Grooms- the different disaplines?
Purely out of curiosity, and in terms of the big shows... I've had experience grooming for show horses at some of the biggest shows in the country but never in the show jumping / dressage/ eventing disciplines. As they are all different disciplines I was curious what differences there are in the work the grooms carry out. I'm well aware that they're many similarities and that a groom is a groom but being in different aspects of the competitive equine world I'm intrigued as to know what's what and how things are gone about. Again, I know there's differences and similarities and each person/team/horses can work in the way that suits their own needs best :)
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Eventing grooms have a ton to do, especially at the upper levels and at Long-Format (Classical) events.
(By Phase)
CCI/CIC
Jogs: Horse must be immaculately groomed, from nose to tail. Mane must be braided, horse shined, tack spotless, hooves polished, ect. http://useventing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010... http://c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00001Vn_DMKnzaA... Rider must be clean, ready, and on-time- They will be presenting in dressy clothes, not riding attire, but still must be assisted in any way in keeping clean and tidy. This is their first impression on the judges, and can also determine if they are even allowed to continue to the Dressage ring.
Dressage: Once again, horse must be clean, braided, polished, ect. ect. Groom needs to do all the normal stuff, like polishing boots and wiping slobber before they go into the ring. http://img01.beijing2008.cn/20080809/Img214523006.... Quarter marks can be applied- Some people think you always should, while some think it's dated. I suppose it depends on the rider.
XC: The absolute most work of the event for the groom and other support people. The groom must make sure that everything is at the XC venue, including extra tack. All of the rider's tack must be checked for cracking and weakness, and replaced if that shows. Horse must be clean, but not braided- However, many riders do like a braid at the very top of the neck, near the poll, and then use that braid to anchor some yarn, which is to be tied around the crownpiece of the bridle as an extra precaution. Studs need to be applied, as do protective boots and breathing strips, if used. Right before the rider goes Eventing Grease (That white/bluish stuff on their legs and chest, seen here on Teddy O'Connor http://equisearch.com/equiwire_news/nancy_jaffer/r... ) should be applied- Great care must be taken that this doesn't in ANY WAY touch the reins, or any other piece of equipment that the rider needs to be able to hold on to. The rider should be clean and tidy, but most important is that they do not forget anything critical, like their watch or medical armband.
When the horse comes off of XC, you will be expected to help cool him off. This generally means you, and several others, freezing your hands off as you sponge the horse off with ice water, squeegee, and repeat. And repeat. And make sure the rider has any water they need. And walk the horse. Back at the barns several things will need to be done, including cleaning tack, taking out studs, poulticing/liniment/wrapping legs, treating cuts, ect. ect. Basically whatever the rider does for their horse.
Stadium is basically the same as Dressage, with different tack and no quarter marks, but sometimes studs are used as well.
For the long-format events (There are not many left), you have a day where you have roads and tracks, steeplechase, and XC. First the horse will go on phase A, which is roads and tracks. This is designed to warm him up for steeplechase, and the rider has a certain amount of time to complete it. If the rider does so early, then he just has more time to wait before steeplechase. The rider then does phase B, Steeplechase, and leaves immediately after that to phase C, another roads and tracks, designed to cool the horse off after B. The horse will then come back to the 10-minute box, where there should be a pit-crew of sorts waiting. The intensive cooling process described earlier is used, but more things must be done. Any cuts must be attended to, and any worn tack replaced. Grease must be applied, and studs must be changed if needed or if one was lost. If the horse pulled a shoe the rider must decide if they will try to get a farrier to get one on quick, go barefoot (If the horse is sound, many will) or to withdraw. The rider must be attended to as well, given the course-map to review and any water they need. A vet will be hovering to check to make sure the horses are recovering correctly, and at about the 6 minute mark the horse will need to do another jog, to make sure that he is sound to continue. After that everything must be wiped dry if wet, (Especially stirrups and reins!) and the rider assisted to mount and prepare (Soles of boots wiped clean, watch set, ect.) By 9 minutes after they came in from phase C they should be leaving to get to the start box of phase D, XC. While they do XC, you and the others need to move ALL your equipment/buckets/ice over to the area set aside for recovery of horses coming off the course, and by the time you do that the rider will usually be getting back. After that you must assist in the cooling out and aftercare of horse and rider. All of this together takes maybe 40 minutes.
My family own a studfarm - when I'm going eventing I bring one groom per 2 horses poor Marco has to do loads -
day 1 dressage - plait manes and tails on the horses - stitch on bandages - groom them to perfection.
day 2 xcountry - groom - studs in all their shoes - bandages - mind me and work the horse in before hand if I'm still riding the other one - grese their legs - then the amount of work cooling down etc.
day 3- again plait - groom - ride in - then gloss over again for prize presentation.
He has to muck them out also and do everything - however I do muck in and help him.