Tips on how to Utilize that Pre-Show Season Excitement

I wanted to share a few methods/ideas that my mother and I use to be efficient and organized at the horse shows.

Horse Show Purse: My mother carries everything in her everyday purse: forks, every shade of lipgloss, multiple eyeglasses, snacks, books, receipts, and toothbrushes. When at the show we need specific items like bobby pins, lipstick, numbers, or safety pins. We decided to utilize a purse only for horse shows(not for anything else!!!)We found a cross-body purse so it that it would be easy to carry around. Then, we filled it with these items, and these items only.

• lipstick
• blush
• hairnets
• bobby pins
• numbers
• safety pins
• granola bars
• sunglasses
• a notebook to keep track of points
• a pen
• phone charger

That's all that this purse should contain because our groom bag should carry everything else. This hopefully eliminates the problem of a messy purse and having to continually run back to the stalls.

Pre-Planned Snacks: After spending so much money on show clothes, the last thing I want to do is not fit in them. When you're showing, you rarely have time to sit and eat a meal. When the time comes, you're likely to grab junk food that is "easy" to eat on the go instead of healthier options. Instead, make salads/sandwiches with plenty of vegetables and protein to eat after your class. By, making them on Friday you can just pry open the lid or baggy on Saturday or Sunday. This will give you the energy to do well with your sport as well as keep the grumpy "I'm hungry" attitude away.  Plus, it's CHEAP!!! You will save so much more money by bringing your own pre-planned meals instead of visiting the food vendors. Save money where you can!
Before I compete in showmanship, I have to eat!!! Otherwise, I become sluggish, forget patterns, or get very grumpy. Its a rush in the morning though! Simply, hard-boil eggs on Thursday or Friday and eat them on your way to the barn on show days. I always keep a juice/milk in the cooler and drink it before my class. Some people drink sugary soda like Mountain Dew before their class for energy, but that is only going to feed on your nerves, give you a headache, and make you feel bloated at the end of the day. By choosing healthy alternatives, you are giving your brain fuel to show and setting up your weekend to be a whole lot more fun. Trust Me! This may be the most crucial idea that you can utilize.

Create a Bin for Horse Show Needs: This is so that your items are neat and all in one place. It's easy to pack up in your car and to find your necessary items in your tack stall.
My bin personally contains:

• My  hunt/western spurs
• My hunt gloves
• My hunt boots
• My western boots
• My hunt cap or helmet
• (I keep my western hats in hat cans, and they are too big to fit in the bin)
• Make-up bag/hair stuff
• Extra Socks
• My warm outdoor coat( if I need one/this way it doesn't go missing)
• longe line/bell boots(if I choose to keep it separate from my trainer's equipment)
  

^^That sounds like a ton of stuff for one bin, but you can surprisingly fit a lot in large plastic tubs. (Here's a pic of all the items in the container-they fit!!)

(These are all my hair items- bobby pins, clips, hair nets, hair ties, safety pins, and ribbon. They are all stored neatly in the clear plastic container above.)

Horse Show Calendar: This might be an "Oh Duh!!" tip but make sure you keep a detailed calendar with your upcoming horse shows labeled. Include the location and/or time your trainer wants you to be at the show. We include our barn and stall numbers if they are given.  

Horse Show Binder:  In the binder, we put our crucial information. If possible, get a binder with pockets, and that zips.

Things the binder may include:

• Multiple copies of registration papers (don't bring originals instead keep them safe at home)
• Copies of show numbers.
• Entry papers
• Copies of Coggins/Health documents
• List of Association meetings
• Horse show calendar/copy of the calendar
• Breed Rule book 

^^^We carry this thing everywhere!!!! It has been a lifesaver. You may want to put this in your show bin.

These are just a few ideas to use this next season. I want to thank my mother for being a wonderful show mom, who is just as competitive as I am. We have so much fun planning this together. I can't wait for our next show season where we get a chance to spend more time together doing what we love.