Packing for a stress free show

When we think of visualization techniques, immediately our riding comes to mind - how each step of the dressage test will feel as we execute it perfectly to plan, how getting to the right distance at every fence will flow, and how  completing will let us ride high for a few days. 

But let's be honest, the competition starts well before we first put our foot in the stirrup. 

Back at the barn, before the competition even starts, there are two types of people. First have you have the seasoned pros who roll in confidently, have a system of unpacking and setting up their stall or haul-in trailer area, and their horses are unloaded into a stress-free zone of zen. 

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And then you have the the ones who stagger in, a little unsure of where their stalls are located. The tack room door opens to a conglomerate of tack and other essentials (and non-essentials).  They search through saddle pads and blankets until they find water buckets and a stall guard... or just give up hope and take the horse off the trailer, throw them in an empty stall with shipping boots still on, and then proceed to unpack most of the tack room, half of which may not actually be needed, and get to organizing. 

The amount of unnecessary stress this process causes is completely avoidable with a little planning and forethought.  ​And it starts well before the show begins. 

Let's start by gathering some information. 

1. Are you stabling or working out of your trailer? 
2. Is the show multiple days? 
3. Does your horse stand quietly on the trailer?
4. Does your horse stand in the stall quietly?
5. Are their multiple horse on the trailer? 
6. Are you showing multiple horses? 
7. Does your horse handle the show atmosphere well? 

​As we are packing the trailer, we need to compartmentalize.  What are the things we need to access first? I usually stack my water buckets, feed tub,  stall guard, and hooks into my muck tub.  I also then make my initial shavings and hay readily available. 

I then have the things I need readily available at the stall in my trunk... grooming kit, wraps, blankets, etc. My tack organized by order of use, and what I will be locking back in the trailer.  I then have the rest of the extra tack/larger first aid kit/and general things I hope I wont be needing neatly packed away, but ready to use at any time. 

So, now we start visualizing. For the sake of this post, we are going to assume that we're stabling. (a more in-depth explanation of all options is available on the members' only page). 

I like to be familiar with the layout of the stabling, whether it's from first hand experience or via map.  Know where I'm pulling in, and where my stall is, and where the show office is.  Since I've efficiently packed my trailer, I can pull in, quickly set up my horses stall; unload my horse into an organized stall complete with water and hay. Get them unwrapped, the trailer cleaned out, and then quickly unload my essentials. 

Other tips for appearing to be the calm-organized-type (even if you're not!):

• Trunks are your friend - keeping things contained and sorted into use categories makes things easier to access, less cluttered, and stress free!
• Color coordinate! - we may have aged out of the hot pink/purple color combination when we were about 12, however, something as simply as electrical tape around all buckets, trunks, crops, brushes, and mounting blocks can make things look cohesive, and also makes it easier to find things when they get 'borrowed'. 
• Have "trailer only" items - these are things that stay in your show trunk or trailer. This may be as simple as a first aid kit, extra tack, and show clothes; or as complex as show buckets, boots, saddle pads, etc... 
• Lists! - Finding what works for you and then keeping track of it is imperative. For my students, I like to give them small laminated sheets on a key ring that have their packing list... that way they can throw the list in the top of their trunk and mark off thinks with a dry erase marker. 
• Paperwork - going thru your coggins and memberships before you get to the show will relieve a lot of stress. Showing up to the secretary's table with coggins that expired 2 days before definitely leads to some stress! 

Join us over in the member's section for more in depth information!