Competitions are part of the life of riders and sport horses. They can be a big source of stress. Here are a few tips to help you prepare your horses for the show grounds.
Tip 1: Choose the right transportation for your horses
First, choose a mode of transportation that will suit your horse. Book it a few weeks in advance if you are not the owner.
For the transport of horses for private individuals, 2 options are available to you: the van or the small truck. If your car is equipped with a hitch and can pull a van with a horse, this option is possible. To check if you can drive the car and the van without a specific driving license, check the GVWR of your vehicle. You can also rent a small truck for a day or half day. The advantage of the small truck is that it is quite maneuverable and does not require a special license to drive it. In both cases, don’t forget to hang a hay net high up to keep your horse busy during the transport. In addition, stop regularly to water your horse if the journey is long.
If you are going to a show with your horse club, a horse transport truck may have been reserved. If so, check with your club to see if a space is available for your horse. This will require a special driver’s license.
To make sure your horse boards the morning of the show, practice boarding and disembarking in your barn. This will familiarize your horse with this exercise and avoid additional stress for horse and rider!
Tip 2: Equip your horse for transport
To avoid any injury, provide your horse with transport protections, ideally high gaiters: they will protect your horse’s limbs better. However, some horses do not appreciate this type of protection at all. You can therefore use lower horse boots. If you don’t have one, you can use resting strips with under bands, as well as bells to protect your horse’s glomes. You can also use a tail guard and equip your halter with a padded headpiece. If the weather is cool, cover your horse so that he doesn’t get cold. However, be careful not to use too thick a weight. Many horses get stressed during transport, which can cause them to sweat more than usual.
To avoid wasting time on the big day, train your horse to walk with transport gaiters to make sure he tolerates them well. It’s best to identify the right horse transportation pads beforehand. This will avoid having to change them at the last minute.
Tip 3: Stay calm during the competition
To keep your horse calm, try to find a quiet place to park your van or truck. Once you get off the truck, walk your horse to stretch his legs and relieve some of the pressure (if he was stressed during transport). Then take out the hay and put it at your horse’s disposal, along with a bucket of water so that he can quench his thirst. If your horse has been sweating a lot and it’s cool outside, cover him with a dry blanket to absorb the excess perspiration. If your horse has sweated a lot, you can add electrolytes to his water to replenish his mineral salts. He will then be ready for the competition!
