Get ready for your next horsey outing

Whether your next venture from the yard is for a competition, lesson, fun ride, venue hire or hack, there’s a surprising amount of admin involved in getting going without a hitch. Gathering all of the important info onto one simple piece of paper will help ease a considerable amount of stress. So, how can you make sure you’ve got all the bases covered?

Plan your route

Make sure you’ve researched where you’re going, know the route by heart and have checked out the venue’s website for any helpful tips. For example, some entrances might be better accessed with a spacious right-hand turn, or there might be temporary restrictions in place that’d block the otherwise best route.

Work out timings

Committing to set timings gives you the best chance of arriving where you need to be, when you need to be there – putting it down on paper will help you cement your schedule. Consider when you’ll need to…

• collect transport, if you’re hiring (will you be able to do this the night before?)
• get up
• leave the house
• load
• leave the yard
• arrive
• warm-up
• be at your class, classes or lesson
• arrive home by

What do you need to take with you

It’s easier to motivate yourself to get out of bed at an ungodly hour if the morning’s decisions are already made for you. Think about your clothing choices first – it’s a good idea to lay them out or pack them beforehand.

What outfits do you need…

• at home? Will it be cosy casuals while you load up, or could you wear the same outfit all day? Planning everything from coats and jackets to what you’ll wear underneath means at least one part of the morning’s taken care of in advance
• in the lorry? Will you need to change clothes on arrival? Itemising your gear (including those essential but easily forgettable competition items like a hair net and stock pin) means nothing gets missed. If you’re going out hacking, you’ll need enough high-vis – at least one piece each for you and your horse – and think about spares, too You’ll also need to consider your horse’s outfits for the day, including what he’ll wear…
• from the yard? Aside from the basics such as boots, a tail bandage and a travel-safe headcollar, will he need a rug for the journey? Or a hood to keep his plaits tidy?
• from the lorry? Have you packed the right saddlecloth and boots? Even if he doesn’t need to travel in an extra layer, might he need a cooler or wicking rug afterwards? Outfits might feel like the bulk of the packing, but there’s plenty of equipment you’ll need to think about, too…

Tack

• Do you have competition- or discipline-specific tack?
• Does your horse tend to need a martingale out in open spaces?

First aid kit

It’s best to have one that lives in your transport full-time, but if you’re hiring, you’ll need to bring your own.

Grooming kit

Again, another that it pays dividends to have stashed for special occasions, but you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a hoof pick, dandy brush and hairbrush as a minimum.

Extras

Buckets, water, treats, hay, fly spray – you’d hate to miss anything that’s going to help keep your horse happy all day.

Handy checklist

Want to put your organisation skills into practice? Download and print out H&R’s pre-outing checklist