Warren and the immaculately turned out Silvia at Burghley
Susie Aromando won the Vicky Laing STX Equine Fitness Horse Care award at the 2015 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, awarded to the groom of the best cared for horse, in recognition of their hard work and dedication.
Susie, a dressage rider in her own right, was looking after Silvia, the horse ridden by her husband, Australia’s Warren Lamperd and she has kindly shared some of her top tips with us
Susie’s 10 secrets to make your equine look fine!
1) When washing your horse use the soft sponges as they hold more water, making it easier to distribute the shampoo on your horse
2) If your horse hates having its mane pulled, thin them out and shorten them using old clipper blades
3) If you want your horse to have a lovely thick tail, when brushing it out, remember to always start at the bottom of the tail and work your way up
4) For a last touch up on white socks, use baby powder to make them look whiter
5) To avoid static electricity on your horse’s mane or tail, use damp dryer sheets to wipe over the horse
6) To avoid hair pull on your horses neck, do lots of small plaits, this way when they stretch their neck there is no hair pull
7) For white horses or white socks, use a blue shampoo, they not only remove stains but leaves hair looking reflective in the light
8) Use baby wipes to clean your horses eyes and nose, they are also great as a last touch up on riders boots or tack before entering the arena
9) Use hairspray when plaiting to keep the stray hairs in control
10) Last, but not least, I carry a small pot of Vaseline with me, right before our horses go into the ring, I rub a little dab of Vaseline on the bridle, when the sun shines it makes the tack glisten!
