Horse Supplies
Getting Started with the Basics
If you have a horse, you have a never ending need for horse supplies. You need them for everything from emergency medical care to primping for the show ring.
Finding what you need and like for your horse is a matter of trial and error. I have certain types or brands of hoof polish I like to use at a show which may not be the same as what others like to use.
Here we will discuss some supplies you may want in your barn or trailer.
Grooming Supply
When getting ready for a horse show it may
seem as if you need to rent
an extra trailer just to haul up your grooming
supplies. Well with some pruning to your barn horse
supplies for grooming, it will be easier to fit everything into your
trailer before a show. I have found it to be very helpful to "take
inventory" of all the horse show products I have.
By taking inventory I mean taking the time to write a list of all the horse supplies you have, then from that list select only what you need to take with you to the horse show. This will prevent you from bringing a massive amount of stuff to the show that you may not use.
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Horse Show Supply
The horse supplies you need to take with you to a horse show also go beyond the grooming supplies we talked about above. There are larger items you may want to consider taking with you such as a saddle stand to hold your saddle(s). You can get a multi-purpose grooming cart which combines grooming storage with a saddle rack.Other things you may want to consider when heading to a horse show are supplies for your horse's stall (if you are showing for more than one day) such as horse bedding or shavings and stall mats. If your horse is going to spend his time standing on concrete you may want to look into getting extra amounts of shavings or some rubber mats. You want to soften the surface your horse will be standing on to minimize the risk of soreness.
I have an extra set of supplies that I like to keep in the trailer and use only for shows. I keep extra buckets and blankets in the trailer and leave a separate set of supplies at the barn. It is much easier than sorting through what you need to bring from the barn and make sure all that stuff gets cleaned if needed before loading it in the trailer.
Medical Supply
You will want to make sure you have a full equine first aid kit for your horse. Make sure all the horse supplies in the kit are not expired and in good condition. You can also have two sets of first aid with one kept in the trailer and one as a part of your horse stable supply. Your first aid kit should include the basics such as vet wrap, furazone, beta dine, furall spray, portable ice/heat packs, gauze, quilt wraps, and regular leg wraps.Your first aid kit can include other things, but it is important to have the basics on hand. Also, you may want to consider having access to a human first aid kit both at the barn and in the trailer when you travel.
Riding Supply
When traveling to a show you want to make sure you bring everything you need to ride your horse. I have left for a horse show before with all my tack with one important thing left in the tack room at the barn (like the bridle). Again you can "take inventory" of your horse riding supply and then selectively choose (if you need to) what you have to bring with you to the show.Riding equipment is usually a little more expensive than some of the other smaller horse supplies you have in your tack room. Over the years of riding and showing I have collected saddles, halters, and bridles. One piece of advice I have for you if you are new to owning and showing horses is to always think twice before getting rid of a piece of riding equipment, you may regret it at a later time.
I have now built up a set of "working tack" and "show tack". It took me about 5-6 years before I started to notice my growing tack collection and to be able to afford new pieces of tack. When going to a horse show I do bring with me both sets of working and show tack. I use my work saddle, bridle, and pad to warm my horses up before showing and then switch them out to my show stuff.
It will take time if you are like me and have limited resources when first starting.
I think I bought my first saddle for a couple hundred dollars, and it was used but still in decent condition. I used it for regular riding and at some of the first shows I went to. Check out the deals at tacks sales and auctions (even Ebay will get you a great deal).
