Horse Shows
You should be well-prepared for a horse show. This page contains lists for English equipment, western equipment and miscellanious equipment. Your list may vary. Print this list out and check it off as you pack for a show.
English
Ratchatcher (blouse)
A Jacket
A Broach
Breeches or jodphurs
Tall boots or paddock boots (tall boots go with breeches and paddock boots go with jodphurs. If you're 13 and over you can't wear jodphurs or paddock boots.)
A velvet helmet (or a regular helmet with a velvet helmet cover.)
Black Gloves (optional)
Earrings (optional)
English spurs OR crop (optional)
English Saddle
English Bridle
English Girth
Saddle Pad
Western
Vest & Slinky (if needed for outfit)
Show Shirt (if not slinky & vest)
Show Pants or Jeans
Chaps (optional; not allowed for halter and showmanship)
Neck Tie of some sort (optional)
Western Hat
Western Boots
Western Bridle
Western Saddle
Western Breastcollar (optional)
Western Showmanship halter & lead (if doing showmanship or halter classes)
Western spurs (optional)
Gloves (optional)
Miscellanious
Shipping boots or polo wraps with quilts underneath.
2 Halters and 2 Leadlines per horse (in case one breaks; it's happened to me twice!)
Fly Spray
Muck bucket & Pick
Water Bucket
Hose
Lots of water bottles!
Rags
Grooming supplies
Fold out chairs
Sunscreen & Sunglasses
Saddle stand
Crossties/trailer ties
Human & equine emergency kits
Horse's registry papers if it's an association's show
Mounting Block
Haynet and Hay (about 3-4 flakes)
Electroylyte (For dehydration or if horse colics easily)
Treats (carrots, apples, etc.)
Getting your Horse Ready the Day Before
Bathe him the day before the show. Make sure he's fully dried or has a light stable sheet before putting him back in his stall, or he'll roll!
If you cannot bathe your horse, use Miracle Groom. It works great!
Band the mane for western.
Braid the mane, forlock and tail for english.
If you're showing both western and english the same day, style your horse for which ever style you have more classes in. If you have an even number of classes in each style, style your horse for which ever style you two do better at.
Clean and check your tack to make sure nothing needs to be replaced or bought.
Make sure your show clothes and saddle blankets are clean, fit you and don't need to be sewn.
Clip your horse's ears, muzzle, longer eyelashes and hairs on the coronary band.
Pack as much as you can in your vehicle and trailer the night before. This will save time and stress on show day.
Getting your Horse Ready on the Day of the Show
GET TO THE SHOW EARLY! Get there at least 1 hour before your first class.
Lunge your horse before loading and/or after getting to the show place, depending on how frisky your horse is. I usually chase my horse around in the arena before I take him to the show. That way he can buck and gallop and get the friskies out. :)
Make sure to see if he wants any water before loading him.
Put on his shipping boots, head bumper (optional), halter cotton tubing, etc.
Make sure you use a leather halter or a nylon one with leather on the top. Leather breaks if it gets caught on something. This way your horse won't stay stuck to whatever he's stuck to and freak out.
Put about 3-4 flakes of hay in a haynet to keep your horse calm and busy while trailering and when he's not being shown.
Keep an extra halter and lead line with you when loading and unloading in case one breaks. (Keep one extra halter and lead for every other horse you have.)
When you get to the show, park in a spot that's not to close to other trailers and vehicles.
When tacking up, use a trailer tie (a small cross-tie) or have some one hold your horse.
When bridling, slip the halter, with the lead line connected, around your horse's neck. This lessens the chance of your horse getting loose. Also keep the bridle reins around the neck.
Before tacking up or lunging, walk your horse around the show place so he can see everything and, hopefully, not be spooky about it later.
Warm up in the warm-up ring.
During the Show
When in the show ring, smile and keep your body in the correct riding posture.
When the judge asks you do do something, like back up for example, nod and say "yes ma'am" or "yes sir". This shows respect towards the judge. Also look behind you before backing.
ALWAYS be alert and look ahead or you may end up getting hurt.
Don't show a horse you can't control. You and/or the horse may need more training first.
Keep one horse length between yourself and the rider in front of you. It's not only curtious, but safe. If you can't see the hooves of the horse in front of you, you're tailgating. Do a small circle (if you have room) or pass them on the side.
Chances are you'll see many people in the warm-up ring training their horses in their own ways. Now is not the time to teach your horse something new! Stick to what you and your horse know and train when you're at home! So many people make this mistake. It not only confuses and frustrates your horse, but may also make him obstinate.
Have fun, and don't worry about the ribbons!
Make sure to give your horse plenty of water throughout the day. He's working extra hard and will need it.
After the Show
After grooming and cooling your horse off, let him have some grass; he deserves it!
Give him a last and final drink of water if he wants some.
Put his shipping boots and trailering gear on and load him up.
When you're back at the barn, put your tack and supplies back.
Make your own ribbon rack for the stall door:
You'll need twine. Tie one end of the twine on the farthest bar to the left (if your stall has bars). Tie the other end on the farthest bar to the right on your stall door. Now hang your ribbons on it! Make sure your horse won't be able to get it. Also make sure the ribbons don't hang too low.
$howing for le$$
Showing can get very pricy. Here's some money-saving tips.
You can save money on show clothes if you have a relative or friend who sews. Pay them to make your outfit (or take them out to dinner and a show or something). My grandma made all my vests, super slinkies and ultra-suede chaps! The ultra-suede costed me $80! So basically, my chaps were $80!
Equine garage sales are sweet! I've gotten velvet helmets for $10 and free winter head cover.
If you see something you like at a show, like an outfit or saddle, ask the person if it's for sale. If it's not, then ask them where they got it.
To save money on a show saddle, buy a regular saddle and put conchos on it.
One word: eBay. The only problem is, you may not be able to return your purchased item if it doesn't work out for you.
Look at the classifieds in the newspaper. The best times to look for saddles are in the spring and fall.
Go to Equine Affair or Quarter Horse Congress. You'll most likely find something you like there. (Check out the Woods Western stand. They have nice western show clothes for cheap--probably the cheapest you'll find at QH Congress and many other places.)
