While your specific horse show packing list will vary depending on your discipline, the type of competition, and the classes that you’re entering, there are a number of things that are universal: like grooming brushes and the possibility of forgetting something!
For the Horse Show Office
*Tip!: Store all of your horses’ health records and show paperwork directly within the BarnManager app so you never have to worry about leaving them behind.
– Proof of negative coggins
– Horse health certificate
– Registration papers
– Membership papers
For the Feed Stall
– Hay
– Hay nets
– Grain
– Supplements
For the Rider
– Boots
– Belt
– Helmet
– Gloves
– Spurs
– Rain gear
– Show shirt
– Show jacket
– Small mirror
– First aid kit
– Sunscreen
– Lint roller
– Small sewing kit
– Snacks
– Boot polish or boot cleaning kit
– Safety vest, if needed
– Breeches (a spare pair or two is always a good idea!)
– Hair accessories (Hair net, spare hair ties, bobby pins)
For the Grooming Box
– Body brushes
– Curry comb
– Hoof pick
– Mane and tail brush
– Mane comb
– Detangler
– Waterless shampoo/spot remover
– Hoof dressing or polish
– Baby powder or corn starch
– Fly spray
– Scissors
– Baby wipes
– Clippers
– Spray-on conditioner or shine enhancer
– Seam ripper for removing braids
– Lots of towels
For the Wash Rack
– Shampoo
– Sweat scraper
– Sponges or scrubbers
– Towels
– Bucket designated for washing
– Liniment
For the Horse – Saddle
– Girth
– Schooling saddle pads
– Show saddle pads
– Bridle(s)
– Schooling boots
– Ear plugs
– Ear bonnets
– Cooler
– Scrim sheet
– Blankets, as needed
– Halter
– Polo wraps
– Lunge line and lunge whip
– Martingale
– Studs and stud removal kit
– Ice boots
– Tack soap and sponge
– Poultice and poultice paper
– Safety pins for attaching numbers to saddle pads
Happy horse showing!
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
When it comes to riding and keeping horses, accidents and injuries are not uncommon, and tragedy can sometimes strike. With a little bit of preparation andattention to safety however, you can make your barn a safer place to be for both horses and humans.
1.) Use breakaway crossties.
Crossties can be dangerous if a horse panics and isn’t able to break the ties. Make sure that your crossties have safety snaps or easy-break ties. To create these easy break ties, run a loop of baling twine through a screw eye in the wall and attach the crossties to the baling twine rather than directly to the wall. This will allow the twine to snap, freeing the horse in the case of an emergency.
2.) Keep hay and shavings away from the main barn whenever possible.
While it may not be realistic for all barn setups, keeping hay and shavings in a separate, dry location away from the main barn area is a great way to reduce fire risks. ProEquineGrooms gives great advice on hay storage here, explaining that “Combustion can occur if the hay just right – sometimes too hot and too dry, or even or too hot and still moist inside!”
3.) Dust and remove cobwebs on a regular basis.
Much like hay and shavings, dust and cobwebs can act like kindling in the case of a barn fire. Routine dusting can prevent fire from spreading quickly should tragedy ever strike.
4.) Keep first aid kits on hand for both horses and humans.
Accidents inevitably happen, but having first aid kits on hand can help you reduce risks and address issues quickly. Not sure what to include in your equine first aid kit? Check out this thorough list from TheHorse.com!
5.) Have a landline phone at your barn.
Landline phones are becoming harder to come by, but for safety reasons, it’s a good idea to maintain one at your barn. Cell service can often be disrupted, and in many barn locations it’s spotty at best. In case of an emergency and in any weather, you want to be sure to have a reliable phone on hand.
6.) Check your electric.
Electricity is not something we often pay much attention to in the barn – until it isn’t working or something goes wrong. To prevent electrical risks, make sure that all outlets and switches are recessed with protective covers to keep dust out. If you have conventional light bulbs or light strips, have cages over them for protection. If there are certain things that are always on or plugged in, like a refrigerator, be sure that they are plugged into a surge protector. Make sure that all wiring is covered by metal and not by PVC tubing, as small animals and birds can destroy the tubing and begin to chew on wires.
7.) Keep barn aisles clean and clear.
Rakes, pitchforks, tack, grooming boxes, or halters left out in the barn aisle way can easily be tripped over by humans or cause incident for horses. Be sure to clean up after yourself and keep your aisle way tidy to prevent injury or accident.
8.) Lock up any potentially hazardous materials including medications, fly sprays, and cleaning supplies.
Any such materials should be kept locked and out of access by children or pets who could wrongly use or swallow them.
9.) Make needed repairs as soon as you notice something amiss.
If you notice a loose fence board, a faulty latch, a protruding nail, or any other potential hazard, act on it quickly, rather than waiting for it to become a larger issue – even if the repair seems like something that could be overlooked for a time.
10.) Post barn rules, emergency contacts, and emergency instructions in a prominent location.
It can also be beneficial to go over emergency instructions and action plans with everyone in your barn.
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
We carefully plan our horses’ meals, weigh their feed, and provide them supplements and the proper nutrition that they need as equine athletes.
But what about our own nutrition and needs as an athlete? That often looks more like a skipped breakfast as we’re rushing out the door, whatever burger or fries we’re able to scarf down at the horse show food stand, or that delicious Nutella-filled crepe calling our name from the crepe stand.
The fact is though, as riders, we’re athletes too! If we expect our horses to perform their best, it’s important for us to fuel our bodies in a way that allows us to ride our best.
We know it’s not always easy with busy show days and tempting, convenient food vendors, but here are five tips to help you stay (or get) on track.
1.) Don’t Skip Breakfast!
It’s been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but for horseman and women, it’s often the most skipped meal of the day! Our days start early, and we’re often in a hurry to get to the barn or the show ring. However, by skipping breakfast, we’re only setting ourselves up for failure.
To get the most of your breakfast, try to include a combination of protein, carbs, and fats to give you energy and to keep you satisfied until lunch time.
“If you start with a good breakfast, you’re geared up for the day,” said amateur equestrian Michelle Durpetti, who trains with True North Stables. “I’m not as hungry; I’m not as inclined to go get fries or something like that. It’s so easy to forget at horse shows that you are also an athlete.”
Durpetti recently began placing more of an emphasis on her own nutrition while at horse shows, and she and trainer Caitlyn Shiels start most days with their own smoothie blend.
“I heat up almond milk every morning, and I use a superfood greens powder,” said Durpetti. “I add in probiotics and prebiotics, and it has an apple and cinnamon taste. It kind of tastes like old-school oatmeal.”
Show jumper Hannah Selleck of Descanso Farm is another rider who has made her own health and fitness a priority, alongside that of her horses, and even on her busiest mornings, she ensures that she doesn’t skip a protein-filled morning meal.
“Sometimes I’ll have a coffee, ride a few, but then make sure that I get protein and eat breakfast,” said Selleck. “I never want to skip a meal or feel like I don’t have energy, so I make sure that I’m eating throughout the day when I’m showing.”
2.) Plan Ahead
It’s no secret that you’re more likely to grab a sugary snack or order that convenient burger and fries when you let yourself get to the point that you’re starving or don’t have other alternatives readily available, so it’s important to plan ahead.
By the end of a long show day, it’s normal to be exhausted and to want to reach for whatever is available or to grab a quick (likely, unhealthy) dinner on your way home. Instead, try to meal plan or prep your meals in advance if you know you’re not going to feel up to cooking after you’ve finished riding and showing. Pre-made meal services are also a great option if they’re within your meal budget, and Pinterest is a great resource if you’re looking for meal prep recipes like these or these.
3.) Keep Snacks on Hand
Planning ahead and packing snacks go hand-in-hand! As a professional hunter/jumper rider and trainer riding a number of a horses a day and going from ring-to-ring, Shiels relies on pre-packed snacks, so she always tries to keep a banana, dried fruit, and almonds in her ring backpack for a quick pick me up when needed. For Selleck, turkey jerky sticks and RX Bars are her go-tos.
Apples and carrots also make great snack options (for you and your horse!), as does trail mix or a pre-prepared protein shake. Other protein sources like hard-boiled eggs, tuna packets, or no-bake protein bites also travel well and can make for a great pick-me-up. (Google “no-bake protein bites” or “no-bake protein energy bites” for a number of quick, easy recipes!)
4.) Stay Hydrated
Keeping your body hydrated while showing is just as important for your health as proper nutrition.
Try keeping a cooler packed with ice, small water bottles, and sports drinks at your stalls, on your golf cart, or near your horse trailer so that you never have to worry about finding something to drink at the show. (As an added bonus, packing your own drinks will save you money at the horse show, where drinks are often more expensive!) Thirst is also often mistaken as hunger, so by quenching your thirst, you may be less likely to go looking for something unhealthy to eat! Try to steer clear of sugary, caffeinated sodas during the day, as they won’t do the job to keep you hydrated and will only give you a temporary boost before your blood sugar drops.
5.) Make It a Group Effort
Keep yourself on a healthy track by encouraging your barn mates to do the same. Hold each other accountable to healthy eating and offer to take turns providing healthy snacks or filling up the barn cooler with waters and sports drinks for the team. Consider swapping recipe ideas, packing group lunches, or even creating fun challenges like all trying to drink a certain amount of water each day of the show. Have fun with it, and enjoy feeling better as the group of athletes that you are!
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
When was the last time you really cleaned your horses’ brushes? If you’re like many of us, we venture to guess it’s been longer than the recommended every week to two weeks!
The good news is, washing your brushes is quick and easy to do, and it goes a long way in helping your horse be as clean and healthy as possible. (It’s tough to have a clean horse if you’re using dirty tools!) Consider setting aside 10 to 15 minutes every other week for washing your brushes, and then follow these simple steps!:
– Fill a bucket with warm water and a drop or two of shampoo. It’s best to stick to the shampoo that you would usually use on your horse, and it’s important to avoid using any rough household cleaners that could cause irritation to your horse or that could potentially contain harmful ingredients.
– After any loose hair has been removed from the brushes, add them to the bucket, and swish them around, allowing the loosest dirt and debris to come off. Then, work the shampoo into the bristles thoroughly.
– Once you’ve shampooed the brushes, allow them to sit and “marinate” in the bucket for five to 10 minutes to really get clean.
– After the brushes have had time to soak, rinse them out with clean water from a house. Then rinse again. And possibly again. It’s important to make sure that any and all shampoo is rinsed out of the brushes so that it doesn’t dry within the brushes later.
– When you’re sure the brushes have been well rinsed, shake them out, and lay them out to dry on clean ground or grass or on a shelf or similar. Be sure to leave the brushes laying on their sides so the water doesn’t consolidate at the bottom of the bristles and end up damaging the brush handle. And viola! Clean brushes!
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
It’s no secret that horses are expensive – so why not save money when and where you can? Here are 12 barn items to pick up at the dollar store (usually for only $1!) to save you money, and possibly to provide a more affordable, alternative option!
– Artificial flowers – These are perfect for inexpensively decorating jumps or dressage letter boxes, and you’re not likely to find them cheaper anywhere else!
– Baby wipes – From cleaning your own hands to bits to your horse itself, cost-effective baby wipes can be extremely handy to have around the barn.
– Diapers – Did you know diapers are great as wraps for hoof poultice or hoof packing? It never hurts to have one or two on hand or in your barn’s first-aid kit.
– Epsom salts – Epsom salts are also great to have on hand for soaking abscessed hoofs.
– Peppermint – You can usually find multiple types of peppermints available in bulk packages for your whole barn!
– Leather wipes – Inexpensive containers of leather wipes are great for the quick wipe of your boots or saddle or to keep in your truck or trailer for easy cleaning at horse shows.
– Rubber bands – You can find the small rubber bands that you need for braiding or banding at the dollar store for much less than what you might pay at a tack shop.
– Sponges – Large sponges designed for car washing are perfect for bathing horses, and small packs of kitchen sponges are great for cleaning tack.
– Storagecontainers – You’ll find storage containers of all shapes and sizes at the dollar store! Small craft supply containers are perfect for storing studs and stud kits or braiding supplies.
– Spraybottles – Grab a few plain spray bottles for fly spray, detanglers, water, or anything else you may need!
– Toilet brushes – Cheap toilet brushes are great for scrubbing out water buckets!
– Towels – You can never have enough towels around the barn, so why not get them as inexpensively as possible?
What other useful items have you found at the dollar store?
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
We caught up with four top show jumping grooms to learn what they don’t go to the ring without, their time save and grooming tips, and more in this well-read blog post!
Here’s one answer from Ninna Leonoff, a vital part of Markus Beerbaum’s team for more than 20 years, on the most rewarding part of the job:
“When the horses are feeling good; when they are looking good. That’s most important for me. I think these days, to keep them feeling good soundness wise is important and rewarding. I really like to get to know my horses. I like to spend time with them so I know how they feel. Even brushing I can feel if they have sore backs or they’re tired or fresh.”
Cut designs into the end of your polo wraps to easily identify matching sets. – This tip from ProEquineGrooms is a great one if you’ve ever found yourself wasting time attempting to roll up and match sets of polo wraps! Instead, cut a small, matching design into the end of all of the polo wraps in a set. This could be a small triangle cut out of the middle of the end, the corners cut off, or something similar – anything that will allow you to easily recognize which polos go together.
Stacia Klein Madden can typically be found ringside during major equitation classes at top horse shows across the country or at home at Beacon Hill Show Stables training some of the country’s most competitive junior and amateur hunter, jumper, and equitation riders.
Earlier this year though, our BarnManager team found Madden somewhere a little bit different: in Maryland amidst 11 young U.S. Pony Club riders and their adorable, fuzzy ponies and well-schooled mounts.
The riders – ranging in age from seven to 16 and in skill level from walk-trot to those competent at jumping three feet – generally focus on dressage, eventing, and beginning show jumping in their lessons, but Madden’s presence meant something different for them as well: a special clinic with a focus on the “Fundamentals of Equitation.”
Whether you are managing a large show barn or boarding operation or taking care of your own mounts, chances are good that you got into the role for one primary reason: because you enjoy spending time with horses.
Unfortunately, if you’re in one of the aforementioned positions, you also know that far too often time spent enjoying the horses can get overshadowed by the scheduling of lessons, and farrier visits, and veterinary appointments, and the horse sho
w entries, and the feeding, and the record keeping, and the tack and equipment organization and maintenance, and the planning of each day, and… well, you get the idea!
While you can’t eliminate these things entirely – they’re important to keeping the horses happy and healthy and the business running smoothly – there are several ways that you can streamline your paperwork and simplify your barn management to get you out of the office or away from the white board and back with the horses more often, and this blog post shares a few of them!
“Pay attention to detail. Get to know your horses – their legs, coat, skin, eating habits, turnout behaviors, etc. and use it to your advantage. I have one horse that is super sensitive to the sand, skipping one day of washing his legs and skin funk shows up, but then the only thing that works on it is Micro Tek. I’ve tried every other anti-fungal shampoo with no luck.
I have another horse who eats half of his breakfast every morning, goes outside for a couple hours, gets ridden, and then will finish breakfast. All of these things are normal, but it scares everyone when they first start working for us. Don’t let the little things get to you, because horses spend every day of their lives trying to hurt or kill themselves, so things are going to happen that are out of your control.”
Riding in equestrian competitions of any discipline requires an important prerequisite: the actual horse on which to compete! At most horse shows and events available to young riders, that means either owning a horse of their own or leasing one. Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) shows, however, are an exception.
The organization, now open to students in grades four through 12, makes riding in hunt seat, western, and dressage competitions more accessible to many young riders, as competition horses are provided at all events. Competing riders show up to the event and randomly draw which horse they will be riding that day. For flat classes, they even enter the ring with no prior warm-up!
But if the riders are not bringing all of their own horses, where do these magical, ready-to-show horses come from? And who is taking care of and managing them? And how do the riders know that the mount they are getting will be cooperative?
In every show season, there are certain events for which we want our horses to be at their absolute best. One of the most important skills a trainer or rider can have is knowing how to prepare a horse to peak at a certain competition, whether it be an important indoor show or a particular class.
Expecting our horses to perform their best means preparing them to the best of our abilities with the best possible training program for their needs. In this blog post, trainer and professional rider Caitlyn Shiels shares the five key ingredients that she uses in creating programs for her horses at True North Stables.
Proper dentistry is an integral aspect of optimal horse welfare. As an owner, trainer, rider, or barn manager it is very important to be aware of symptoms that indicate your horse is due for dental care.
The easiest way to know a horse is due for dental maintenance is to put a reminder into the horse’s BarnManager record for a dental exam every six months.
Horses’ teeth naturally erupt and develop sharp enamel points when they masticate. These points can abrade the tissues of the mouth and cause your horse discomfort. These points and malocclusions, or deviations from normal dental contact, can also affect the natural motion of the mandible when chewing or being ridden, particularly if the horse wears a tight noseband.
We hope that you found our 2019 blogs useful and informative, and we look forward to bringing you more content in 2020!
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
‘Tis the season for indulging in tasty treats and cookies – so why not treat your horse to something special too?
We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite holiday horse treat recipes, all of which make easy, inexpensive, and tasty gifts for the four-legged family members on your list!
Christmas Carrot Muffins
What You’ll Need:
– 3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats
– 1/3 cup of molasses
– 1/2 cup of water
– 3/4 cup of flour
– 3/4 cup of bran
– 1/2 cup of brown sugar
– 1 apple
– 2 carrots
How To Make:
Step one: Preheat the oven to 400 °(F) and grease muffin tins.
Step two: Shred the apple and carrots into fine pieces.
Step three: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
Step four: Scoop the mixed ingredients into the muffin tins and bake for 35-40 minutes.
We couldn’t help but whip up a batch of these as we prepared our recipe list! They take less than 20 minutes to make and are sure to please.
What You’ll Need:
– 1 cup of old-fashioned oats
– 1 cup of whole wheat flour
– 1/2 cup of shredded carrots
– 1/3 cup of molasses
– 1 small, ripe banana (or 1/2 a large, ripe banana)
– peppermints
How To Make:
Step one: Preheat the oven to 375°(F).
Step two: Combine all ingredients except the peppermints in a large bowl, and mix well.
Step three: This step is a choose your own adventure! To make the peppermint cookies, spoon the mixed cookie ingredients into balls and place evenly on an un-greased baking sheet. For a fun alternative, roll out the mixed ingredients and use cookie cutters to cut the treats into holiday shapes!
Step four: Bake for 10 minutes.
Step five: While the cookies are still warm, place a peppermint into the center.
Step six: Allow to cool. Then feed to your horses and watch as they enjoy!
– 4 cups of sweet feed
– 1 apple, chopped
– 1 cup of raisins
– 1/2 cup of molasses
– 2 eggs
– Purple grapes
– 2 carrots, diced
– Sugar cubes
How To Make:
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350°(F).
Step two: Generously grease a cake pan and set aside.
Step three: Mix sweet feed, apple, raisins, molasses, and eggs together well.
Step four: Press into cake pan, and bake for one hour.
Step five: Remove and let cool completely. Top with grapes, carrots, and sugar cubes.
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
When tiny cells in your horse becomes so bitterly cold that ice begins to develop inside of them, it causes the expansion and rupture of the cells, which is what causes what we best know as frostbite!
Imagine this in a whole region of cells, like in your fingers or your horse’s ear. These ruptured cells are now dead, which causes the area to have decreased blood flow and swelling and a whole mess of dead tissue. An important note here: this tissue will NOT grow back!
Major problems follow as the dead tissue can leak toxins into your horse and cause gangrene and massive infection, famous for being gross and black and generally dangerous.
Horses are typically susceptible to frostbite on their ears and their penises. This is usually seen when a horse is sedated with certain types of drugs that relax the muscles that hold the penis in. Then, the exposure sets in and you can only imagine…
A horse is at most risk in extreme cold, especially when there is no relief from the wind, or your horse is damp or wet. A horse that is already compromised by being a hard keeper, or a horse without enough forage, or a horse with some medical issue going on is also at risk. Some toxins found in plants and rancid feeds can cause vasoconstriction, which increases risk.
Fortunately, frostbite in horses is not extremely common and can be prevented by ensuring that your horse has shelter from the wind if it is turned out in extreme cold and that it is able to stay dry, to take in adequate calories, and to forage to generate normal body heat.
Want more from Liv Gude? Visit ProEquineGrooms.com! As a former international dressage groom for years, Liv Gude founded ProEquineGrooms.com as a way to unite grooms in the horse industry. The educational website also serves to entertain and inform horse owners across all disciplines about horse care, grooming, and health. Click here to check it out!
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
It’s beginning to look a lot like…the time to decorate for the holidays! If your barn, or even just your horse’s stall, are on your list of areas to decorate this year, you may want to keep in mind these three rules from Live Gude of ProEquineGrooms.com!
1. Keep holiday decorations out of reach.
Garlands, ornaments, and lights will be utterly delicious and irresistible to some horses. Arrange any holiday decorations away from the reach of every horse, even the least curious ones. If you have a particularly clever horse that might use his powers of sorcery and contortion for evil and not good, skip decorating around that guy’s house. The trouble with garland and long stringed things is that they can easily create impactions if eaten.
Also think about the barn cats and dogs. Are they going to be tempted to grab some garland and zip down the barn aisle?
2. Don’t burn down the barn.
Sure, twinkly lights are the best! However, overworked circuitry and extension cords increase fire risks. If you absolutely, positively MUST have lights, make sure they are the LED version that won’t generate heat.
3. Don’t use poisonous decorations.
Holly, mistletoe, and poinsettia are all toxic. Mistletoe and holly are definitely toxic to horses, dogs, and cats. Poinsettia is mildly toxic. You may want to stick to artificial varieties of these things. Same goes for pine – while the real version is lovely, there is a lot of sap involved.
Happy decorating!
Want more from Liv Gude? Visit ProEquineGrooms.com! As a former international dressage groom for years, Liv Gude founded ProEquineGrooms.com as a way to unite grooms in the horse industry. The educational website also serves to entertain and inform horse owners across all disciplines about horse care, grooming, and health. Click here to check it out!
BarnManager is designed to be a part of your team, with the compatibility and credentials necessary to improve communication, simplify the management of horses, and get you out of the office, off the phone calls, and into the barn with the horses you care about! Click here to get a free demo and find out more!
We carefully plan our horses’ meals, weigh their feed, and provide them supplements and the proper nutrition that they need as equine athletes.
