Hello Friends! So I will be riding my mare in our first event in 3 short weeks. I’m pretty excited, but I want to make sure we don’t forget anything. It’s just a schooling show-type, so I won’t be braiding. I will be staying overnight though, because they do a group x-country school the day before, where you can ride with one of the trainers there and a few other people at your level to get exposure to their course.
Anyway, I have a pretty good list going (I can’t imagine it’s TOO different from the jumper world) but I wanted some more input from the experienced folks out there. 
What do you never leave home without? Thanks for the help!
USEA website has many documents under this link 
Under “Checklists” is a printable form for anything and everything you might need at an event. It is a list we all can use from the first schooling event through a 4* event.
Enjoy and have fun.
I find that it helps me to pack my stuff separately for each phase-- so a bag with my dressage pad, bridle, girth and boots/ breastplate/ lunging equipment if you use it. And a bag with my jumping bridle, girth, boots, breastplate/ martingale/ neckstrap etc. (a third bag depending on whether I change boots/ bridles for xc but I usually don’t at Training and lower.)
I am an over-packer so I pretty much never leave without everything I own!
well, since I arrived at one event without my suit bag and boots (yep, I still rode - I get by with a little help from my friends and all of that), I’m pretty addicted to my personal list, which I keep in a word document and edit as necessary. I have 2 - one for overnights; one for one days. I run through the whole outing task by task and list everything I need. Hay, grain, buckets, feed tub, stall guards, brushes, white D pad, etc. If the horse needs anything particular, I include it. Put everything on the list - I include my dog’s bones and water bucket - and mark with a highlighter when it’s in the trailer or truck. Things to include that you might forget: baling twine, duct tape, hammer, sponge and plenty of water carrying buckets as well as drinking water buckets. Fork, muck tub, tack hooks. Towels. food and drink. Have fun!!
On top of what everyone else has already mentioned, I seem to always forget my medical armband, pinny holder, and crop.
This may help. You can click under the different categories for more in depth information
I agree with everyone, look at the checklists! Also go through each phase in your head and make sure you have everything.
Also, make sure your trailer is packed with stuff like water buckets, mounting block, extra lead rope/halter, pitch fork, treats:). Maybe another bit or two if you use more then one. Crops, pinnys, a FIRST AID KIT for you AND your horse. Unfortunately its part of the sport and you have to be ready for anything.
Bring some water and light snacks for yourself, its important to keep drinking and eating if your nerves aren’t bad:)
The USEA lists are fairly comprehensive.
A tip to make life easier, if you have the luxury of your own truck and trailer, and show moderately often…
Have 99% of your show stuff live in your trailer. It may mean buying a few duplicate items, but I found most of them to be cost effective enough to be worth saving the packing struggle.
My trailer always has water buckets, a feed tub, and stall mucking supplies. They are specifically show buckets and never venture into the barn on a daily basis (for fear I would forget and they would never return).
I have a nice tack trunk that lives in my trailer, and just use a large rubbermaid tote in the barn at home. My show tack trunk has tack cleaning supplies, clean towels, grooming supplies, my medical armband, hair nets, whip, health papers for the horse, a set of white polos for schooling at shows, a set of leather open fronts for stadium jumping at shows, and a set of cross-country boots (dalmars). I have two helmets (a skull cap for XC, and an older GPA for dressage and stadium), and one lives in the trailer. My show boots, show coat and shirts, white/buff breeches for dressage, gloves, and cross-country vest all hang in the trailer in a garment bag, clean and ready to go. The vast majority of my horse’s nicer “clothing” (a baker sheet, an irish knit, a nice cooler, one stable blanket) live in the trailer as well. Same for a few nice saddle pads, one for each phase and one for schooling the day before.
All I keep in the barn is my horse’s turnout blankets, my saddles and bridles, one helmet, grooming supplies, a set of cheaper daily use brushing boots for the horse, tack cleaning supplies, and standing wraps.
Packing before a horse show is simple: tack and helmet go in, then feed and shavings, then horse is bathed, wrapped, and loaded. Takes thirty minutes total at maximum. All I pack at home is my casual clothes, as show clothing is already in the trailer.
A lot of the duplicate items were accumulated over time – older cross-country boots become every-day brushing boots and a new set is packed for the trailer, same with saddle pads, etc.
I think everybody has offered some really good lists and links, so I won’t duplicate that again. BUT – I will say the only thing I’ve ever forgotten was my vest, and it was when I first started eventing. I didn’t know that many people, but you bet I had 3 people offer to loan me theirs. If you do forget something, just ask – eventers are a helpful friendly crowd and will help you out!
LOL - I developed a checklist like the USEA one, not realizing it existed. Hmm. Makes me want to update mine. Thanks for the other links, though - I’m going to check them out…
(Here’s mine, btw. It’s really for a one-day and hasn’t been updated since the rule change re: no jackets necessary (for lower levels?).
Not sure if your schooling show requires medical armbands, but I also made an editable PDF version of that USEA document (because typing that thing is much easier than trying to fill in the teeny-tiny blanks. It’s here.)
