
“I’m a HUGE Phillip Dutton fan, and I’m so excited you’re back at his barn! He always has the most impressive horses on course, and I’ve always wondered what they’re like in the barn. Can you tell me a bit…
How do you get a horse used to a vacuum?
“How do you get a horse used to a vacuum?” – Janet P. from Denver, CO A vacuum can be a very useful piece of equipment in the barn. It helps to speed up grooming, as well as removing much…
Battling Blanket Rubs
My horse always gets really bad blanket rubs – do you have any tips on preventing those, either by choosing a certain type of blanket, or by treating the hair/skin? – Jamie R. via Facebook Even though there are numerous…
The Perfect Jog Shine
What are your must-have products for a shine that’s sure to impress everyone at the jog? – Amanda R. from Shawnee, KS Presenting a well-turned-out horse at a CCI jog is one of the things a groom takes great pride…
Bathing: How much is too much?
“How often should you wash a horse in the non show season? I rinse him off after hot work days but don’t want to over strip his natural oils.” – Valerie P.S. via Facebook How much is too much to…
Staying Organized on Show Day
Not having an organized trailer tack room can cause for a stressful show day when trying to get to warm up and rings on time. Knowing where to find the essentials but also being able to lay your hands on…
