What's in your tack trunk? Start organizing your tack trunk at least several weeks before the show, in case you need to shop for items you need. This is the time to order a new pair of stirrup pads, or Peacock Safety Stirrup Rings, Leather Bridle Keepers, and a new pair of show gloves. Getting organized for going to horse shows requires two things to get started. First is an empty, thoroughly clean tack trunk, and second is a list that you can check off as you load up your trunk. You can't take everything in your tack room, so you need to leave the non-essential items at the barn, and take the special items needed just for a horse show. Let's get started.
Step 1: Start with a Clean Tack Trunk
Take everything out of your tack trunk, and clean it with antibacterial cleaner to avoid mold and mildew to ensure everything is clean and smelling fresh. Only put clean items back in the trunk.
Step 2: Put everything in categories
It makes sense to organize what you need and gather everything together in categories. First, let's get the essentials for your horse.
Tack and riding equipment
In the pile for the horse gather together; saddle, bridle, girth, martingale, 2 saddle pads, leather halter and lead rope, stud chain, lunge line, lunge whip, crop, front and hind horse boots, polo wraps, bell boots, traveling bandages or boots, and cooler.
Grooming Supplies
Next gather together the grooming items, but not all the grooming items you own. Take two brushes - a stiff Dandy brush, and a soft Body brush, 2 curry combs - one for grooming and one for bathing, hoof pick, sweat scraper, mane comb, tail brush or comb, grooming rag, sponge. Put them in a small grooming tote or bag. It also makes sense to have an extra set of grooming items and grooming bag that are kept permanently in your show tack trunk for horse shows, like Grewal Equestrian’s Grooming Kit.
Horse Care and First Aid
Grooming Aids
Firmly secure all lids of liquids and creams and put in large zip lock bags; shampoo, detangler, fly spray, hoof polish or oil, coat conditioner spray like Showsheen. Put braiding kit items in their own zip lock bag - Braiding kit with rubber bands, braiding yarn or thread, pull through, scissors, and hair gel.
First aid essentials
Firmly secure all lids and put liquids in zip lock bags; Eye wash, antibiotic wound ointment, leg brace liniment like Absorbine, standing bandages and quilts for under bandages, vet wrap, medications
Stall set up items
Bridle/halter hangers and saddle rack for outside the stall when tacking up, buckets for water and grain, water bucket hangers, double-end snaps, zip ties, stall guards and stall chains, hay nets, muck rake, muck bucket
Rider’s Essentials
Put all garments on hangers in your hanging zip up garment bag. Helmet, show coat, ratcatcher or riding shirt, choker or stock tie, stock pin, spurs, gloves, breeches, boots, boot socks, boot pulls, boot jack. In a ziplock bag - hair nets, small hair brush, hair spray, small mirror, baby powder (in case your boots are tough to get on). In a separate zip lock bag - boot polish, sponge, rag or towel.
Other Helpful Items
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Towels and baby wipes are really useful for wiping slobber off the bridle and bit, dusting off polished boots and then a quick rub with a dry rag, to quickly remove a manure stain off your horse’s coat, and a quick wipe down of your previously clean saddle and bridle if there’s lots of dust during show day.
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Duct tape and zip ties - to help secure things in the stalls
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Sharpies - if you want to label your ziplock bags
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To clean saddle pads at the show and remove dirt, sweat and hair, Grewal’s Super Groom Saddle Pad Cleaning Brush works beautifully.
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Take along some extra Rubber Bridle Keepers in case you need one for your bridle or martingale.
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Gear bags for your helmet and boots keep them clean and organized.
Packing and Maintaining Trunk Organization
Put the least used items - First Aid supplies and medicines in the bottom of the trunk. Then the tack and grooming equipment.
To keep your tack trunk organized, create a file on your computer of the trunk’s contents so you can reprint it every time you go to a show. Between shows, keep in the trunk only things used for the show, such as braiding equipment, or an extra grooming kit that just goes to the shows with you and your horse. Tape the list on the inside of your trunk and check off as you pack.
