Making horse shows a little easier

Let me set the scene.  It is the night before a horse show.....  That is about all it takes from me to get your knees shaking and your mind racing.  Not because of your nerves for the show the next day.  No, it is making sure you have everything ready to go for your horse show.  Tack, clothes, brushes, extra tack, food for you, food for your horse.  The list can seem endless and you always wonder what you are forgettting, especially for long distance shows.  You know that one of these days you are going to leave your horse behind. 

One of the easiest and most effective ways to make show a little less stressful is to have a list of items that you may or may not need in each show.  Have a list for local shows and a list for out of town shows that you can print off of the computer before each show.  You canb make a list in excwel and print it with the lines so that it is easier to read and you can check off the things on the list.  I like making it with a 'check box' om either side of each item so that I can check that I have everything the night before and then I can check it show morning before I leave. By doing this you can check off items as you store them in your trailer, and at the end of the show have a list of items that you will need to replace.

One other thing is to have a 'show kit'.  A box of items that always go with you to a show, small things you won't want to be without. 

Here is a list of show kit items:
Bobby Pins
Safety Pins
Hair Spray/gel
Small brush
Ponytail holders
Rubber bands
IbuProfen
Chapstick
Lotion
Deoderant
Hair nets
Pens
Black Marker

Now for the list of items that you will need to gather in general to take to a horse show.  What I have found easiest to do is to list out your items "For Horse" and "For Rider"  then under each of those to do what you will need for each class.  So what you and your horse need for Halter, Showmanship, western, etc. I also have a place for grooming equipment, a place for the riders makeup, ponytail holders, hair spray, gel, and things like that.  I also have a place for all of those miscellaneous items that you don't want to forget.

For Horse                                      For Rider



Showmanship                         Western/Showmanship


Halter                                      Cowboy hat

Lead Rope                               Show Shirt

Brushes                                     Belt

Fly Spray                                  Jeans

Body Shine                                boots

Spot Remover



Western Classes                         English Classes

Saddle                                               Helmet

Bridle                                               White Shirt

Saddle Pad                                      Collar and Pin

                                                          Jacket

                                                        Breeches

English Classes                                    Belt

                                                          Boots
Saddle

Bridle

Saddle Pad


Misc.                                                    Misc.

Bucket                                       Bobby Pins

Clippers                                    Safety Pins

hoof pick                                  Hairspray

detangler                                      Hair Gel

rubber bands                              Ponytail Holders

Vet Wrap                                      hair nets

Baby Wipes



I am sure there are things that are missing from this list. Especially of you show in a lot more classes.  so, add in all of the items that you use in your shows.
Next time you go to a show all you have to do is check your show kit for items you need to refill, and check through the list to make sure you have everything, then check it once more the morning before you leave.  Shows will become so much less stressful and you can focus more on getting you horse ready to show rather than worrying about leaving your horse behind. 

4H, Clinton Anderson random-ness

This year will be my fourth year in horse 4H.  I have ended up loving every year by the end and enjoy showing.  But what I really enjoy the most is when I get to work with and train the horses.  That is what makes working with horses fun for me.  The challenge of thinking like a horse and figuring out what I need to do to teach them something new, or do somehthing better.  While I may not be able to go through everything and tell you technically how to do each thing, I do know how to get a horse to move in different directions and it is fun for me.  I have a ton to learn but I think I am getting the hang of everything pretty fast.  I have been to a few Clinton Anderson Tour clinics and have learned so much from each of them.  The things I find stick with me the most are his one liners that make you giggle and/or think.  Like his "One hand for softness and control, two reins to die quickly"  Not only did it sound funny but I it helped me to remember that it is much easier and safer to stop a horse with one rein rather than two reins.  On top of that you won't start to create a hard mouth on your horse.  A few others  I like:
The more time you pick yourself up out of the sand the better your groundwork gets. (everytime you fall off the more you learn how important the grunt work really is.)
Do what you want kill me quickly. (talking about clenching up when you get nervous, pull your arms in, Do what you want, squeeze your legs, kill me quickly.)
I didn't hit him, he ran into the stick! (your horse cant come closer than the stick will allow so if it whacks him it is his own fault.)
Let them commit the crime first! (don't punish for what your horse hasn't done yet, you cant arrest a guy for standing outside a bank with a gun until he walks in and starts shooting)
These are the few that I could think of off the top of my head, there are a ton more.  But Clinton Anderson really is the king of idiot-proof horsemanship.  And listening and watching and reading his material has helped me improve my horsemanship so much over the past 4 years it is crazy!

New horse

I have a new horse!!!  O.k.a.y., "WE" have a new horse.  His name is Payback Mayday, 'barn' name is Captian Jack.  He is a sweetheart!  He is a Yearling, Arabian, Gelding.  I can't wait to start working with him.  It has been so busy around here, getting caught up after fair, and the wedding, and Aunt Shan here.  I haven't been out there much.  Hopefully I will get out there more over the next few weeks.  Pictures of Jack on the way.....

Silver Spurs Horse Show, Boise, ID 2010, Part 3

Kelsie and I found a ton of arenas, but we didn't know which of them we could or could not ride in.  So, with a lot of prodding from my parents, we decided that after lunch we would go to the main desk and see if they could tell us which arenas we were allowed in. 
We had decided to bring sandwich stuff for lunches.  Mom made the sandwiches because she didn't want our horsey hands in her food.  Kelsie, Sam and I saw the arena that Kelsie and I would be showing in and decided to take a look while we were waiting.  It was huge.  They had split it into two arenas with room in the front of the building to line up and wait for your class.  They were working up the ground and setting up panels, in preperation for the show the next day.  We walked back to the car in awe and saw that it was  our turn to let mom know what we wanted on our sandwiches.  We were given our sandwiches and we tried to find a place to sit where our food wouldn't blow away, which is hard to do in Idaho.  We ended up sitting in the tack stall on the bales of hay.   We ate our sandwiches and then started off to the main office. 
We passed the wash racks on the way down to the office and Kelsie and I were in love.  We hadn't used them but they looked amaZING!  Sam pulled us away from the wash racks of our dreams and we finished walking up to the main desk.
We got up to the office and our fast walk turned into a sluggish crawl.  None of us really wanted to get up there or be first to talk.  Kelsie finally walked up and asked who we needed to talk to about where to sign up for the show the next day and which arenas were off limits.  We were told that they knew nothing about the show.  They only handled the stalls and horse park grounds and that all the arenas were open to ride in we just weren't allowed in the grassy area, as it was under construction.  We thanked her, turned and did a fast walk outta the office, glad to have that over with and done.  We walked back to the stalls trying to gather together a plan.  We decided on riding a bit to let the horses stretch their legs and to get used to the arenas.

Sam is such a good cousin!

Kelsie and Rainy.

We were tired of lunging.....So we agreed it was time to ride!

We teased mom about this one.  "I have something on my head?  What??"

Again, isn't Sam the BEST cousin you could have??

 When we were about done in the warm up arena we were told that the main arena was open to ride in.  We figured better to go in and find things the horses are scared of now rather than while we show.  So, we rode in the massive covered arena for a while.  It was the coolest arena I have EVER ridden in, in my ENTIRE life!  We finished up, our horses were sweaty, we were sweaty and it was time..........  We got to use the WASH RACKS!!!!!  =D

Silver Spurs Horse Show 2010, part 2

We headed off to Kelsie's house to pick up her horse and her brother's horse.  These two horses plus my horse, made a full load in the trailers.  We now had 4 saddles, hay for two other horses, and two extra horses in the trailer.  My dad and brother took the two seats in the van pulling the horse trailer, and in the other van was my mom, cousin Sam, Me, Kelsie, Taylor, Kennedy, and Zoey.  Needless to say it was a tight fit.
Kelsie and I started out the trip nervous about the horse show.  Neither of us had ever been to a horse show that big, and out of town before.  By the time we had gotten a little ways to Boise our nerves had calmed down, but as soon as we took the exit off to go drop the horses off our butterflies decided to do a few rollbacks and spins.  Then we pulled up to the Idaho Horse Park.  This place was HUGE, and scary to think about remembering where it all was, and intimidating!  Very intimidating.  Since Mrs. Cindy wasn't able to come, Kelsie and I had to try and brave it on our own.  We had Sam there to help us which was GREAT!  She wasn't too nervous about the show the next day, so she was able to keep our heads on straight.
We got there and went in to have the Horse Park people unlock our stalls so that we could get our horses out of the trailer.  We decided that the easiest way to do it would be to leave the horses in the trailer, get all the tack put up and the stalls ready then put the horses in the stalls.  Most everyone helped with getting stuff put away.  Mom had the very imporant job of taking pictures of amything she deemed important or special.

Taylor was a huge help the entire weekend, constantly untacking and tacking back up for me so that I was able to change my clothes for the next class.

Nate was a big help carrying things into the tack stall.

It looked so nice for a few minutes anyway.  By the end of the weekend it looked nothing like this.  We should have taken a before and after shot....

Once we had the tack stall put together, we spread shavings in the horses stalls, brought buckets of water in for them, and put hay in there feeders.  I felt bad for making my horse stand in a trailer after driving for two hours so I added a bit, ok a lot, of grain to his feeder.

Then we decided to stand and rest for a minute or two before we got our horses out and put in stalls.

I had braided Silver's mane so that It wouldn't be such a pain to untangle right before the show.  It doesn't look too nice now, but it sure wasn't as knotted as before!

We got all the horses settled in and then we ate lunch.  After lunch, Kelsie, Sam and I walked around the Horse Park, looking for arenas to ride in and trying to get a feel for the place we would be spending a lot of time at.  We came to the conclusion that this was indeed a big place, but not nearly as intimidating as before and within a few hours my butterflies had started to calm down.

Silver Spurs Horse Show Boise, Idaho Part 1

This year I was informed of a big horse show in Boise, Idaho.  It was during our Church camp, and my sister's birthday.  Mom and dad decided that it would be a good experience for me and they said that we could go.  My best friend Kelsie and her brother decided to show as well and we were able to bring up my cousin Sam.  So, not only was I able to show my horse, but I would be with my two best friends.  I work for a lady who has been to the Idaho Horse Park, which is where the show was being held this year, and she was able to tell us a lot of information about the park.  She was going to join us and enter the Open Show on Sunday with a couple of her horses, but things happened and that wasn't possible.  So, going up, we had to figure things out on our own, which was an adventure in itself.  The first part of our little summertime fun starts with the packing.....

I wasn't prepared for this trip very far ahead of time.  This year, our 4H group has a few more English riders that usual.  So, I, of course, wanted to try English for myself.  I ended up liking it more than I thought I would and I was able to borrow or buy the things I needed to be able to show in English.  I ordered my English boots about a week ahead of time and had them shipped 3 day.  I ordered them in a size 8 (one size too big) and they had stretchy stuff in the back (hopefully to accomodate my big calves.)  I got them and...they were too small around my leg.  So we ordered a size 9 (2 sizes too big!!)  and they were still TIGHT!  I had to make them do though, because by now, the show was in 3 days and we had to be in Boise in 2 days.  I had to suck it up (literally) and wear the boots that were huge in the foot and tiny in the calf, or not show English.

The night before we had to leave for the show (Thursday the 10th), my cousin spent the night and I tried on all of my outfits (I had 3 of them) to make sure that I had everything and that I didn't forget anything. (HA!)  I tried on Engilsh first, which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  I had everything, boots, breeches, belt, shirt, jacket, collar, pin, helmet.  All good.  Hang that up and put a grabage bag over it.  Next, Western: Boots, jeans, belt, chaps, shirt, hat.  All good there too! Hang, and garbage sack it as well.  Next, was my showmanship/halter: Boots, Jeans, belt, shirt, hat, again all good!  Hang and cover it.  By this time, I had turned into the Carrie Underwood of horse shows!  If you have seen a concert you will understand, she had at least 10 outfit changes!!   Then it was time to pack my bag of regular clothes.  Extra jeans, tee-shirts, socks, underwear, and p.j.'s. With a lot of help from Sam, we got that done and I sat down to polish the show saddle and bridle that my boss let me borrow for the show.  When I got that done, took another check of the room, wrote down a quick list of what not to forget tomorrow. (Again HAHA!!)  By this time it was midight.

6:00 AM
"SAM!! Where are my glasses??!"  Half an hour later we finally found them and tried to get back on track.  We neeeded to have EVERYTHING loaded and be at Kelsie's to pick up her horses at 9 AM.  We dressed quickly, and bounded up the stairs to eat, get things loaded and the house cleaned up.  In two hours, Sam and I had folded 5 baskets of laundry, cleaned out a cooler, packed all the food and loaded up the trailer.  Here are most of the things we shoved, neatly into the trailer/van. 
Saddles (3), bridles (3), halters (3), brushes (too many), hoofpick (1), mane detangler, shampoo/conditioner, show clothes, hay, grain, wheelbarrow, hose, spray nozzel, hats (2), boots (3), and a big green tub of things that we might need.  Oh, and buckets, a couple buckets for grain and water.  Most importantly Silver, my wonderful horse!  We loaded up the minivan and headed off to pick up 2 more horses and drive to Boise.

Blond moment

Alright, so I was sitting down on the floor with my little brother's bright orange hat on and my sister came up and tried to yank the hat off.  The keyword here being, tried.  In the process she had grabbed a handful of my hair and continued to pull until I yelled, "OUCH!"  Then she backed up with a horrified look and said, "Oh!  I forgot you had hair under that!"  *Eyeroll* Sisters.