Equestrian events can be an exciting and rewarding experience for both you and
your horse. In this blog post, we’ll explore the essential steps to get your horse ready
for an event.
Work on your physical conditioning
Physical fitness is hugely important for your horse, especially if you want to start
participating in events with them. Consistent exercise using a mix of riding, lunging
and turnout will help your horse build and maintain muscle tone, and cardiovascular
training will help boost stamina and endurance.
You’ll also need to consider your horse’s nutrition. You may need to tailor their diet to
support their exercise levels. Take a look at our previous post about feeding here.
Get your horse’s appearance show-ring ready
The day before your event, you’ll want to give your horse a deep clean. Bathe and
condition from head to toe for a bright and shiny coat. To really bring out the colour of
your horse’s coat, you may want to invest in a colour enhancing shampoo.
Did you know you can even use makeup to correct any imperfections your horse
may have? To achieve a truly flawless finish, we’d recommend Supreme Products
Make Up. It comes in a small pot you can pop in your bag and is ideal for last-minute
touch ups.
Plan a pre-show lesson
Book in a lesson before the day of your equestrian event. This is a great way to ask your trainer
any questions you may have and make any last minute adjustments to the way you
ride.
Our friendly neighbour Shedfield Riding School is happy to support both novice and
experienced riders to get into eventing. Visit its website to find out more.
On the big day…
Pack plenty of water and snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day. You may
also want to arrive early – this can help calm your nerves and will give you some
extra time for any last minute preparations.
If you’re using a warmup arena, always be courteous of other riders and ask if you’re
unsure of the rules. Good luck and happy eventing!