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Check back next week for the next segment in our series of Fashion Do’s and Don’ts!

The Do’s and Don’ts

            Something that can make an exhibitor stand out in a good way is having a well fitted suit. This means pants or jods, and a coat that fits well. Another important tip is to clean your suit. Making sure your clothes are fitted and clean are easy ways to look good in the show ring.

            Both suits and day coats are applicable; it all depends on the rider and horse combination and what would look best.

When picking out fabrics for a suit/vest/tie combination, Melissa’s advises to remember you are showing in a large arena and fabrics often look different from a distance. It is important to make sure the color you pick looks good on you and your horse.

Her horse show attire pet peeve is feathers in gill hats. “Don’t do it!”

            And a final piece of advice for exhibitors regarding show fashion is if you are wearing something you like, you will automatically feel more confident. “After all, getting dressed is half the fun!”

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            Stay tuned with Arabian Horse Times for more on horse show fashion Do’s and Don’ts.

The Don’ts

A show attire pet peeve Becky shared was a rider overshadowing the horse. If the rider is small or large, it is important to minimize the attention that is drawn to them. Additionally, being too extreme like having too many colors mixed can cause the rider to become the focal point rather than the horse being judged.

Tips and Tricks

When asked about her preference for day coats versus suits, Becky said that she likes both! She said either one done in the right way is stunning for different reasons. She likes the look to be unique, which can be harder with a suit but absolutely possible.

A fashion trend Becky was glad to see go was light colored and contrasting hats on women. During the 1980’s it was very popular for women to wear contrasting hats in Dove Gray, Cream, and Beige. Looking back now, she wonders, “What were we thinking?”

Most important to making your show attire look better is to make sure your items fit the best they can and get your hats cleaned and shaped.

Becky’s final piece of advice to exhibitors regarding show ring fashion is to be open minded. Just because you like a certain color or think you look good in something, does not mean it is the best choice for your horse or the show arena, but selecting something different from trends or popular colors that you see in the ring may help you stand out in a unique but subtle way.

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Stay tuned for more on show ring fashion, when we speak with Melissa Holmes of Show Season.

            Arabian Horse Times continues their look into impressive barn features with Oak Haven Farms in Bullard, Texas. Speaking with Lauren Krohn on their state-of-the-art facility which caters to the success of their show horses and breeding program, it was originally conceived and sketched on the back of a napkin while she and Jason were at brunch one day. They built the current Oak Haven facility by including ideas they had seen at other facilities and adding their own, while working closely with the builders during construction to determine which features were feasible.

Anyone who has spent time around horses knows how important it is to have a functional facility to train, breed, and care for them. To learn more about building and operating a successful horse show barn, AHT interviewed Jen Wilson, the Director of Operations at Hagale Family Arabians. She is currently consulting on the construction of a new complex for the Hagales breeding operations.

Meeting The Needs

The new facility, Jen explains, will be utilized for breeding and starting prospects, containing two aisles of 18 stalls each for a total of 36. One row will house their up-and-coming 2- and 3-year-olds, and the other aisle will be home to mares and foals. Each stall will have a door that opens to the outside so that the broodmares and young horses are able to be easily turned out. Some unique features of the new building are an aqua-treadmill and a breeding lab. The main barn will remain the primary location for the training of their string of show horses.

Farm Essentials

When asked about her favorite farm features, Jen elaborated more on their breeding lab. Having this on-site and a vet on staff eliminates the need for travel and allows for the flushing of embryos and the collection of the Hagale’s seven stallions, making the breeding process more efficient.

Another unique element of the main barn is their dedicated vet and farrier workspace, providing a space for their trailers to be pulled indoors to work without distraction in a heated or air-conditioned environment.

A key part of their facility that they cannot live without, says Jen, is the hotwalker; which takes care of warming up muscles before a workout and cooling down the same afterward.  

And, of course, an essential feature in any barn to keep everything in order and efficient is a storage area to organize blankets and supplies that are used daily such as tack, as well as a washer and dryer to throw dirty towels, blankets, and leg wraps in after a show.

Designing A Barn

Efficiency, Jen says, is the driving force behind the design of the Hagale’s training and breeding buildings. What a typical day on the farm looks like determined the design choices to allow day-to-day operations to run smoothly and economically. Everything is close together and easily accessible. In the training barn, 35 horses per day are worked, so it is imperative to make sure tack, grooming supplies, and equipment is readily available.

Most important is determining your end goal when thinking about constructing a barn, Jen advises, which should be the guiding force behind your design, be it creating a successful training and/or breeding program.

Ultimately, Jen says the Hagales’ goal is to better the Arabian horse industry for everyone, thus their doors are always open and visitors are welcome.

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Arabian Horse Times also spoke to Lauren Krohn from Oak Haven Farms about their gorgeous facility in Bullard, Texas. Check back in a couple of weeks to hear about their key barn features!

            In today’s world, almost everything can be done using social media, including the marketing of horses. Using social media platforms, such as Facebook, has made this easier than ever. However, just because something is easy, does not mean that it is okay to skim over important details that can make or break a sale.

            To help you put your best foot forward, AHT spoke to two women who are well-versed in using social platforms to successfully market horses. Sarah Stone manages Palmetto Arabians and Jackie Pakula handles the marketing for Colby Powell Performance Horses.

Creating the Post

            When asking them to describe the most important features of marketing a horse successfully on social media, both Jackie and Sarah agreed that having an eye-catching photo of the horse is extremely important. Making sure the photos are clear and highlight the best features of the horse is what matters. The photos do not need to be done by a professional—using a phone camera works just as well—as long as the photos are good quality. Another important part of utilizing social media is making sure to have photos of the horses’ legs, head, neck, and back; all things a potential buyer wants to see.

            After a nice photo, including details about the horse is absolutely necessary. These details include the registered name, age, sire and dam, and show history. If the horse has not been shown, be sure to include which division it was bred for. Also helpful: if it is up-to-date on vaccines and shoeing, as well as a few words about its disposition, which helps draw in potential buyers. A photo of the horses’ papers can be included in the post or comments.

            Finally, include relevant contact information and be available to communicate with prospective buyers. Responding in a timely manner shows respect to interested parties. Being accessible to answer questions, take phone calls, and potentially take more photos of the horse makes customers feel important and can help move a transaction along faster.