Bruce Flood ~ Hacks and Galloways
The Secret is in the Preperation
as told to Chris Hector

"So many young people have lovely horses, but they aren't winning," says Bruce Flood. "And they aren't winning because they don't know how to prepare their horses!"

"The preparation starts at home. The horse has to be fit and in the right condition -- that's half the battle won. Lots of horses aren't worked enough, they aren't muscled up and when they get to the show they are fat and flabby. You have to pick the horse's peak condition and keep it there with the right amount of work,"

"When it comes to feed, every horse is different. Some will be finicky eaters, others want to guts themselves and you might have to cut their feed down. Don't be afraid to experiment- , if the coat is not right, there are so many additives available, then try a different one."

above: Debut, winner novice, open lightweight and reserve champion galloway at the 1983 Brisbane Royal with the Judge Mrs June Burke; and winner of the lady's galloway at Melbourne Royal 1983 as a four year old. Above: Debut working out for the champion galloway at Brisbane 1983.

"I use molasses, linseed oil and Livamol for my horse's coat and that works for me, I'll mix that with oaten chaff, lucerne chaff, pollard, bran, working mix grain or oats. I think grain is a necessity. The horses have to take a lot of work and they have to be fed up if you want to keep them there. I don't think grain fizzes them up. I mainly show galloways and most of them can take grain as long as they get the work. Some people do feed too much grain and they get their horses too fit, and they end up like racehorses."

"I do a lot of work on the lunge. I'll lunge them maybe two or three times a week, and ride them two or three times a week. Keep up the work constantly, keep the horse at a peak, and then some- times you can cut down on the work. I'd rather have my horse fit and going kindly than underworked and lazy and floppy."

"I'll lunge in loose side-reins. Sometimes I'll take the side-reins off and let them lunge free and play around. They can get sick of the work, especially mares, and sour up on you easily."

"Once the horse has had a basic education , say six to twelve months, then its just a matter of exercise. If you keep schooling them all the time then they'll just get sick of it."

"I'm very careful with coats. I only ever use one light cotton hood if I can. So many manes fall out because people over-hood their horses. If it's an early show like Brisbane or Melbourne, then you might have to use a woollen hood to bring the coat out. People say I go to extremes using seven and eight rugs, but I like to think I always have brilliant coats. Once they start to break, then they come out in handfuls."

"Sometimes you might have to let a horse sweat a little under the rugs. That's when most people panic, and rip the rugs off, the minute they start to sweat. If you brush them off at the end of the day, a little sweat won't hurt them."

"Every time I work a horse I'll shampoo the mane and tail, and two or three times a week, I'll shampoo the horse all over."

Right: "Hidalgo was my most successful and favourite horse. He was a winner at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisband and Canberra Royals Shows on several occasions, this photo was taken at Melbourne royal after winning the heavyweight galloway in 1980."

"I'm also very careful with tails - a good tail can make or break a gorse, especially at Sydney where false tails are illegal. Personally, I think false tails are a good thing and ought to be allowed - no matter how hard you try, some horses just won't grow one. My horse's tails are kept in a cotton bag all the time. They don't like it at first, but they soon get used to it. I don't groom the tail a lot. When I was and condition the tail, I'll brush it while the conditioner is in, taking care not to pull any of the tail out."

"I pull the top of the tail and do the side with a miracle razor. Never ever clip the top of the tail. It's easier if you do their tails once a week and keep them constantly done. Bang the tail off in a straight cut, usually somewhere half way between the hock and the fetlock, but it depends on the horse and how he carries his tail."

"The night before the show I'll wash and condition my horse and clip the bridle path, the wither, the ears, the muzzle, round the coronets, the fetlocks, up the back of the legs, and clip the white socks. I use a small dog clipper for the ears and the mane, and a bigger clipper for the legs. Put the horse away in nice clean rugs."

"Come Show Day, I'll be up at 3.30 or 4.00 in the morning. I try to keep the horse relaxed so I give him his regular feed and try to keep to the normal routine. I do the plaiting at home, its so much easier there than at the show with the horse jumping around the place. I'll finish the plaits at home and put the light hood back on."

"It's very hard to plait a horse correctly - once again it's something that can make and break a horse. the rugs off, the minute they start to side with a miracle razor. Never ever So many horses have too many big bulky plaits, because their manes haven't been pulled enough. sweat. If you brush them off at the end clip the top of a tail. It's easier if you do The position on the neck is crucial, the plaits should be right on top of the neck if the horse lacks neck, and on the side if the neck is too large. of the day, a little sweat won't hurt their tails once a week and keep them Lots of little plaits always look tidier than several big ones."

"Bandage the horse up and it's off to the Show."

"I try to get to the Show early and give the horse a good ride and look around, that way my horse is relaxed when he gets into the class." "for the final touches I use baby oil and pedawax around the eyes and the muzzle and in the ears, but not too much - some people get their horses looking as if they've dipped their head in a grease tin." "Then I put on the quarter marks - squares and shark's teeth. I use hair spray to lay the hair down first then make the marks with a comb, that way they'll stay in place all day. You have to carry the marks to sit the horse, a horse with a big rump, then big squares, a small rump, a smaller pattern." "Black the outside of the hoof, and put hoof dressing on the underneath." "I use a spray gloss on the tail, and just before I go into the ring, I spray the horse all over for that final finish." "It's a lot of work keeping a hack or a galloway right. But if you do the homework and bring your horse to the show in the peak of condition and take the extra time in preparation, then you know you've given yourself every opportunity of winning a blue ribbon. Preparation is a large part of success, but a little luck doesn't hurt."

Above: Hidalgo. Photo taken at Sydney Royal in 1980 where he won the Hack over 14.2 and not exceeding 15 hands.