I found myself at my lesson last week with nary a brush or a hoof pick. Used a pen to clean feet and baby wipes to clean the horse.
So I co opted an old back pack of my nephews - one of those massive ones with pockets upon pockets - and decided to make a trailer bag, leaving my regular tote at home.
What do you have doubles of, trailer only, barn only etc.
I have enough brushes for an entire herd but would need the extras - detangler, fly spray, etc.
Funny, I had this exact conversation with someone at the barn this morning. I have a complete grooming tote in my trailer; brushes, hoof picks, fly spray, detangler, the whole nine. I also have everything I need for a show; saddle stand(s), folding chairs, folding table, buckets (I’m in the “a girl can never have too many buckets” camp so I probably have 8, first aid stuff (wraps, etc), manure tub and cart, 2 manure forks, misc. whips, a lab coat, who knows what else I’ve jammed into that little dressing room. I also have a tool box with standard hammer, screwdrivers, socket set, eye bolts, kiwi clips, double sided clips, etc.
I keep back up brushes, hoof picks, bridle numbers, water buckets, saddle pads and a girth in my trailer for students in case they forget something when we go to shows. I also keep a mounting block in the trailer because we are old and stiff!
I have one of the toolbox/step stools set up with brushes, hoof pick, scissors, etc in my trailer. I also have a spare halter and lead that lives in there too.
One of the things I do before heading out is imagine going through my tacking up process and check that each thing I need is in the trailer (ex. Pad, saddle, girth, bridle, fly veil, hoof boots, helmet, half chaps, fly spray). I figure that I can probably live without anything else I forget.
Years ago showing with my kids (I was their groom), we duplicated all necessary items then either painted trailer items red or attached red tape. Should a brush, halter, lunge rope or raincoat migrate to the barn, the red tag screamed “trailer item!” Even the feed dishes, water buckets, and hay nets are red so they stay with the trailer.
PSA: check ur fire extinguisher that is in ur trailer! Make sure it is ready in an emergency!
I have a whole set of grooming stuff that never leaves the trailer, as well as a bucket of bath stuff and bucket with a smell jug of liniment and a sponge. Also a couple of extra halters. A longe whip and line and I usually leave my tack in it as well just bc it’s easier.
And 4 water buckets and 2 feed buckets, since it’s a 2h .
It’s just easier that way for me and then if I do want to go somewhere it’s not a half day packing session .
Love this idea! I pretty much have a full kit of brushes in the trailer, because I had separate sets when I had two riding horses. Sold one and moved her kit into the trailer. Plus I keep some emergency fly spray. For an actual show or clinic, I’ll bring my mare’s full grooming box, which is a wheeled tote and has HAAS brushes and some other things that aren’t in the trailer kit. Plus I have a separate organizer for braiding (officially it’s a hanging travel cosmetics thingy). Plus rags, paper towels, buckets, and cleaning solution for wiping down stalls.
+1 on the fire extinguisher too. I keep one in the truck and one in the trailer. Also spare boots, girth, helmet, saddle pad, lunge line/cavesson, whips, halters, TP, buckets, etc. It’s about time to go through and check everything for spring. PS, I know living in the trailer is a poor way to keep a helmet. It’s an older one for emergency use only, and so far I’ve never needed to use it. Actually, I have a new old one to replace, and will toss the old, old one. I fondly remember trailering out for a trail ride with a friend and her discovering when we arrived that she had a saddle, but no girth! She gamely rode bareback that day, but it kind of put a damper on doing our trot conditioning sets.
Some old barn friends made me a brush bag using an old diaper bag (I think) and the brushes they found in the recently bought trailer. They had cleaned and bleached the grooming equipment and bag and put it all together. That’s technically my show bag but I could toss it in the trailer if I’m taking my horse elsewhere. I usually brush, hoof pick, etc before tossing her on the trailer and just grab my tack and fly spray before a trail ride or something.
For shows, I have a hockey equipment bag that I pack up the night before with my show bridles, saddle pads, girths, helmet, crop, safety vest, boots…everything except the saddles and actual clothes. they live on shelves in my house when not in use.
NOTES: I do not currently own my own trailer and keep grooming equipment where my horse lives
I have a Stanley trunk in my trailer tackroom with duplicates of everything except tack. I add saddle, bridle, girth and go. I bought a duplicate whip so I can’t forget that, duplicate spurs for my show boots so those can’t be left behind. Things only go sideways when I don’t unpack, wash, and re-pack after a show - things like white polos, white saddle pads, schooling boots, etc. don’t get put back.
Realistically the only thing the trailer does NOT have is my saddle and bridle. I have helmet, boots, gloves, spurs, whips of all types, girths, boots, halters, leadropes, spare snaffle bridles, full med kit including a set of standing wraps, grooming tote complete with mane and tail spray, bathing supplies that is sufficient for the grey pony, stall hardware, and so much more.
To be fair, this is all in the dressing room of our gooseneck 2+1 which also houses a muck tub and stall cleaning tools. My “show” helmet and boots come out for the winter, along with my show coat bags. I do also have grooming tools that live in my show trunk and some other duplicate items that live in the show trunk.
I have no barn but I have two horse trailers (one with an LQ and one without). Each trailer has it’s own stuff (brushes, sprays, etc) so I basically have two sets of everything.
Way faster so that I’m not moving things between trailers nor forgetting things!
I supposed someday when I have a barn, that will call for a 3rd set of everything!
I have a separate Stanley bin in my trailer. I keep extra everything. Fly spray, girths, stirrup leathers, bits, towels, feed buckets and water buckets in the trailer. A bucket with bathing supplies. A bucket with tack cleaning supplies. Extra lead lines and halters, polo wraps, a cooler. First aid supplies. Lunge line and lunge whip, dressage whip. I have collapsible chairs in there. Hose, muck bucket, pitchfork, muck shovel, and broom. I know I’m missing a lot of things here…
My coloured tape was to keep it with the trailer, but we were at a show and the barn next to us had the same coloured tape marking their things. My nephew who was 6 at the time kept picking up their forks and shovels and putting with ours.