Professional show grooms, what kind of things do you bring with you? If any

[SaluteAtXTX]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

I purchased a pack of seam rippers that I can keep with me. I’ll know where they are, they are sharp and ones I’m used to using. I’ll be the only groom working with one other person who is very hands on. Sounds like I’ll be her right hand. I’m not going to bring any additional horse supplies as someone said the owners likely have their own preferences for brushes and products.

Found some good fitting lightweight, water resistant fishing pants with detachable legs. Lots of pockets. Tried them out this week volunteering at a horse trial and they keep me fairly cool and comfortable all day. On same note, picked up some SPF 50 shirts with hoods. Depending on how much time I spend outside the barn I want to make sure I can stay covered from the sun. Texas heat. I have some loose, lightweight t shirts as well. Waterproof jacket and pair of gloves. Maybe an extra set of clothes for a just in case. Ball cap.

Planning on wearing my muck boots so I have something solid and waterproof for bathing. I cannot stand wet feet. I’ll have my paddock boots because they are super comfy and my sneakers for when my feet say enough. Extra socks in the car.

*I’ll be picking up a wrist watch this week. That would be handy and less juggling trying to check the time on my phone while lunging! Great suggestion I would not have thought of.

I plan on keeping a cooler in my car with drinks and snacks. Never thought about drug storage…I should prob throw the bottle of Advil I keep in my center console away I’ll pack a smaller soft sided cooler with medications. It will be a difficult couple weeks physically. This is a bit of a test to see how much I can handle coming back from medical issues and having a baby. I just dont want to let anyone down so lots of Advil, voltaren, icy hot, and will keep ice packs in the cooler so I can ice if/when I get a break or at the very least driving home at the end of the day.

Adding a note pad to my list. I’m hoping I can get a run down of at least horse names (show and barn) and stall numbers first thing I’m pretty good with names of horses…never people I’ll forget 10 seconds after you tell me. May need to add horse owner and rider names to that list.

[MHM]

@SaluteAtXTX

I’m hoping I can get a run down of at least horse names (show and barn) and stall numbers first thing I’m pretty good with names of horses…never people I’ll forget 10 seconds after you tell me. May need to add horse owner and rider names to that list.

I highly, highly, highly recommend making sure that each horse has its show and barn name by the stall door, even if they are just written on a piece of duct tape. It will make it so much easier to learn the horses’ names that way. Plus the braiders always appreciate it as well.

These days I tend to take notes on my phone more than on a piece of paper. I can lose a piece of paper at the drop of a hat, but my phone is never far away from me. Your mileage may vary.

If they are organized enough to have a dry erase board with the lunge/ride/show schedule for each day, be sure to take a picture of it first thing in the morning so you can refer to it as the day goes on. Ditto for the orders of go if they are posted either at the show ring ingates or on the show’s website.

It’s also a good idea to check off each horse on the work list or dry erase board as you go through the day, just so it’s easier to keep track of which ones are done. Especially until you get to know them.

Try to find out which website the horse show uses. Lots of the websites will post the schedule with the number of entries in each class the night before, plus the orders of go, so you can have a ballpark idea of what time each horse might show the next day for planning purposes.

Some of the popular sites are: horseshowing.com
horseshowsonline.com
showmanagementsystem.com

When does the show start? And how many horses will you have there?

Good luck and have fun!

[ZuzusPetals]

Voice memo on your phone will help you w names, etc.

[athelas]

For me:
-either jeans or chinos, depends on what I’m doing. I’ve groomed in the morning and scribed in the afternoon and in that case, I’ll wear chinos.
-sunshirt
-hat
-sunglasses
-sneakers
-water bottle
-ring pack (my ring pack is actually a fun kid’s backpack so I can always, always find it)
-towel

In my ring pack:
-quick braid, comb, & bands
-vetrolin shine
*those two I always ask if I can use, I’ve never just come in hot with quick braid and gone to work
-a container of my show/groom essentials which are: a small pair of scissors, a tide to go pen, a travel size thing of deoderant, liquid iv, bandaids, needle & thread, plain buttons, bobby pins, hair ties, large hair clips, a thing of ibuprofen, a spare stock pin, permanent marker, ball point pen.
-sunscreen
-external phone charger & cord
-my business cards

[SaluteAtXTX]

Memo on my phone may be the best option. I’m not sure how they organize everything regarding names on doors, work boards, etc. I’ll find out next week. Last I talked to her there were 8 horses coming.

There are actually two shows on back-to-back weekends. They are planning to come in Mon or Tue, and then show Wed-Sun and stay through the week until the following weekend, showing Wed-Sun. I’m not able to be there on Tues/Thurs but she said they can work around that. I only have daycare 3 days a week right now.

I’ll check those sites thank you! That will be helpful.

[MHM]

You might be very happy to have a few days off in between the shows. Lol.

I think this may have already been mentioned, but it’s a good idea to find out in advance what their standard operating procedure is on show days. There are full care barns where the owner/rider doesn’t touch the horse except to ride it, and there are barns where the owner/rider does everything except paint the horse’s feet at the ingate. And there is every conceivable level of care in between.

So it’s a good idea to have a conversation ahead of time to figure out where they fall on that spectrum. Just to have an accurate idea about expectations for everyone.

[kookicat]

Look at getting some compression/support socks. I have ines that go just under my knee and they’re brilliant for stopping supet achy legs on long days.

I always carry human electrolytes in the summer. You stick a tablet in water, shake and it’s ready to drink. They’re really helpful to stop dehydration headaches!

The fishing trouser sound good but maybe take a set of technical fabric leggings/breeches so if you get any chafing you have something to swap into.

A small personal fan might be nice too, especially if there’s not much breeze.

Not sure if they’re sold in the States, but I’ve been using a product called yFood which is essentially a meal in drink form. Very easy to grab and drink on the go, and they taste okay too.

[SaluteAtXTX]

Hi again everyone!

I know some of you had asked for an update afterward. I had a fantastic time. The barn brought 10 horses, not all showing. Day to day was haying/watering, turning horses out, lunging, and then tacking and show prep. The barn was really well organized and everything that I needed was available. They kept a board with all the horses needs for the day (turnout, hack, lunge, classes being shown and approx go times). Thankfully I did NOT have to clean stalls! That may have killed me. Stalls were labeled with their names but I learned them all by the end of the first day.

I ended up wearing some fishing pants and some lightweight t-shirts. These worked out well even when temps reached nearly 90. I kept a cooler stocked with water, Gatorade, and energy drinks in my car. They also made drinks and snacks available. I made sandwiches to take most days and my own snacks. It worked out perfectly. I kept my muck boots with me as well as sneakers. I learned that I needed to change my socks a couple times a day, and never get my sneakers wet. A bit of a learning curve after getting a blister on the ball of my foot. I am glad I brought my own seam rippers. They were sharp and easy to find. Also kept a pocket knife with me for hay strings and shaving bags.

Physically I did better than I thought (I am 36 with some recent health issues). Once I figured out the boot/sneaker and sock issue my feet stayed comfortable. My back was a constant issue tho. I take fibro meds and was taking 800 mg of Motrin sometimes twice a day (a no-no from my gastro, but it is the only thing that works!). I tried out a couple back pain patches and roll on lidocaine. It helped me keep going. By the end of the two weeks my hands were going numb and it’s taken a few days to get that under control. The unbraiding did me in. I definitely learned to grab a stool and stand over the mane even on the ponies so my arms weren’t up in the air. One or two were so big I still had to reach up from stool.

They were really happy with me working for them. Complimented me on how smooth everything went in the barn. They invited me to groom for them again in September and October when they come back this direction. They wanted me to travel to TN with them and as much as I would love to I couldn’t make it work with childcare. So I’ll see them again for two weeks in Sept and two again in October! I can’t wait!

The horses did fantastic and included the Pony Hunter Classic Winner and several reserve titles in Pony Hunter and Jr Hunters, and good placings in the 1.25 Jumper Classic.

[MHM]

That’s great! Glad to hear everything worked out so well.

Thanks for coming back with the update. I was actually just thinking about this thread the other day and wondering if you had survived the experience. Lol.

[ZuzusPetals]

Thrilled to have the update, and to learn that they were so pleased with your work. And what fun to have some big wins, too.

[Angela_Freda]

Great update!
I’m older, broken, and work in a barn.
I find being super hydrated helps, antiinflammatories at bedtime so I sleep comfortably helps, and icy hot patches are my go to when I’m not sweating them off (so fall and winter).
I try to be moderately active and do a lot of stretching on my days off, rather than sit and chill.

[Pally]

Glad it went well. It does not take long to learn extra socks are key. Well, that or maybe the waterproof sneakers everyone seems to be swearing by… I’m just too cheap to try them on my shoe eating feet.

Next go round, if the barn uses something like a Centurion or Bemer, see if they mind if you give yourself a little session at the end of the day or a quiet moment (what are those?). It’s not going to majically fix your back or body, but I can definitely sometimes feel a little shift in mine, especially on a tough day. Some people might look at you like you have two heads, but they don’t blink seeing it on a horse, sooooo…

[MHM]

@Pally

Next go round, if the barn uses something like a Centurion or Bemer, see if they mind if you give yourself a little session at the end of the day or a quiet moment (what are those?)

Funny story.

Many years ago, I borrowed the magnetic blanket at the end of the day and took it in the apartment at the barn to use it on myself. It worked fine, but it completely freaked out another employee who thought it had been stolen when she didn’t see it in the tack room. Lol.