For years, the show office at most venues has been cast with a dark shadow by exhibitors. It’s whispered about at in-gates and barn aisles, with many making the conscious decision to avoid it entirely. Here at Modern Amateur we have heard the whispers and we want to change that mindset! Our goal is to make the show office the happiest place on the show grounds. Have a question about a class, your bill or even what to do around town? The show office is your place to find all that out and more. In this section we’ll cover your most asked questions when you’re attending shows and get the answers to help you feel confident out of the saddle too. One reader wrote in asking:

“How do you groom for yourself but also stay clean enough to impress your judge when showing?”

Dear Reader:

Those of us who are weekend horse show warriors feel your pain…but we have answers! One of the best kept secrets I’ve found over the years is baby wipes. They come in handy when you need to wipe off your horse’s slobber from your coat or breeches in a pinch and don’t leave behind any residue. They are a must have in a ring bag regardless of your division.

The next piece of advice I can share is having a microfiber towel with you at all times. Need to wipe off your boots? The towel can handle that. Need to wipe some green slobber off your horse before the jog? The towel is your go to. Most in-gates don’t mind holding your ring bag with them when you go in for your ride. If you’re flying solo, be sure to pack your bag with all the show ring essentials you can think of and ask your in-gate if it’s okay to leave it in their booth while you show.

For those chilly mornings when you have to flat and lunge before the sun comes up make sure you have an extra layer to throw over your show shirt—something you can quick change out and into to help your white shirt stay crisp. If you don’t have time to change into your show boots before your ride time, there are little rubber booties that you can purchase to put over the foot of your tall boot to keep clean!

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