How to Get Checkers on a Horse's Rump

To add an elegant and distinctive touch to a horse's appearance, riders will occasionally add a design on their mount's hindquarters. The most common of these designs, which are known as quarter marks, is the checkerboard pattern. A horse bearing quarter marks gives the appearance that its owner has gone the extra mile in its grooming and care. The checkerboard pattern is both temporary and something you can do yourself without much trouble,

Things You'll Need

  • Sponge
  • Gel
  • Mane and tail comb or clipper head or plastic comb
  • Hair spray
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Clean or bathe your horse thoroughly. To obtain the best checkerboard effect, the horse's coat must be as free of dirt and shiny as possible.

    • 2

      Dampen the area where you want the quarter mark checkerboard pattern to appear with a wet sponge. Choose an area that is not too high or low on the rump. The checkerboard marks will not be visible to passersby if it is placed too high on the horse's rump, and if it is placed too low, it won't catch the light and will be harder to see.

    • 3

      Apply a very small amount of gel to the horse's hair in the area where the checkerboard quarter marks will be placed.

    • 4

      Smooth the hair in place by brushing it in the direction it grows.

    • 5

      Comb or rake a section of the horse's hair in a downward motion with either a mane and tail comb, or a clipper blade that is not attached to the clippers, or an inexpensive plastic comb cut to the size of the squares you want to make up your checkerboard. Some people will create a checkerboard stencil or purchase one from a saddlery. Rake the hair down into the shape of one checkerboard square.

    • 6

      Leave an area the size of a checkerboard square untouched. On the other side of this untouched section of hair, comb the hair in a downward fashion to create another square. Continue alternating raked down hair squares and untouched hair squares.

    • 7

      Start a second row of checkerboard squares under the first row by creating squares opposite to those that appear above them. For instance, under a square of untouched hair, create a raked-down square of hair.. Continue, until you have created the number of rows you would like to appear on your horse's rump.

    • 8

      Spritz lightly with hairspray, if desired. The spray is not necessary and may attract dust, but can help keep the squares in place.