Over the course her eventing career, Laine Ashker has learned that keeping her horses’ manes, tails and coats in pristine condition requires daily attention, quality nutrition and a diligent grooming routine that includes smart use of shine-enhancing sprays. This consistent care keeps her horses’ coats and tails healthier overall and is crucial for achieving that horse-show glow.
“Everyone knows ShowSheen. It’s across all disciplines and is in everyone’s tack trunk because it’s great for shine and detangling,” she noted. “But I wanted to provide you with a little tidbit that I learned from a top five-star eventing groom.”
Tail care is a must at Ashker’s barn, and to get the best effect, she thoroughly sprays her horses’ tails with ShowSheen. Then, starting from the bottom, she uses her fingers to work the product into the hair all the way up to the dock and allows it to dry before brushing.
“This activates the detangling portion of the product, so that when you do go to brush out your horse’s tail, you won’t break any hair, which can eventually make the tail look thin and sparse,” she said. “This horse specifically has a fake tail, so I really want to avoid pulling or breaking those hairs, too. I also use the same treatment on my horses’ manes because of the great detangling effect it has on the individual hairs.”
In addition to using ShowSheen keep her horse’s manes and tails glowing and tangle-free, Ashker also applies it to her horses’ coats to bring out extra shine for the show ring. “I apply it to their coats when they’re still a little wet,” she said. “I think of it like a leave-in conditioner when you’re coming out of the shower, and it really creates that nice shine.”
Watch Ashker’s video below to learn how you can use her tips to keep your horse’s mane, tail and coat healthy and shiny.
About Laine Ashker
Five-star eventer and dressage professional Lainey Ashker has competed in numerous FEI competitions at the five-star level, including the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CC14* and the Defender Burghley Horse Trials CC15*. The horsewoman, who trains out of her Keystone Acres farm in Chesterfield, Virginia, also won the National Eventing Championship (Advanced Level) in 2013 aboard her long-time mount, Anthony Patch. More recently, she won her first CDI in May 2023 aboard her upper-level dressage horse, Zeppelin.
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