In a few weeks I’m taking my horse to our first championship away show. We’ll be traveling about 8 hours and he’s staying for a week and I’m staying for half (he arrives before me). I am going with a barn group but not my actual trainer. I’ve googled a couple of packing lists and I have the basics handled (coggins, heath certs, flu/rhino etc) but I’m looking for everything I may be missing or might need for me and the horse.
Help please!
Depending on your location, you might need a twice daily temperature log for anywhere from 3 to 14 days prior to arrival at the show. The temp log would travel with your horse and be presented upon arrival at the show grounds.
Also, if it’s USEF, there might be a “Return to Competition” form that you need to file. For H/J it’s still required – I’m not sure about dressage.
Take extras of a lot of things. Bridle, girth, pads, boots, towels, and riding boots for yourself too if you have an extra pair. Nothing like your zipper ripping as you go down centerline. Ask me how I know haha
Bring coolers/sheets/rain sheets, you never know what weather might appear. Bring extra hooks and bailing twine for your stall set up. A radio and a fan if its hot where you are are also essential.
I want to be sure you know these things have to go with your horse.
Yes! I have an entire folder for all his papers to go with him. They won’t pick him up with out them.
I usually bring my own shavings and hay…the stuff they sell at the grounds are usually poor quality.
You have to check the prizelist. Some facilities won’t allow outside bedding, it must be purchased onsite.
One of the silly things that seems important when you can not find one anywhere is paper and a pen. Make sure you have that in your tack box.
There are threads about this in the hunter section of the forum. Lots of good ideas.
Make sure you have lots of towels. Some place to put those towels when they are wet and dirty. Extra socks for you because dry socks can feel amazing.
Sun screen, bug spray, etc.
Scissors.
really? I wonder why that is…the dusty shavings concern me at some of the venues.
It can be a cash grab by the venue. Or it can relate to disposal. They may want all the disposal to be predictable. They may not want to check that folks aren’t using say straw or flax or a product that doesn’t mesh with the expectations of whoever gets the used bedding (landscaper for compost, etc).
I would bring lots of heavy duty garbage bags and/or laundry bags. Multiple show pads, one for each day ideally. Multiple white breeches. You are not going to have access to laundry, even if you stay in a hotel you will be too tired to rinse out your underwear at midnight before you collapse into bed to get up at 5 am.
Like a big car camping trip, the stuff you pack going out is never going to pack back up neatly on the way home.
Make sure you have electrical tape and two of basically everything tack wise…
Wine coolers and all the other things people have mentioned…
mark your equipment with your name or farm name, otherwise it Will walk off
If you’ll be in temp stalls that might not have great access to power outlets, a battery bank could be useful. I bought this one for camping out of my trailer. It’s nice not to have to worry that I didn’t charge my phone or whatever else. Lighting is another potential issue, depending on the stable setup and whether you’ll be needing to feed/braid, etc. in the dark, so a rechargeable work light, headlamps, etc.
ETA: forgot the link, but one like this should be able to run clippers and other small plug-in things, or charge the whole barn’s phones and tablets, making you a hero! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZL8K75X?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
A folding chair
A step stool and/or mounting block
Sharpie
Scissors
Horse medical kit
People medical kit
Layers for you
Hose(s) - often not provided at stalls or wash rack!
Refillable water bottles for you
Cooler with snacks for you
Bag of carrots for the ponies
Enough buckets and bucket straps for 2 water buckets and feed bucket
Pitchfork, muck bucket, and broom
Hopefully you are not too far from civilization and can do a Wal Mart run if needed for most things. Have fun!!
Don’t forget your white polo wraps for awards ceremonies 
Don’t forget lots of snacks and water/ Gatorade for yourself! I hit the grocery store the first night I get to a show and buy lots of easy stuff. Bonus if your hotel has a fridge.
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