Preparation and attentiveness can be the deciding factors between a triumph or a lesson on competition days. Being thorough with our preparation, allocating sufficient time to complete tasks and having all necessary materials on hand will enable you to remain stress-free and glean the most joy out of your day.
Equipment Checklists
Having a detailed inventory of necessary equipment for dressage, show jumping, cross country, showing, endurance, and general gear serves as a vital step in ensuring a successful event. Let’s explore the specific needs for each category.
Dressage Equipment
Horse
- Saddle, furnished with a numnah or saddle cloth if used, leathers, irons, and girth.
- A breastplate, if employed.
- A bridle with a snaffle bit, or a double bridle if suitable. Consider rubber-backed reins for enhanced grip in hot or rainy conditions. Ensure your noseband is permitted.
- Brushing boots for practice, these should be removed before entering the arena for your test.
- Have your dressage test and rule book handy.
Rider
- Approved riding hat
- Jacket
- Breeches
- Long boots
- Gloves
- Stock and pin or collar and tie
- Whip
- Spurs (when permitted)
Showjumping Equipment
Horse
- A jumping saddle, equipped with a numnah or saddle cloth if used, leathers, irons, and girth.
- A surcingle
- Bridle fitted with rubber reins.
- Running martingale if needed, with stops to prevent martingale rings from getting tangled with the rein buckles. A running martingale attachment can be utilized if a breastplate is worn.
- Protective boots – such as tendon, brushing, or overreach boots – as needed.
- Shoes fitted with studs and a stud kit.
Rider
- Adhere to dressage attire.
Cross Country Equipment
Horse
- Saddle, supplemented with a numnah or saddle cloth if used, leathers, irons, and girth.
- A breastplate is advisable.
- Surcingle
- Consider a stronger bit than usual for the bridle. Your reins should be long enough to form a knot at the end, and rubber reins are excellent for grip.
- Cover legs with protective boots or bandages plus suitable padding, needle, and thread, and insulating tape.
- Employ grease to shield the horse’s legs.
Rider
- Dressage attire, replacing jacket with a colored top and a colored silk atop a jockey skull cap.
- Body protector
Showing Equipment
Horse
- Saddle and bridle suitable to the specific class.
Rider
- As per dressage, the jacket type depends on the specific class.
Endurance Equipment
Horse
- No specific tack is required, but it must fit properly.
Rider
- Appropriate riding hat and footwear
- Clothing suitable for weather conditions. There are no strict rules.
Washing-Down Equipment
Maintain a set of washing-down equipment that includes:
- Water in a large container
- Buckets
- Sponges
- Towels
- Sweat scraper
- Wicking-type rug, or sweat sheet and summer sheet. Keep a roller or elasticated surcingle to secure it if the summer sheet does not have cross surcingles.
Lastly, always carry a first aid kit for horse and rider in your lorry or trailer.
Importance of Early Preparation
One notion that should be abundantly clear from the previous sections is that preparation for a competition commences much ahead of the actual event. Honing your as well as your horse’s abilities requires the most time dedication. However, once you both are prepared to participate, you may adopt the following schedule to guide your readiness. This will ensure that no significant detail slips through the cracks during your prep work.
A Comprehensive Preparation Schedule
In the following parts, we will delve into a time-efficient structure that can be used to shape your preparations leading up to the competition day. This timetable is designed to provide you with clarity and maintain a smooth flow of activities, enabling the maximum possible level of preparedness for the competition day.
Remember, the key to a successful competition day does not solely depend on the performance during the event itself; rather, it’s a product of a meticulous and systematic preparation process, one that begins well before the competition day arises. So, let’s embark on this journey together and ensure that your competition day turns out to be a gratifying and enjoyable experience!
Preparing for Competition: Initiating Several Weeks in Advance
The journey to competition day success doesn’t start a day, a week, or even a month before the event. Instead, your preparation should span across several weeks, meticulously mapping out and executing each task needed to enhance your readiness to compete.
Staying Updated with Competition Dates
Begin with regularly reviewing equestrian magazines, local saddle shops, and feed stores to keep yourself updated with upcoming competition dates. Familiarizing yourself with the equestrian event calendar is crucial to strategically planning your preparation timeline.
Selecting Venues and Classes
Once you have draftlisted the competitions you want to be a part of, procure their schedules. Using these schedules, carefully select the venues and classes that most suit you and your horse’s abilities and readiness to compete.
Submitting Pre-entries
If the competition opens up for pre-entries, ensure to submit yours promptly. Always remember, if for any reason your horse falls ill after you’ve entered the competition, your vet can provide a certificate which you can usually use to reclaim your entry fees from most event organizers.
Checking Required Equipment
Ensure you have all necessary items for your chosen classes, like the appropriate dressage sheets and extra tack. Preparation is vital to avoid any unnecessary stress on the competition day.
Scheduling Farrier
An important step in managing your horse’s health and performance in competition is staying on top of your farrier schedule. Plan according to your competition date: remember, last-minute fixes are neither healthy for your horse nor good for your stress levels.
Ensuring Vehicle Legalities
Don’t forget to check that your lorry tax, plating, and insurance are up to date. While it’s easy to forget this amidst the preparations for competition, it’s an essential legality that mustn’t be skipped.
Structuring Your Horse’s Training Regimen
Lastly, and most importantly, reflect on your horse’s training program in the run-up to the competition. Consider incorporating extra schooling or fitness training if necessary. This way, your horse will be in peak physical and mental condition, ready to give its best on the D-day.
Getting Closer: Actions to Undertake Two Weeks Prior
As competition day dawns closer, your focus should now shift to more detailed aspects of preparation. With only two weeks left, it’s time to get down to the finer elements of your routine. This phase is designed to leave no stone unturned in ensuring both you and your horse are in prime shape for the event.
Familiarize Yourself with the Routine
At this point, you should be well on your way to mastering your dressage tests or individual show. Integrate the routines into your normal schooling schedule. This will help you identify and iron out any challenges in the performance, ensuring a fluent execution on competition day.
Trimming Your Horse
Ensure your horse is in its finest form. A well-groomed horse not only performs better but also presents a visually appealing image during the competition. Start trimming your horse, if needed, at least two weeks prior to the event.
Conducting a ‘Dummy’ Run
If you’re uncertain about the location of the venue or how long it’ll take to get there, it’s smart to do a ‘dummy’ run. Drive to the venue and calculate the time taken. Keep in mind that traveling with a horse, whether in a lorry or a trailer, will likely be a slower journey. Thus, it’s a good practice to double the time it took in your car to ensure plenty of leeway on the actual day.
Contacting Event Secretary
Don’t forget about administrative details. If you need to inform your time slot to the event secretary, especially in competitions like dressage, one-day events, or endurance rides, make sure you note in your diary when and whom to call. This will help prevent any last-minute confusions or mix-ups and keep your competition day running smoothly.
Final Preparations: The Day Before Competition
The day before the event is a crucial time when tension and excitement for the competition culminate. It’s essential to stay organized and ensure that all the remaining tasks are completed, guaranteeing a smooth and successful competition day.
Checking Your Horse’s Condition
Begin by examining your horse. If the horse is lame or shows any signs of injury, attending the competition isn’t a wise decision. Assessing your horse’s well-being should be your top priority.
Cleaning Tack and Equipment
Meticulously clean your tack and ensure that all other horse equipment is in perfect condition and ready for use. This includes traveling gear, protective boots, and surcingles.
Gathering and Organizing Items
Collect and arrange all competition essentials (refer to pages 150-151), placing them in a convenient spot for loading into your car or lorry.
Preparing Haynets and Feeds
Prepare haynets and feed for your horse to take along. Consider using large, lidded supplement containers for easy transportation of feed.
Planning Time Schedule
Devise a time schedule that accounts for your pre-competition activities as well as event timings.
Contacting Event Secretary and Course Walk
If required, call the event secretary to discuss your time slots. If applicable, walk the course (particularly for cross-country events) as courses are usually open for competitors to explore the day before.
Preparing Riding Gear
Gather your riding gear and clean your boots, ensuring you look polished and presentable for the competition.
Inspecting Vehicle and Breakdown Service
Diligently check your trailer or lorry, making sure it’s fully operational and ready. Ensure your vehicle has sufficient fuel, a functional spare wheel, and optimal water and oil levels. Additionally, keep your breakdown service number within easy reach for quick access.
Plaiting Your Horse and Attending to Stud Holes
Plait your horse if necessary. Additionally, clean and plug the stud holes in your horse’s shoes if you use studs.
Creating an Event Time Schedule
Crafting a detailed time schedule for competition day ensures smooth operation, allowing you to effectively complete necessary tasks and maintain time efficiency. It gives you a clear view of how your day will play out and keeps track of your progress.
Initial Schedule Outline
The first step towards creating a schedule typically involves listing all the tasks to be completed, followed by determining the duration of each task. This provides an insightful perspective of your competition day.
The table below serves as a sample schedule:
You can organize these tasks and their respective time durations in a markdown table like this:
| Task | Time (minutes) |
|---|---|
| Get up, wash and dress | 20 |
| Have breakfast | 10 |
| Load car | 15 |
| Travel to yard | 15 |
| Check and feed the horse | 5 |
| Muck out and bed-down stable | 15 |
| Transfer equipment from car to lorry | 15 |
| Fill water container and load into lorry | 5 |
| Prepare lorry for the horse to be loaded | 5 |
| Groom the horse, check if sound | 15 |
| Prepare the horse for travel | 10 |
| Load the horse into lorry | 5 |
| Last-minute loading and checks | 5 |
Based on this sample, you would utilize around 2 hours and 20 minutes before you even leave your yard! This highlights the necessity for efficient planning and time management.
Detailing Your Event Itinerary
Additionally, consider the event timings and elements associated with the event itself, such as cooling off the horse, specifically:
Task,Time (minutes)
Journey to the venue,45
Collect number, unload the horse, and tackle up,60
Warming up,40
Possible emergencies (e.g., travel delays),30
Adding these times to the earlier calculations, you’ll expend around 5 hours and 15 minutes before you’ve even competed. Consequently, for an event at 9:40 AM, your day might start as early as 4:25 AM. Unfortunately, these early starts are all too common, particularly if you’re tending to your horse alone.
Consider requesting a later start time if this schedule seems unmanageable. For competitions such as dressage tests, one-day events, or endurance rides, time slots are decided by the organizers, making it easier to adjust. However, showjumping competitions do not have fixed times, so you might risk missing your class if you arrive late.
Documenting Your Schedule
Having a written schedule enhances communication and coordination; keeping yourself, and any assisting party, on track throughout the day.
On the Day
Preparing for the competition day is vital for smooth operation and success. Follow the schedule and take necessary steps to ensure an enjoyable and well-planned day.
Time Schedule and Travel Attire
Adhering to your time schedule helps you navigate the day with ease. If you plan to wear your jodhpurs for traveling, consider wearing full-length chaps or tracksuit bottoms to keep them clean.
Stable and Horse Preparation
At the stables, feed and provide hay for your horse and let it enjoy breakfast while you organize transport and load equipment. Use checklists to make sure everything needed is packed. Muck out and prepare the stable for your return. Lead your horse out and inspect it for soundness; discovering issues now is better than dealing with problems at the event. If all is well, groom your horse and prepare it for travel. Finish loading last-minute items, like the grooming kit, and perform a final equipment check before loading the horse and departing.
Arriving at the Venue
Upon arrival, check on your horse and have someone watch the lorry or trailer while you locate essential locations such as competition rings, the secretary’s tent, and restrooms. Check the ongoing class at the ringside to plan your next move, then collect your number from the secretary.
Unloading and Preparing Your Horse
Unload your horse at an appropriate time, remove travel gear, and inspect for any stains sustained during transport. Address any grooming needs, and if necessary, fit studs. Set out equipment you’ll need upon your return, like washing gear for cross-country or endurance rides.
Familiarizing Your Horse With the Environment
Tack up your horse and ride it around the venue, allowing it to acclimate to the surroundings. Make sure to allocate enough time for changing into your competitive gear before warming up for your class. Lastly, check your girth before entering the ring.
Focus During Competition
With the preparation complete, focus on the task at hand. The efforts made over the weeks or months have led to this moment, so make the best of yourself and your horse. Above all, enjoy the experience.
Invaluable Assistance
Receiving help from an assistant makes your competition experience smoother and more efficient. An assistant can perform various tasks and contribute to your success on the day of the event.
Tracking Your Progress
An assistant can keep you informed about the number of riders ahead of you, when you should head to the ring entrance, and other relevant schedule updates.
Last-Minute Kit
Your assistant should carry a last-minute kit comprising essentials like a damp sponge, cloth, tack wipes, body brush, stable rubber, and hoof oil with a brush. These items can be conveniently stored in a bucket. They come in handy for quickly wiping off foam around the horse’s mouth or bit, cleaning your boots, freshening up tack, brushing the horse, adding a last-minute shine to the horse’s coat, and applying oil to its hooves.
Managing Rugs and Horse Comfort
If your start time is delayed or you’re forced to keep moving, an assistant can take care of adding or removing rugs, ensuring your horse stays comfortable in various weather conditions. For example, placing a day rug over the horse’s quarters during cold weather can be helpful.
Handling Dressage Equipment
Your assistant can also help manage brushing boots and schooling whips, removing or providing them as needed before or after a dressage test. This assistance saves you time and allows you to maintain focus on the competition.
Post-Competition Care
The process of taking care of your horse after a competition is incredibly important. Whether you are at a one-day event requiring completion of three phases, or simply handling the post-competition logistics, there are several considerations to keep in mind.
During one-day events
Timing and attention
One-day events usually set start times for all disciplines. Here, the amount of time available will determine if you should untack the horse between phases, give it a small hay net, and so on.
Comfort for waiting periods
While waiting between classes or phases, ensure your horse is as comfortable as it can be. You can loosen the girth, undo or loosen the noseband (if you undo the lower straps of a Flash noseband, remember to tuck them into the cavesson section to prevent the horse from chewing them). Always aim to keep the horse warm and dry.
Stacking equipment
When stacking your horse’s equipment in the lorry or trailer, adhere to safety guidelines, such as secure stirrups that can’t slip down, threaded reins through the throatlash, and attending to the horse to prevent it from being left unattended.
Remember, do not leave your horse tied to the outside of the lorry or trailer unsupervised. Unattended horses can easily get loose or frightened, which can quickly result in accidents.
Immediate needs after competition
Once your horse has finished its competitive day, it’s essential to attend to its immediate needs. For example, after a cross country round, it might need to be washed off, especially in hot weather, until its breathing normalizes.
Carefully inspect your horse for any cuts, heat signs, and other issues that might necessitate treatment. Depending on the weather and the horse’s condition, it might need to be rugged. Allow it to drink and eat in peace.
Preparing for departure
Next, start preparing the horse to travel, then load it. Meanwhile, pack away any remaining items around the lorry or trailer. Return your number to the show secretary and collect your dressage sheet, if available.
Before leaving, always remember to express gratitude to the show organizers for their hard work.
At home
On the road
On your way home, you may start reflecting on the day, identifying what went well and where improvements are needed. Even if the day didn’t go as planned, there is always something to be learned.
Always drive safely, though you might be tired and eager to get home. Once there, cleaning the lorry should be on your to-do list.
Checking on your horse
Always ensure to check on your horse later in the day to confirm it’s eating well and there are no signs of potential issues emerging.
Tack care
Don’t delay cleaning your horse’s tack – leaving it for too long can make the job challenging and unpleasant.
The following day
It’s crucial to inspect your horse thoroughly the day after the competition. Depending on the intensity of the event, consider giving your horse a day off. If the horse is worked, keep it light, a simple hack allowing them to stretch their legs is enough.
Ensure your horse gets some liberty time in the field, and depending on your performance at the event, start preparing for the next one, incorporating extra sessions as needed.
