cleaning for shows in the winter...

I have three more shows coming up yet, but the problem is that my horse is a complete pig! He is a dark color so any amount of dirt that I can't get off shows really well. Right now he looks like a brown and bay pinto! Any suggestions on how to get him shiny for shows when bathing isn't really an option? Up here in Michigan the temp has already plunged into the 30s and 40s with strong winds most days and there is not hot water available at the barn.

Blanket him :)

Use a small shop-vac. Takes the horses a few minutes to get used to it, but mine love it now. Incredibly helpful.

Like this: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...t_adv_XSG10001

On a somewhat warm day, you could give him a sponge bath, and blanket him right away.

You could use Laser Sheen, or something like that too; I like Laser sheen, as it really lifts dust and dirt from their coats.

Vacuums are your best friend!! I try to keep my horse as clean as possible in the winter because even though we have hot water in the barn, it gets cold here so we don't bath.
Basically I curry my horse twice a day (before and after my ride) making sure to take a long bristled brush over after to "flick" the dust off both times. I keep my horse blanketed while he is outside, and when it's colder I'll keep him blanketed in the barn with something breathable. It is actually healthier for the coat to be exposed than covered, so as long as he is in a clean stall he will be easier to groom without all the dander that builds up when he's blanketed all the time.
Another thing that is going to be your friend is miracle groom! It really helps get the dust out between vacuuming. I use it about once a week.
And for keeping his whites white, after regular grooming and removing all the dust from the stained area use a clean gel curry comb (http://images.orgill.com/200x200/1999374.JPG) vigorously on it to get the stain out. A very small amount of green spot remover can also be used to lift the stain, then rub vigorously with a rag to get the spot remover off (hopefully with the spot!).

Good luck!

I never really thought of vaccuming him...I wonder what he would think of that....

I use "bath in a bottle" I forget the brand of it, but it is a blue spray bottle. You spray it on then rub against the grain of the air. It works well to get the dirt and manure off my mostly white horse, so I would assume it would work just as well on a darker horse.

Just rememebered, it is absorbine brand (miracle groom). It has a paint horse on the front. It helps with dandruff in their coat too.

O my gosh im going through the same thing but my horses arent clipped, im not sure if yours are but I brush mine whenever I have time, blanketing helps keep the hair sleek and easier to brush, I don't have the money to buy a vaccume although I wish I would lol. But do you regular brushing routine.
1.curry brush
2*flicky*dandy brush
3 mud brush
4 medium brush
5 soft brush
6 spray on some show hair polish and brush it in
7 put on his winter blanket and if you have one, hood.
Then I promise if you keep brushing the oild will come out and make him shine because my mare has a sleek winter coat and we don't have a fancy barn or great brushes,i have also heard that slinkies or sleazys keep the hair oils simulated and keep them veeerrryyyy clean practically spotless but to me thier fairly expensive.but there is nuthing like doing the daily grind of brushing to get that true shine

Brushing brushing brushing and more brushing....with some sort of show shine on top of that...

My boy is a black bay...more black currently...and dust shows something horrid on him... So my solution is to brush the poo out of him every chance I get... it doesnt help he is a pasture horse no stall at all...

My only suggestion is no coat polish where your saddle goes! If the polish you use is anything like show sheen you risk the chance of your saddle slipping lol maybe polish his back after a ride or something once a week lol but I would polish the rest of him after a tedious brushing lol

Brushing does wonders! Esspecially if done for an hour like I do...but I understand most people don't have that much time lol