I really like this advice, something I never would have thought about. Thanks!
funny…that is what grooms (so those of us that it before) do routinely. I was trained…as soon as we pull in—first thing in the am, I set up the water buckets. Bathing, liniment ones and drinking for the horses. We also pull out the saddle racks. Helps to have more than one, so you can set the tack with pads, sets of boots you need under etc. Give each horse his own set of pads and boots if you can. Bonnets draped over bridle and numbers attached if you can (if sharing tack, you need the bridle number where you can find it easily). Ideally you have a trunk or tub for each horse…can just be a plastic trunk from HomeDepo or such…doesn’t need to be big. Just have bags or specific for each horse (pads, bridle, numbers, wraps, boots.)…makes it easy to find things.
For xc…if cold, set washing water buckets where they will get some sunlight to warm up. If hot…have ice ready and easy to add to the bucket. Really hot weather, I have a cooler of ice JUST for adding to the water buckets and place it near the water buckets. And ALWAYS have a drinking bucket set for your horse to drink out of that is different from the one you want to use to wash them with! You want your washing station not near where you tack up…creates too much mud.
I also dip my used bridles, bits, in a bit of water as soon as I take off…makes it easier to clean later.
Any spare minute…CLEAN your tack. Dirty boots go in a bucket…and try and clean soon so you are not packing up dirty stuff. Good laundry bags are great…dry dirty saddle pads if you can before putting in bag (if stabling over night)…those of us doing one days, you put in the bag and make sure to unpack as soon as you get home. When you pack to go home…try not to put dirty pads/boots in tack room or car but regardless…make sure they come off trailer at home right away so you want all that crap where it is easy to grab and in one place. Also…make sure you have a trash location…bucket or trash bag in a good stop so you can keep things organized and not be looking for where to throw trash away. We use a bucket from Lowes or Homedepo with a cover…lives in the tack room and gets emptied every day.
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Also, not for nothing, plan your bathroom breaks. :yes: And figure out how much time you need for them. If it will take 10 or 15 minutes to get to the portapotty and back, and you didn’t schedule that in, it can throw off your schedule. I get down to figuring out when I’ll be walking right past one and try to optimize that opportunity (especially whenever I’m not attached to an animal’s lead line). And do not forget a factor for standing in line at said potty, if that is likely to be the case! :winkgrin:
At some shows there is never a line, at others there is always a line. Some shows spread them out in convenient locations and others have fewer facilities in centralized locations that are a longer walk. Manage accordingly!
If you are a day trailer person, well there you are. Don’t forget shavings and potty paper. Academy even sells (or used to sell) a bucket with a toilet-seat shaped lid.
