BY SHERI McWHIRTER
smcwhirter@record-eagle.com
WILLIAMSBURG — Nicole Best bent low with a towel and rubbed it down the length of a pony's leg, wiping away dust and dirt to prepare the animal for competition.
Best, 23, of Highland, is a show groom working her second year at the Horse Shows By the Bay event in Williamsburg, a top-level horse show held each summer along Bates Road. She is among hundreds of grooms who work behind the scenes to keep the horses, riders and trainers ready for the ring.
"You have to know what the horses like and what they need," Best said. "I'm cleaning her up for the show ring. She already had a bath, so I'm just brushing her to make sure she's clean before we go."
Work as a horse groom is dirty, demanding and not without its risks: Best has been kicked, stepped on and bitten on the job.
"You've got to pay your dues and work your way up," she said.
Best works for trainer Heather Irvine, who owns Hillside Farm in Bloomfield Hills, and on Saturday morning worked with a middle-sized pony named Belinda. The pony jumped in the hunter competition with her rider, 11-year-old Sophia Yzerman.
Sophia said she depends on Best during competitions.
"She helps. My pony gets really dirty," Sophia said from her perch atop Belinda.
Best rubbed down the pony, sprayed conditioner on her tail before combing it, brushed on hoof oil, placed her saddle on a soft pad and wrapped the girth, or leather strap, under her belly to hold the saddle in place. The last step included stuffing cotton into the animal's ears, to reduce possibly distracting noises.
As Sophia rounded the competition ring and jumped Belinda again and again, Best stood on the sideline with crossed arms and watched, another cleaning towel in her hand.
"This is what we work for all day, these two minutes, not even," she said. "When they win, you win. You're happy because you did your job."
Best wants to be a rider, like many grooms, but equestrian sports are expensive. She recently purchased her first horse and works the show circuit to afford him.
"Obviously we'd all like to move up and be a rider. I do this to pay for my horse," Best said.
Belinda and Sophia left the ring and the child dismounted, as Best slipped the pony a peppermint candy. Next came a bath for the mud-splattered pony.
Best led Belinda back toward the stables to the washing area, where a bucket of sudsy water and a garden hose awaited.
The pony quietly stood still as Best scrubbed her legs, hooves and belly, where mud from the competition ring splashed against her.
"As a groom, this is the part you hate. Your shoes get wet and you have to walk around with them wet for the rest of the day," Best said.
But Belinda isn't the only horse Best tends to. Each groom from Hillside Farm has three or four horses to care for, she said.
As Best returned to the stable with Belinda, her dog Keegan stood up and ran to her side. It's common for grooms and other horse show participants to bring their pets along, especially considering this particular show is a five-week event, Best said.
Irvine said it's thanks to grooms like Best that horse shows even can happen.
"They put in so many hours and love for the horses. It's a lot of work. They are a major part of how those horses perform," Irvine said. "I count on them the most. They make my job easy."
Horse Shows by the Bay will continue into September and spectators are welcome on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for admission between $5 and $10. Visit www.horseshowsbythebay.com for more information.
