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First time staying at an event overnight - any advice?

Hi all! Recently got back into eventing and have just entered my first over night event (6-7 March). My fiancé will be camping out - thinking of just putting something in the back of my wagon to sleep. I will be doing it on the cheap as I’ve spent a little more money than I would like recently!! What are the basics I should take? Any advice will be much appreciated!

Google is your friend. Look for a packing list for overnight horse camping or eventing and something will come up. I do it every year when I can’t find last year’s list. Read through the list and think about why some of the items are there… the ones you think seem unnecessary.

Mentally do a run-through of your trip - arriving on grounds, need water buckets and a stall guard - maybe screw eyes for the stall guard and a hammer to fix that rail. Where does your hay and grain go? Now it’s raining, do you have gumboots, umbrella, coat, and a blanket for your horse? Etc. etc. Do that all the way through making dinner, brushing your teeth (do you have a flashlight or headlamp?) and putting on your pajamas. That will help you envision and plan.

Pack extra clothes for being cold (including warm boots) and getting wet. A towel can come in quite handy.

I like to pack a 5 gallon water container with my horse’s normal water - many horses won’t drink especially on their first trip - can save a huge amount of stress if you know at least the first bucket will be drunk. A bag of carrots is another useful thing to have.

It never hurts to pack a little extra alcohol or home-made cookies as you may want to join another group or invite them over to your camping area. (Or for the person who manages to get your rig un-stuck or the vet who treats your horse or the event secretary who fixes your entry mistake… you get the picture).

Always bring extra socks and some double-ended snaps. Have fun!

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Here’s a list I put together: Horse Camping Checklist

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I spent a Fall weekend horsecamping & slept on a foam mattress topped with a sleeping bag in the back of my Explorer. Back seats folded flat.
I was comfy & even cracked a window when it got too steamy.
Now I am old & opt for a motel :smirk:
@Blugal pretty much covered everything.

Check & doublecheck your list before pulling out… Says the woman who arrived 3h from home without a girth :roll_eyes:
If you have a stall for your horse make sure you have a way to feed grain.
I use a small rubber pan for grain, but have also fed dumped directly on a pile of hay.
I hang buckets with double-ended snaps & baling twine.
If the latch to the stall is iffy, I secure with my lead tied in a quick release knot.

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I always camped and had one of those pop up pavilions. I would unhitch my truck, pop the pavilion up between truck and trailer, put up my tent (air mattress with working pump a must for my old bones), and put up a little folding chair and table with my cooler of sandwich stuff and drinks and box of dry goods. When it did rain, everything stayed dry under my pavilion, and it took only minutes to put up.

I always had in my tent: Flashlight/headlamp with batteries, toilet paper (yes, the porta-potties run out), hand sanitiser and wet wipes, a little trash bag, a small towel, bug repellent, and sunscreen. Oh, and extra socks. I usually went ahead and packed a bath towel, flip flops, and travel shampoo for if someone let me use their shower at a hotel or in their living quarters. One venue even had a little bath house for showers for campers. It happened reasonably often that I could bum a shower somewhere!

If your trailer doesn’t have a tack room for changing, I recommend another towel and some baling twine. You can use the twine to rig a way to pull the door closed and stand on the towel while you change in the back of the trailer. WAY better than doing it in a small tent.

Also a good idea: Gum or mints. While you can brush your teeth of course, it still doesn’t feel like enough most of the time.

Avoid getting a hangover at the party

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Thank you everyone!! I actually ended up just booking a hotel. Should be a good weekend away :slight_smile:

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