#10 blade - trimming legs and jaws.
#30 blade - trimming bridle path and ears.
#40 blade - trimming muzzle whiskers and feelers above and below eyes.
Scissors to be used on mane and tail.
Regular scissors.
Thinning scissors.
Mane comb.
A week or so before the show.
Trim the mane, legs, jaws and ears. If you make any little mistakes, they will have time to grow out.
The day before the show.
Trim the muzzle, bridle path and touch up anything else you may have missed the week before.
Make all your trimming and clipping look natural - try to leave no clipper tracks.
MANE - Mane length will depend on the breed of horse and type of classes you are showing in. .
Quarter Horse types shown in Halter, Pleasure, Trail, Showmanship, etc. - Manes are usually about 3" - 4" long, with a bridle path approximately the same length as the ear laid back against the neck. You may want to vary this slightly due to the conformation of the horse.
Quarter Horse types shown in Cutting, Reining, Roping, etc. - Manes are often longer, sometimes 12" or more, with a bridle path the same length as above.
Arabian types usually leave their manes long and trim the bridle path a little longer than above, according to the horse's conformation.
When trimming manes, I first cut the mane, with regular scissors, about l/2" longer than I want it to be when I"m finished. I like the mane slightly shorter at the bridle path and withers, then gradually longest in the center. After you have shaped the mane with the regular scissors, use the thinning scissors and cut at an angle all along the bottom of the mane.
First go from the withers to the bridle path, then from the bridle path to the withers, keeping your scissors at an angle. If the mane is too thick in some places, take the thinning scissors up in the center of the hairs and cut some out, combing them out as you go. When I am through, I take the regular scissors and trim any extra long hair off.