“A shiny horse is a healthy horse. But wait a minute … you can create shine with product. An overweight or underweight horse can be shiny, but his weight indicates a less-than-ideal state of health. So the opposite is true: a healthy horse is a shiny horse.” So says Liv Gude, creator of proequinegrooms.com, a website devoted to networking and resources for professional grooms (with great tips for horse owners in general). She notes that your horse’s coat indicates a little bit about what’s going on inside him, as well as environmental and seasonal influences, your grooming practices, even his genetics.

Liv offers the following tips for stunning show coats that will have people reaching for their sunglasses.

The Health Factor

Your horse’s diet must be balanced for his age, exercise level, hay quality and type, access to pasture, past medical history, the type of soil he lives on … the list goes on. Dietary imbalances reduce performance and appearance. An equine nutritionist and/or your veterinarian can help you figure things out.

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