Some people show all year, but for all of us fair weather competitors, here are a few tips in helping to make your horse show preparation as easy and timely as possible. Having a lot of this done prior to the night before the show, will make your life stress free.
The Grooming Box:
I am a firm believer in a well stocked grooming box. In fact, if you keep your box (or bucket) well stocked year round, all it will take is a quick once-over in order to make sure that you have all you need and then to load it in to the trailer. Below are some suggestions that I keep in my grooming box.
Hard Brush
Ear plugs (if used)
Soft brush
Spurs
Mane/tail comb or brush
Crop
Tail conditioner (such as cowboy magic)
Treats
Baby oil (makes noses look shiny and nice)
Hoof polish
Rub rags (one for boots/ one for horse)
Curry or grooming mitt
The well stocked garment bag:
I am not sure how I survived at a horse show until I got a garment bag. I keep my show clothes in my garment bag at all times. Once clothes return from the cleaners, that is immediately where they are placed, so that there is no mad search the night before. You will find that a lot of the garment bags have zippered fronts that are also helpful. In this I keep, hairnets, aspirin, boot pulls, boot socks, show gloves, an extra crop and spurs (you can never find them when you need one), as well as miscellaneous odds and ends.
The additional items needed for an overnight show:
If this is an overnight trip, it is good to make a list prior to the show. Hotel reservations, stall reservations, bedding, hay, all of that will need to be decided upon. Am I going to buy hay and bedding at the show or will I bring it? Where will I stay? Will I need a braider?
The other additional items you will need to remember are tack and boot cleaning essentials, bathing equipment for the horse, braiding equipment, buckets for feed and water, a sheet or blanket if it is cool, scrim sheet or cooler if needed, a fan if it is predicted to be warm, and of course your overnight bag. I have been showing for over 25 years and still find myself packing off of a list.
Preparing the horse:
Preparing your horse is easy if you do things such as pull the mane and trim his or her whiskers/bridle path/fetlocks, etc. up earlier in the week. This is something that done in advance, makes it so that all you will have to do the night before or morning of, is bathe or groom the horse up really well. In the winter months, I suggest a good grooming and possible vacuum as well as washing socks (unless you are able to use a wash stall with warm water and heat lamps).
Emergency supplies:
If you own your own trailer, it is a good idea to have an emergency box in the trailer. This will include medications such as Phenylbutazone, Banamine, a sedative, wraps, anything that you may need in an accident or an emergency situation. I highly recommend a trailer jack that you drive up onto with the trailer to change to a spare (which is also a must have for the truck and trailer). The other thing that a lot of people don't tend to think of is a large pale of water. If you are at a long horse show or stuck in traffic, the horses still need water. A good place to get one of these is a marine supply company. They tend to sell 5 to 10 gallon water containers. You can also use a gas can (PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LABEL CLEARLY WITH WATER ONLY!).
If you do not own your own trailer, feel free to ask the hauler if they have water aboard as well as a spare or if they have an emergency plan. As far as the medications in that situation, you may want to have them in your tack trunk or grooming box. It is better to have them along and not need them than need them and not have them.
With all of this said, I have found that your boots and tack are most important! You can borrow almost anything else that you will need. Keep that in mind while packing. Everyone is in the same situation you are. Don't be afraid to make friends at the shows. Everyone needs a helping hand occasionally!
Good luck in the 2008 show season and remember to have fun!
