Organization is #1

            To get organized before a trip I look at the checklist on the inside of my trailer door. I never leave home without checking the list to ensure that my trailer is well-stocked, no matter how convinced I am that nothing has been removed from my trailer since the last trip was taken.
            My checklist covers tack, grooming supplies, medications, feed, clothing, and miscellaneous supplies. When you load the appropriate tack and grooming gear for your horse, you can check that everything is in working order. You can talk to your veterinarian about which, if any, common over-the-counter and symptom-specific medications you should carry with you.
            By taking hay and grain from home, you eliminate the possibility your horse will get stressed or sick from eating unfamiliar feed. I always figure up how much feed I will need for the trip, and I take a little extra in case something prolongs my trip.
            When you pack any special clothing and equipment you’ll need for your trip (like rodeo clothes or competition hat), plan for changes in weather. Take rain gear, season-specific outerwear and even an extra set of clothes so you’ll be prepared to have a good time regardless of what Mother Nature tosses your way. Use common sense and keep your horse comfortable too, I even have a thermometer in my trailer to keep my horse comfortable. I don't want him to be too warm or too cold, I want him just right. However, I do feel a horse is more comfortable being a little cooler than being too warm.
            If you’re making a day trip, you’ll want to load water buckets and maybe hay bags or nets if you plan to feed your horse a snack. If you’re packing for an overnight trip, for each horse you’ll need a hay bag or net, a feed bucket for grain, and at least two buckets for water plus chains or cords to hang the buckets in the horse’s stall. A muck bucket and fork are handy for keeping your stall and trailer clean. I was fortunate to have a former student, Barbara Eastep, travel with R.E. and I. She later won the NBHA World Championship and now works for Fred Boyd and hauls Blaise Bercegeay and her horses. She is great at taking care of a horse, in fact, she is a PERFECTIONIST and when my horse was in her care, I never worried about my horse. Also, Pamella Randall has hauled a lot with R.E. and I and she is another cowgirl who knows how to take good care of a horse.
            Don’t forget essential paperwork like a copy of your horse’s registration papers (some events require the originals, so find out before you go) and the health certificates required by the state or event to which you’re traveling. I also suggest you map out your route, carry a road atlas, and call the event sponsor or closest veterinary school for the names and numbers of good veterinarians and farriers in the area.
The last thing I do before I load my horse is check my truck and Big Tex/Cimarron Trailer over for problems. The truck should have a full tank of gas, freshly changed oil, and tires with good tread and proper air pressure. The trailer should be hooked up properly and have good tires, with the interior clean and freshly bedded in shavings.

PLAN AHEAD

          I plan ahead to have any maintenance (such as deworming, vaccinations and shoeing) done at least two weeks before I leave home. On the road I do my best to maintain my horse’s regular feeding schedule and normal exercise routine.
         At home, I feed my horses at 7a.m. and 5p.m., and I only change those feeding times on the road if a competition run conflicts with one of them. “I really feel like a horse needs four or five hours to let food digest. You don’t want to feed and run, so I make sure that I feed at least four hours before I run. On normal days I feed hay in the morning and after I run that evening. If I compete in the morning or early afternoon I will only feed hay in the evening.” Hay has a tendency to really fill a horse up and they can't run on a full stomach.
          Likewise, I change my horse’s regular exercise routine only on the days when he is competing, replacing regular exercise with a warm-up for the competition. Other days, my horse gets the same exercise on the road that he gets at home.
          I always emphasize how important it is to condition and tune your horse at home, not at the show. Have a game plan, such as, “I will ride my horse in the same way and for the same amount of time as I ride him at home”, so that you won’t be influenced by the actions of your competitors to ride or work your horse more than he needs, which can leave him sore, exhausted, and stressed.
          Just as the show is the wrong place to train on your horse, it’s also the wrong place to try out new equipment. “I love to have equipment that looks good, that feels good to the horse, and that works. The best time to try out equipment and find what works best for you is at home or during exhibition runs.” Sometimes it's ok to fine tune your horse at a show but hopefully he will be trained and fresh.

          Test each piece of new equipment, from a new bit to a new saddle pad, before you leave for the show to ensure everything works the way it should. You want to feel confident in our new tack’s ability to perform before you stake your competitive success on it.

THE COMFORT OF YOUR HORSE IS IMPORTANT TOO 

          Drinking water is essential for a horse’s health and athletic performance. Some horses drink unfamiliar tasting water without batting an eye, but others refuse, so it’s up to you to ensure your horse gets enough water.
          For day trips consider carrying water from home in a multi-gallon container that can be closed tightly to prevent spillage. You’re guaranteed to have water, even if there’s none at the event, and you’re guaranteed your horse will drink it, even if he’s finicky.
          For longer trips, I put a flavored drink mix, like Kool-Aid, in my horse’s water bucket to mask the taste of unfamiliar water. To give my horse time to get used to the taste of the drink mix, I add the mix to my horse’s water for several days before leaving home. I do the same thing with powdered electrolytes, such as Apple-Lyte from United Vet Equine,  if I plan to add them to my horse’s water away from home during hot, humid weather. IMPORTANT: I like to have a clean bucket of water at my trailer and give my horse a few sips after a run, walk him, give him another couple of sips, and then after about 30 minutes let him drink freely. I want my horse to drink before the trip home which helps prevent colic and tying up of his muscles.
        I wrap my horse’s legs for protection and support during trailer rides and stays in unfamiliar stalls. The process allows you to examine the legs for any swelling or injuries, and the wraps help keep your horse’s legs from getting sore due to competition, trailer stress, or staying in unfamiliar stalls.
           For three nights before I leave home, for the trailer ride, and every 12 hours during the stall stay, I do the following: I run five minutes of cold water on each leg from knee to hoof, rub the legs down with a bracing liniment or gel, then I wrap the legs in a padded (fleece, cotton, or gauze) with a track bandage over that. Ask your veterinarian or a good race trainer for bracing liniments suggestions and tips for wrapping your horse’s legs. At our clinics we train you on how to properly wrap your horses legs. Also, see my book "Running To Win" which teaches proper wrapping.
To keep my horse comfortable on the road I bed the trailer and his stall at the show grounds with bedding. This bedding is easy to carry and helps keep my horse’s stall drier than regular shavings and it's also much easier to keep his stall clean. I always carry my own bedding to insure that my horse is kept comfortable while away from home. I clean my stall every time I walk by, to keep out flies and provide my horse a clean place to lie down, and I add a fresh bag of bedding each day of the show. In hot weather, hanging a fan outside the stall can keep a horse cool. It's ok to hang a thermometer on the outside of your stall to monitor the temperature to help keep your horse comfortable. Remember, if you use a fan, make sure ALL electrical cords are where your horse , or the horse in the next stall, can't chew them and get electrocuted.
          Most horses aren’t used to spending 24 hours a day in the 10- by 10-foot stalls that are standard on most show grounds. My solution? “Get them out often and walk them around.” There is nothing wrong in getting your horse out many times in one day. A lot of horses, if they have to confined, will stress out under the pressure.
          “If you’ve got a good horse and he’s been winning for you and all of a sudden he’s not winning, one of three things is wrong with him: He’s sore, he’s fatigued or stressed, or he’s out of condition. You can take care of this. There are so many things you can do to keep that horse healthy and happy when you’re traveling.