Prepare yourself for success! Getting ready for horse shows with the Epplejeck team 🍀
The temperatures will soon be climbing, the little birds are chirping and you can already smell it outside - spring is just around the corner! For the ambitious riders among us, all these signs mean that the long-awaited show season is finally beginning! We train diligently with our four-legged friends and are all very excited, because now we have to get up very early on the weekends and go to the competitions!
As soon as you leave, you sit with a strange feeling in your stomach and have forgotten something. Recognizable? So that you can concentrate on the essentials on such show days, we have created a checklist with which you are guaranteed not to forget anything and can fully concentrate on your horse and the test or the course.
On the day of the show itself, things are usually hectic. The alarm clock rings way too early, you have to hitch up the trailer, feed and get yourself and the horse ready, so don't make it even harder for yourself and pack the car and trailer the day before. If you follow our list when doing this, you'll definitely be on the safe side and save yourself a nervous breakdown or two.
Arriving at the stable...
Remember: there is no second chance for a first impression! So make sure you give your horse a good shine and a good grooming, so that even the last dust is brushed out of the coat. We have a wide range of suitable grooming brushes in our assortment.
Often you can not avoid washing before the tournament. For example, the body, legs and tail can be cleaned with Epplejeck shampoo in the practical hanging bottle. Afterwards, we recommend NAF Shine On Spray for a perfect finish - this not only makes the tail and body shine, but also keeps them clean for an extra long time. For horses who are afraid of the hiss of the spray bottle, we recommend the Shine & Gel Hi-Gloss from Sectolin.
Now quickly braid the tail and mane and the horse stands clean and neat in his stall. With the extra wide mane rubbers from Epplejeck, the little pests almost don't break anymore and make braiding in much easier. For all riders who sew in, we have another ultimate secret tip: with the Hes Tec Quick Knots you twist the braids together without needle and thread. Weaving in has never been so fast!
Your horse is now clean and braided in his stall and it's time to turn your attention to the tack. Here you should take care to clean everything thoroughly and not to use any products that stain - after all, you want your white breeches to stay sparkling clean for as long as possible.
Leather products such as the saddle, girth, stirrup leathers, snaffle, breastplate and boots can be treated thoroughly with NAF Sheerluxe Leather Cleaning Spray and thus freed from dirt. Afterwards the NAF Sheerluxe Leather Food is recommended, which keeps the leather soft and supple and cares for it. The oil should be left to soak for some time before removing the remains with a clean cloth. You can use this time to pack the rest of your stuff. This includes at least a clean saddle pad, a fly cap, mane spray or gel, hoof oil, brushes, a towel, sweat and or summer blankets, transport boots or bandages, cleats, the race numbers, the horse passport and leg protection (boots or bandages and possibly jumping bells).
You can also fill the hay net the day before and fasten it in the trailer. For those who want to travel stylishly, we recommend the hay net HV Polo Sharina. For those who like it simple, fast and practical, the hay net Imperial Riding Easy Loader with an extra large opening for quick filling is certainly the right thing. You can also stow feed or water buckets with lids, as well as the concentrate itself, in the trailer the day before. If your next show is so early that you have to feed yourself, you can prepare your four-legged friend's breakfast ahead of time. That way, all you have to do in the morning is push it into the stall.
As soon as everything is packed in the stable, it's time to go home. Now let's turn our attention to your show clothes...
As a rider, you should also make sure that your show clothes are clean and neat. You can treat your riding boots just like the rest of your leather products. Otherwise, your riding helmet, tournament shirt, tournament jacket, plastron, hairnet, white breeches, spurs, crop and your (white) riding gloves are most important.
To keep your breeches clean, we recommend that you wear sweatpants over them and only take them off after saddling up. Also, please remember your show numbers, horse passport, wallet, driver's license and car and trailer registration.
The tournament day begins...
Good morning! It's probably still dark outside and you're still half asleep. How good that now you only have to get everyone fed and check the last details. Since you've already stowed everything in the car, now it's just a matter of putting on the transport boots or bandages, putting on the halter, and loading up.
If your horse is a bit out of practice and doesn't want to go straight onto the trailer, it's a good idea to attach two lunges to the sides for support. Relaxed, you can now go to the tournament and concentrate only on you and your horse.
So that you don't have to read this blog all the time, and so that you can check that you haven't forgotten anything, we have summarized everything in a nutshell here.
We wish you a successful show season 2022, good luck!