So I recently purchased a show backpack for my helmet. (it was especially needed when I went to a show and my show helmet was moldy from the bag…ewwwww).
So I have this lovely bag and really I have no idea what to put in it. A couple things were gloves, hairnets (+extras), ear plugs, etc. But I am curious to know what essentials you have in yours?
In mine I keep:
-extra hairnets
-two pairs of gloves
-treats (usually peppermints or something else small and individually wrapped)
-a granola bar/protein bar
-a small bag with Advil, Aleve, and Tylenol, just in case
-spurs
-one of those boot polish sponge things
-a small rag for boot polishing
-a small rag for wiping noses, mouths, etc.
Those things are in there pretty much full time, and at the show I try to make sure and have a full water bottle in one of the side pockets as well as a crop!
Vodka.
All of the above is great. I would also recommend keeping an old number and string in your backpack. You can go in to the ring with the wrong number (just inform the gate person), but you can’t go in without a number!
Also recommend 2 pairs of spurs – one that’s your everyday pair, and one that’s for “business.”
Safety pins are great for clothing malfunction (popped buttons on hunt coats, broken collars, etc.)
Baby wipes or face wipes, lots of rags, sunscreen, lip balm!
I work back gate and I try to be really careful to keep everything I could possibly need for my rounds in my booth. My horse gets delivered to me for my rounds so I can’t run back to the barn for stuff, or the whole show gets held up! Plus it really impresses the other exhibitors when their back gate person has an extra pair of gloves handy if they forgot. :winkgrin:
My spurs live on it, attached to outside. Also water bottle in outside pocket. Phone and reading glasses also have a pocket.
Inside I have hair nets, sun block, chapstick, gloves, sticky spray, towels, lead rope, one brush, notepad and pen, Mio water flavoring, dog poop bags, dog and horse treats. My husband usually keeps the bag with him when I am actually riding. Thanks to this thread, I have a few more things I plan to add!
Love my bag. It was a gift from a sweet friend. It’s Noble Outfitters and pretty large. Some prefer their Grand Prix packs, which I think are a little smaller.
Mine is of the Noble Outfitters variety!
Thank you all!! This is great! Keep em coming!!
OTTB_: Love it!!! 
Sunscreen, bug spray, chap stick, baby wipes, extra contacts, band-aids, safety pins, visor, small hairbrush.
Both my last horse and the one I have now both had oral fixation problems, so we kept extra towels and an empty Gatorade bottle in the brush bag and backpack. It made standing ringside much easier for them! (for those of you concerned about the bottle, our horses kind of chew/gum the bottle, they’re not picking it up and eating it).
I had an IHSA coach that said “Never go to battle without your weapons”. So just like 541 said, have any sort of spur or crop with you and ready to go 
Bottle opener for the hubby since he’s my groom…and a container for him to consume said beverages…haha. Oh, and all the above!
Ooo I love this!
Hairnets (in every colour because my hair changes from brunette in the winter to blonde in the summer)
Hair ties
Face wipes
Extra gloves
Shoe polish sponge
Number strings
Safety pins
Small roll of Duct Tape (my Canadian is showing…)
Towels
Spurs (I have like 20 different pairs of spurs that my coach instructs me to wear depending the relations of various celestial objects and barometric pressure)
Whips (x2 hunter and jumper bats)
Soft brush
Electrolyte tablets (to add to water bottles…I sweat a lot so it is needed)
Water bottles
Baseball cap (helmet hair is not my friend)
Tampons (just in case)
Flask (just in case)
Granola bar
Book (I like to read and watch pro rounds)
Phone
Earbuds (so I look busy)
Mints! (very important to reward the nag after they save your a$$)
Advil (for if I have a headache and/or did leg day the day before)
Sweater or raincoat (depending on the weather)
Everyone is hitting it on the head but I’ll add what I have in mine
Hairnets
Extra Spurs
Bat
Advil
Water Bottle
Spare Cash for food/drinks
Hand Sanitizer
Travel toilet Wet Wipes
Baby Wipes
Tide to Go
Safety Pins
Extra string
Ear Plugs
Peppermints
Towels
Soft Brush
Shoe Shine Sponge
Hoofpick (for muddy hooves and muddy soles of shoes!)
Natures Valley Oat bars (for horse or human consumption)
I converted my ring bag to a diaper bag recently hahaha
Normally though for my rider
Spurs. One pair. Not a dozen like other idiot riders whom I hate haha
Wet wipes
Towel or two
Boot sponge
Extra number
Whip
Gloves
Maybe hind boots if horse doesn’t start with them, or after boot check
Water
Video camera
Cigarettes. How I miss cigarettes.
Not my bag, but my younger sister’s. She does do a lot of catch riding though so her bag might be a bit excessive.
Peppermints/treats in a side pocket and a cat toy for modeling ponies/horses
An obnoxious amount of different spurs attached to the outside
A longer crop, a shorter one, and her show crop attached to the outside holder
Water bottle
Sunscreen
Deodorant
That Evian overpriced spray water stuff (so nice at hot horse shows)
A granola bar or two
Hoof pick
A few pairs of gloves
Extra number strings
A blank laminated “number” and dry erase marker (this has come super handy before)
Quick shine sponge
Rag for boots
Rag for quick mouth wipes and such
Her eq boots for when the eq goes right after another class
Baby wipes
Tissues
Extra ear plugs
Tide to go
Chapstick
Some small change/cash
Midol
Extra tampons/underwear (we’ve all been there)
Raincoat
Boot mud covers
Hairnets and extra ponytail holders
Hair brush
Helmet visor
Probably a small country lol.
Don’t ask me how she fits it all in, that bag is like the Mary Poppins infinite bag.
Oh and of course her helmet. And I’ve been known to stuff my wallet and her martingale during flats in there. One time I even managed to fit a cooler in there. It’s an equine outfitters gpa/grand prize copy backpack and looks lovely for much less.
Hunterrider23, you forgot to add the kitchen sink to your list. :lol:
I use this type of soccer back for my gear. The net or front straps hold helmet, plenty of room and pockets for items. Not sure it will fit the entire Hunterrider’s list, but probably will! Less spendy than “purpose built” EQ packs, if brand does not matter.
I lugged this thing to H/J shows, as well as English and Western college shows for YEARS…well, my mom did. Bless her heart (and back).
Spurs (usually two pairs of each)
Hair nets
Hair ties
Tide To Go
Boot polish/rag (I don’t do the insta-shine stuff)
Rags
Soft brush
Chapstick
Lipstick
Pins
Extra numbers/number strings
Pens
Notebook
Tissues
Gloves (show, winter, work)
Extra socks
Extra undies
Tank top
Tampons
Tylenol
Allergy meds (horse girl that’s allergic to hay)
Hat
Deodorant
Sunscreen
Wrinkle release spray
Money
Treats
Snacks (usually cheez-its and candy)
Water
Bat (or 6)
Sometimes a blanket (the cheap Walmart ones that fold up really small that are great for sitting on)
Electrical tape
Hairspray (certainly not for me…for my horse’s braids or his toes)
Sometimes front boots or standing wraps
Just imagine what my vehicle looks like…
Towel (2)
Hoof pick
Hoof oil
Baby powder
Tail brush
body brush
mini boot polish kit
stud tool (with pick and brush)
small wrench for fixing studs
safety pins
crop (I have 3 different kinds)
spurs (~5 different options)
leather lead shank
ear plugs
cash $$
Lots of peppermints!
I’ve done two blog posts about what I put in my bag—one for everyday use and one for when I did IHSA.
breechesandboatshoes.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/show-backpack-essentials-ihsa-edition/ and breechesandboatshoes.wordpress.com/2016/09/27/riders-backpack-essentials/
A blank laminated “number” and dry erase marker (this has come super handy before)
This is brilliant.
My only add is Bit Butter–my horse loves the minty smell/taste!
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