Friday, May 15, 2015

prepping + planning

Some might suppose that I should have learned my lesson from planning too far in advance (or at all, really, given my luck)... but it's in my nature so it's what I do. Plus nobody ever regrets being prepared, right? 

seriously in love with these bits. both Herm Sprenger KK Ultras, one is aurigan and the other is technically a bradoon bit (and slightly narrower) that Izzy goes SUPER well in for dressage. both scored off eBay for a song
So right now my big shtick is getting all my ducks are in a row for the Jenny Camp HT this weekend. All tack is getting deep cleaned and conditioned. Same goes for my truck (the thirsty glutton that it is!) and trailer, with the added step of freshly lubed hinges and hitches etc. 

the innocent bridles await their doom. crazy how quickly i've amassed mountains of tack...
I spent the whole winter, more or less, picking up the random things deemed necessary for show season and am so super duper excited to break it all out! Most of it is pretty mundane (think new poultice and fun standing wraps) but I get pretty psyched about it all the same.  


The next step will be organizing my apparel. The only new stuff debuting this weekend are my stock tie / pin and some SP sun shirts that will be tested for show gear worthiness. I also picked up a pair of white breeches on sale this winter (Tredstep Sympony, my fave!) - but feel kinda silly wearing them for the lowest of the low unrecognized divisions. So they'll have to wait a little longer. 

you're next, princess!
And of course the mare needs a bath... poor creature! Still not entirely sure what to do with her mane... had delusions of grandeur that included a crazy scallop / button braid combo, but suspect her hair is just too long for it. Will probably try for the running braid again, per usual - and maybe just add another gallon of gel? We'll see haha.

sure, nearly as many things are crossed off as are written in... but still looks like a fun month to me!
I'm trying to be super organized about this so I can lay the foundation for a solid routine to be replicated and improved upon all summer long. But we'll see. I don't exactly have a list lol so maybe that should actually be the first priority....

standing for the farrier so ridiculously relaxed (unusual for her) that her lip was all droopy and drooly haha
So yea. Show prep is kinda dominating my thoughts. And I'm 100% sure that I'll forget a few things... while still managing to be obscenely over packed haha. But that's horses, right?

What about you - what's on your 'must have' packing list for shows? Any tips or tricks to share?

24 comments:

  1. I always pack double of everything. I also take an extra halter and leadrope with me in the car (not packed away) in case of an emergency. But, other than that, I just pack the standard stuff :)

    I'm like you - I like to get started early!

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    1. doubling up is such excellent advice - and definitely a rule to live by! i add a second bridle to the mix too (complete with reins) bc i live in fear of snapping my bridle/reins while out and about and then being totally screwed haha

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  2. I always plan waaay in advance and it always dominates my thoughts!

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    1. anticipation is half the fun, right??? :D

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  3. Being prepared ahead always makes things go smoother :). You'll be fine! So excited to hear about it!

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    1. i agree completely. i like to have a pretty clear idea of how things will go. it rarely ever turns out that way... but that's usually ok too haha

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  4. Lists are my life! At home, at work, for horse shows....I cannot function without a list!

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    1. i adore lists - love love love them. and yet never make them.... maybe i should hire you as my list maker lol

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  5. Hah. I half-assedly clean stuff the night or two before and shove what I think I might need into the trailer moments before loading Archie. I should work on that.

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    1. i like your style!! my end goal is to find a balance between intense ocd preparation and lackadaisical nonchalance. i want all the pieces of preparation/packing to be so etched into habit that they require no thought. we'll see how that goes lol

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  6. I clean my stuff a day or two before the show, put some extra shine on my boots the night before, and back when I took myself to shows, I used a modified version of my old Pony Club rally packing list. (You can find a current iteration of USPC's list here: http://www.ponyclub.org/?HMRallyreqequip) I don't bring stirrup leathers and irons or a hammer and nails, but it's SUCH a good list.

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    1. um that list is genius - thanks so much for sharing!! also a little pleased to see that i already had a lot of it, but definitely some things to add to my arsenal. thanks!

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  7. Foster also goes in a Herm Springer bradoon bit :) And I have one that was slightly too small for him that would probably be Izzy sized, if you want to add a different model to your collection!

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    1. they really are awesome bits! i think i need to hold off on adding any more of the same bit to my collection tho haha, but did just sell one that was too small for izzy on eBay and got more than i paid for it, so at least there's a good resale market!

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  8. Always be over prepared and take more crap with you then you will ever need. If you don't bring it or do it, you'll wish you had!

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    1. my thoughts exactly! i actually didn't like the cap on my truck at all and figured i'd ditch it immediately. but now i LOVE having all that free space to toss stuff without worrying about it flying around haha

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  9. I have a bunch of stuff that permanently lives in my trailer in a big plastic 'tack' trunk - water buckets, hay nets, a complete grooming kit, towels, whip, chain shank, etc. So usually only need to pack the tack & equipment I need for the day's activity! I like to clean tack the night before a show, usually with a beer in hand for relaxation purposes. Everything I need is clean and packed or at least set out (clothes) the night before. I am a pretty light packer, and tend to only bring the essentials and not many back-up items.

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    1. i like that idea a lot but have been hesitant to do something similar. my trailer doesn't have a tack room, and i never lock the cap on my truck bc it'd be so easy to smash open anyway and i'd really rather that not happen. it's *probably* safe enough to leave stuff in my truck's cap (and i already leave most of our bucks and saddle racks and stuff there)... but i'm just too hesitant to leave anything of value...

      all the same tho - yes to laying everything out the night before!! most of my ride times have been later in the day, but i somehow my brain stops working as well the closer to show time we get, so it's better to have stuff done ahead of time lol

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    2. My trailer doesn't have a locking tack room either, but I don't keep anything valuable in it all the time! Tack goes in the back seat of the truck :)

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    3. ah that makes much more sense - the inside of the truck is definitely way safer imo. my next truck will have a back seat too :)

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  10. Planning really is half the fun for horse people IMO. I'm jealous of your bit finds! I may wander over to ebay myself... *wallet whimpering*

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    1. i buy wayyyyy too much stuff on ebay haha - tho lately i've been trying to sell too so i guess it evens out? sorta? maybe?? haha maybe not but oh well :)

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  11. I always tell myself I'm going to be prepared... But I never am. I'm one of those that yeah I'll spend the night before cleaning tack and bits... But I end up throwing everything in a duffel bag saying, "If I forgot it, I don't need it." Saddle, cinch, saddle pad, bridle, helmet...

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    1. haha yea there's really only so much you can do, and at some point i say the same thing - ready or not here we come!

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