What to pack in your Smaller/Every Day Trunk (that you also take to Horse Shows) as well as the large trunk that remains in front of your stall front if you’re lucky enough to have a horse of your own, leased or otherwise…Everyone who is taking the next step; committing to riding regularly, half or full leasing, or being a very lucky rider indeed and able to own a horse needs a trunk. A trunk keeps all your riding equipment at the right place- the barn.
Before I go into details about what to put into your trunk however, perhaps I should make sure you have a trunk to start with!
Terry Outman is our new trunk guy-his trunks are beautiful. Contact him at 803- 319 4790 to check for turn around time as well as the pries for the small travel/everyday trunks or the large leave at home trunks very useful for storing all the extra saddle pads and products accumulated. In the meantime, you may keep a well labeled plastic tub behind the barn for your supplies.
Here are my personal favorites places to shop. It is great to support the local tack shops- The Carolina Country Store in Indian Land, SC and Waxhaw Tack Exchange on Church St, Waxhaw, have a lot of this stuff… the Tack Room in Camden will have all of it, with the exception of items available from CVS and/ or Target. Here are their web sites:
The Cedarhill Farm Store : Cedarhillfarmstore.com
Waxhaw Tack Exchange http://ridingapparelandtack.com/
The Camden Tack Room http://www.tackroomonline.com/
Terry Outman (Trunks) 803- 319 4790
Riding Supplies for the Rider:
- Paddock Boots
- Chaps
- Gloves
- Helmet
- Hair Nets
- Spurs/Stick
- Sticky Spray
I am not going into great detail about my recommendations for Riding Supplies- Just note that you get what you pay for. If you aren’t riding regularly, inexpensive that don’t fit or wear super well might be okay …especially if you are outgrowing before you are outwearing your equipment. Everyone has their own priorities. I personally ride in Ariat Monoco paddock boots- they are super comfortable, fit well, look good, and have lasted me a long time. I ride in GrandPrix half Chaps, a One K helmet, and have a few sets of basic spurs and sticks of different lengths for different horses. My half chaps are full grain leather, rather than suede which makes them easy to clean. Sticky spray is one of the best inventions ever. Spray it on the calves of your half chaps, tall boots, or if you are still in jodhpurs; the bottom skirt of your saddle where your calf would be. It truly does give you a more secure leg. Hair nets matching your hair color should be used once you put your hair up into your helmet. Admittedly I HATE anything on my ears and almost NEVER use a hair net. I consider myself an abomination to correct riding etiquette and yet they are just that uncomfortable for me personally…
Riding Supplies for the Horse:
- 1 Boots- Black Eskadron- front and rear
2 Polo Wraps- Black, Hunter Green, Navy, or Burgundy- conservative color - 3 Anti-Slip pad for clipped horse
4 Well fitted show pad- Ecco-gold Saddle pads are our preference.
5 Half pad – added cushion between saddle and saddle pad
6 Schooling saddle pad- order from the Cedarhill Farm Store on website.
I think for the money, Eskadron boots are a good buy. They last longer and fit better than similar looking Roma boots but aren’t as expensive as some of the other top end boots. They are easy to clean after use- otherwise sand and gravel caught in their fibers will start creating rubs. Boots are essential for jumping lessons in wet footing. Protection that doesn’t soak up water is needed on those sloppy days. Leather ones – by Equi-fit and CWD are super nice for showing in Equitation Classes- just don’t forget to take them off for the hunter classes!
Polos are a good source of inexpensive protection for light jumping – as long as the footing isn’t wet. Polo wrapping is a bit of an art- ask your instructor if you have any doubts on the tightness or evenness of your wrap job.
An Anti-Slip pad isn’t necessary all the time. Typically right after you have your horse clipped, even the best fitting saddle will start sliding back a bit over the short, slick hairs on your horse’s back, making an anti-slip pad crucial. The anti- slip pad made by Professional Choice is shaped like a quarter pad- it is durable and breathes. The Nunn Finer version is shaped like a big rectangle. Don’t cut it to size! Either use it under your square schooling/jumper pad as is, or fold it in half to fit neatly under your fitted hunter show pad. Either brand will only work if they are clean. Dirt clogs the anti-slip abilities. I throw mine in the wash when I wash my schooling pad (but line dry) Expect them to last for about a year. They annoyingly lose their grippy-ness after then, sooner if left dirty.
Grooming Tools:
- 1 Metal/rubber curry(My horse & I like metal curry that provides a good scratch)
- 2 Rubber grooming mitt
3 Hard Brush
4 Soft Brush - 5 Hoof Pick
6 Towels (face, flank, sensitive areas)
Currying is ultimately the most important step to grooming. It is when you first really start looking closely over your horse and start removing the first layer of dirt, dead hair, loose skin, etc. Your horse should enjoy this step as a good curry is also a bit of a massage as well. Currying their withers and top of their neck will be a favorite spot for most. I personally like the metal curry- shaped just like the rubber curry- I am not talking about a smaller version of a shedding blade which is for cleaning brushes or shedding in only one direction only. The metal curry I like seems to rub my horse as if I had long finger nails (sadly I don’t) stroking, scratching, and massaging, and loosening up all sorts of grime. The rubber curry also works well- plus they come in smaller sizes for smaller hands, but be sure to replace them once the pointed ridges wear out.
The rubber grooming mitt is useful to curry a more sensitive skinned horse, as well as to curry the more sensitive areas that should be avoided by your main rubber or metal curry- such as their legs and head. With time, even the most head shy horse will enjoy their forehead massaged and curried with a rubber grooming mitt. Luckily mitts aren’t too expensive since they do wear out probably quicker than any other grooming tool you have. Look for the hardy pliable rubber ones, as opposed to the cheaper hard plastic ones made in China…
Everyone needs to shop for their own brushes- what I might love and use religiously might not fit in your hand, or vice-versa. Straps going over the top are useful for some, yet constricting to another. Regardless- brushes are used to clean dirty horses, so presumably they will get dirty. I like plastic bristles that are easily cleaned in a bucket of soapy water, rinsed, and flicked dry every so often.
I don’t want them super stiff, yet still hardy enough to follow behind a good curry, knocking off the loosened dirt and grit. I use a soft brush occasionally for a final polish when I have time.
A hoof pick – preferably one also with a hoof brush is crucial to the list of grooming supplies. It is super important to check your horse’s feet before you ride, check for missing, sprung or loose shoes. A hoof pick is required for removing any sharp or hard objects, as well as getting out all the hard dirt that gets packed in, bruising their soles. The brush comes in handy to brush their soles when you are then applying Sole Paint, or Copper Sulfate spray.
Grooming Supplies:
- 1 Cowboy Magic Tail De-tangler
- 2 Thrush Buster
3 Effol Hoof Conditioner
4 Show Oil- Birdsall - 5 Copper Sulfate Spray ( Home made remedy- see earlier blog for how to make)
- 6 Hair Moisturizer Leave On conditioner to use with a towel for surface wipe
7 Seashore Acres Sole Paint
8 Fly Spray - 9 Mustad – Tuff Stuff
10 Calm Coat/Mineral Oil/MTM Lotion/ Equi-derma / Bio-Silk Lotions are all good for fungus prevention - 11. Venice Turpentine for Homemade Sole Paint
- 12. DMSO- used to make homemade Sole paint along with Venice Turpentine and Phenol (Which you can ask Taylor for since it only is available from a vet)
I am a fanatic about tails. Nothing compliments a horse better than a naturally huge, beautiful flowing tail. Getting, or loosing them is not an accident. Keeping the tail clean and conditioned is key. After currying my horse I examine their tails. If they are in the slightest point dry, I hand pick debris out, then I slather conditioner on them (even though they are dry) and work it into both ends (the end which grows it, and the end which swishes around and frequently gets caught and broken off) I don’t rinse. After I ride, I then wash the tail thoroughly with shampoo and apply the de-tangler. It is ONLY then that I brush their tails out. Obviously I would only use this conditioning method when I am at home riding and training. I don’t want to show off a gooky tail loaded with conditioner while riding at a show, clinic, etc.
Thrush Buster is a strong, potent solution for bad thrush. There are other medications that do the same thing, however if you are religious about also applying our Bleach spray solution, you won’t have much of a thrush problem and Thrush Buster is a small bottle- using up only a fraction of the space the other bottles take up. Beach Spray should be applied year round, every time you pick their feet. Spray it both on the inside and outside of all the hooves. This cheap homemade solution controls thrush summer and winter, as well as most of the bacteria that seems to dwell in the dew of taller grass which breaks down the hoof wall.
The hoof is a complex unit. Treat it like a living piece of wood. It needs to be sealed (Tuff Stuff) from the elements before it gets super wet like a varnish- it needs to be conditioned (Effol Hoof Conditioner) from the elements when it gets super dry. Avoid using Fiebings hoof dressing, made with harsh petroleum products which when repeatedly applied for the show ring breaks down the hoof wall and makes the foot mushy. I use Clear Birdsall Show Oil which has natural stuff which might not help the foot, but won’t hurt either when you want a finished polished look. To toughen the bottom of your horse’s soles, as well as to reduce the effect of bruising, I use SeaShore Acres Sole paint which contains DMSO and Phenol, I like it the best, despite it’s hefty cost. Otherwise I make my own- with equal parts Venice Turpentine, Phenol, and DMSO.
Hair Moisturizer sprayed on a towel helps complete the look -a final polish when I am heading to the show ring, or to collect some of the fine dust that a brush won’t pick up when it isn’t appropriate to bathe. Also useful to spray on the tail before brushing (always brush sparingly!) This stuff comes in a concentrate (cheaper) or ready to use. Don’t forget to get an empty spray bottle if you go with the concentrate.
Fly Spray only works when it is on the horse. Sometimes. I have a hard time buying expensive fly spray in the summer and then washing it off after I ride them, reapplying, and having them sweat it off. I personally don’t use it when I ride, I try to stay active enough to out ride the flies… except when I am trail riding amongst deer flies which most sprays work on marginally at best. One of those fly whisks are pretty effective for your walk in the woods, and you will feel your horse’s appreciation – it is like you are both on the same team- against those pesky bugs… Because of this I don’t really have a favorite spray-
Fungus on horses can occur a multitude of ways- but in all ways it is a bacterial skin infection. Could be due to a suppressed immune system, could be because their skin was irritated by rain, caustic irritants in the footing, there are all sorts of ways your horse can contract fungus. There are many medications on the market. I have found that unless I am dealing with a serious amount of fungus on one particular horse (in which case I usually put them on systemic Sulfa tablets- prescribed by the vet) letting it dry up on its own is the best solution. I then apply either mineral oil or Calm Coat (which I think has mineral oil in it, along with other nice stuff) before I ride. After the ride, I use a gentle shampoo- Tea tree, Ivory, or Corona (but not Quic Silver) and clean off the mineral oil and hopefully the majority of the dry, dead fungus. It is important to WASH – NOT to scrub it off. The skin shouldn’t be picked at, or irritated byscrubbing. This preserves the skin’s own natural defense against the current and future fungus. If it needs to be done more than once to get it all off- then do it again the next time you ride! Lotions such as Calm Coat/ MTM/ Equi-derma and Bio-Silk Lotion are all good things to put on after a good cleaning.
Bathing Supplies:
- 1. Corona or Tea Tree Body Soap
- 2. Quic Silver – for whitening
3. Conditioner
4. Small Bucket - 5. Body Sponge
6. Poly Fiber Brush- short bristles- for scrubbing socks, etc.
7. Sweat Scrape
8. Nylon Halter- Walsh or Hamilton
9. Aloe Vera (use under wraps and basic leg rub down)
10. Vetrolin or Absorbine Liniment as a brace, coolant and rub down 11. Cowboy Magic Detangler (for tails after bath or before brushing)
When bathing a horse, presumably they are going to get wet. For this reason I cringe when I see our riders soaking their expensive leather halters during the bathing process. For everyday use I use a nylon halter, with or without a leather crown. I prefer either Walsh or Hamilton Nylon halters, well made, of a conservative color. I also use for everyday a Walsh leather lead shank with a brass chain. When leading- the chain belongs OVER the nose. This is NOT abusive. This is control, which enables everyone to be safe- horse and rider.
There are a bunch of equine shampoos on the market. I like to start the bathing process by wetting my horse, legs first, then applying Quic Silver on a plastic bristled brush ( I frequently use the same hard brush I had used to groom- especially if it needs to be cleaned) and then rubbing it on all the white markings- legs, face as permitted…etc. Note that I said ‘rubbing” be careful about scrubbing- it all depends on if your horse’s legs are freshly clipped (rub)
or fuzzy (scrub), or if you have very coarse bristled brush (back to rubbing… with only a bit of scrubbing) on how much, or little rubbing and/or scrubbing you do. If you have a grey horse, apply Quick SIlver directly, mixing with water is a waste of time and soap. Don’t rinse yet. Letting the Quic Silver do its magic, I then put Corona, or Tea Tree Shampoo- a shampoo I just started to use that I like, into a small bucket, fill with warm water and scrub away with a sponge, top to bottom, front to back. Don’t forget the belly where lots of dirt gets flung up, as well as between their back legs. Condition the tail with any good conditioner- I use Mane & Tail Conditioner, but also use Pantene – for people, which I get at a good price at Costco. You can’t have enough conditioner for the tail- to use before the ride as discussed previously, or after the bath. As important as it is to scrub and loosen the grime, it is equally important to then rinse it off. I scrape and rinse a few times, to be certain.
At most shows, when your horse has jumped over 2’ and has to remain in his stall we wrap their legs, which helps prevent stocking up , which wouldn’t be the case is they could get turned out. Aloe Vera is a great gentle, cool, soothing product to rub their legs down with prior to wrapping, especially in the summer. Find this with Sun/Skin products at CVS, or Target.
I use Vetrolin, diluted with water for a refreshing leave on cooling treat after bathing them in the summer- especially after a particularly strenuous work out. Used too often however, the alcohol in Vetrolin will dry out their skin. I also use either Vetrolin or Absorbine as a rub down after work outs- on sore muscles and legs.
Tack Cleaning Supplies:
- 1 Tack Cleanser Spray ( I like to use regular Lysol diluted with water)
- 2 Conditioner – Belvoir or Effax Leather Balsam
3 Tack Sponge- ( I like the larger natural sponge- lasts forever )
4 Urad for polishing riding boots- black or brown.
Leather tack when properly taken care of will last a very long time. Clean it after every ride by wiping it with either plain water, or what I use- Lysol solution diluted with water. I spray the tack with this dilution, then use a small hand towel to wipe off the grime. My attempt is to wipe it OFF, not rub it IN. I condition my tack with a sponge smeared with Belvoir or Effax Leather Conditioner every second, or third time that I actually clean it – it needs to be cleaned far more than conditioned. While cleaning tack, I usually wipe down my half chaps and boots, conditioning them with the same regularity as the rest of my tack, only in the case of my black paddock boots- I use black Urad which gives them a protective shine.
Outside of the trunk- Items for First time Full Leaser/Owners: these items are by no means a requirement but are super nice to have for A Shows …
- 1. Back On Track Quic Wrap Leg Wraps- great to use after a lesson/show as support
- 2. Back On Track Sheet -helps soreness as well as warmth.
- 3. Toklat Shipping Quilts-12”&14” for med& large ponies,14”&16”for horses
- 4. Shipping bandages-Preferably Hunter Green
5. Wrap Bag- From the Online Cedarhill Store
6. Walsh Leather Halter with Horse/PonyName. - 7. Walsh Leather Lead with Chain – also with your name on it with a brass plate
8. Country Saddler Custom Scrim
9. Country Saddler Custom Rain Sheet - 10.Country Saddler Custom Cooler
- 11. Tail with Tail bag
- 12. 4″ Ace Bandage to wrap braided tail
- 13. Sleazy Neck Cover – to protect braids ( enables you to get more than a day out of each braid job)
During the summer months we turn our horses out at night, a great way for them to move around and to improve the circulation in their legs after a jumping lesson. During the winter months or when we are away at a show when they will stay in for the night after their jumping session. We recommend for all horses/ ponies jumping 2’6 and higher at this time to be wrapped- the Ceramic infused Back on Track Quic Wraps are the easiest and best for that purpose. Make sure that you leave your Wrap bag at your stall if you don’t have a large trunk in front of your stall for the staff to put them there in the morning.
The Country Saddler items are by no means a requirement however again, nice to have. They are used at the shows. The cooler, actually a wool blanket, keeps horse (and sometimes rider and Mom) warm at the shows, used to and from the rings and when waiting for the jogs. The Rain sheet is self explanatory, also used at the shows. The Scrim is used at the shows to ward off both flys and sun. Your horse wears it for hand walking and grazing, waiting for the jog, and when leisurely walking under tack around the show ground.
Horse/Pony tails ( hair extensions) are real horse hair and come in an assortment of sizes and colors. Black with some brown mixed in is the least expensive, true black and grey/white being the most expensive color. Ideally go for the full pound of hair for a fuller look. I believe Ponies have a shorter version for obvious reasons. To protect your investment (it is that) get a Tail Bag which comes with a nylon sleeve. Also purchase a 4″ Ace Bandage to wrap the tail once it is braided in on your mount.
Care for your tail the same way you would care for your own hair; shampoo and condition your tail, using a leave in conditioner and making sure that when you return it to its bag it is completely dry first. Most times that requires you to take it home to air dry after a show but REMEMBER to bring it back to put back in your show trunk for the next time!
When getting ready for a show- pack your small trunk with essentials to go. Make sure that your leather halter and lead, along with your wrap bag with CLEAN and properly rolled wraps are left at your horse/pony’s stall front. If they don’t have a stall, leave them on the bench across from the Rest Room.
Blankets:
- 1. Rambo Turn Out Sheet with no fill
2. (2)Rambo Turn Out Blankets medium weight
3. Triple Crown Stable Sheet-hunter green with Burgundy trim, gold piping - 4. Triple Crown Stable Blanket-hunter green with Burgundy trim, gold piping
Your horse will need 2 turn out blankets and a turn out sheet for the North Carolina winters. Get Dog Tags made with your or your horse/pony’s name on it for better identification. Rambo Turn out blankets and sheets are the best. Amigo, also made by Horseware Ltd. is second best. You get what you pay for and in most cases horses will shred inferior turn out blankets in a matter of months, sometimes weeks and in some cases days or hours. It is best to get a well made, well fitting blanket to start with. I have Rambo turn outs that are over 10 years old still in use.
Stable Blankets and Sheets are not required but are nice to take to the shows. It is nice when everyone has matching show clothes… makes for a nice “team effect” . Triple Crown Stable Blankets are also some of the best, I have Triple Crown articles that are over 15 years old. We save these for the shows only. It is much easier and nicer to bring these than the dirty muddy ones that are used daily at the farm. Order these from Triplecrowncustom.com Ask about a group order to save $ on shipping etc.
Embroidery:
Graham & Rosie Rogers from This, That & More who run our online Cedarhill Farm Store can embroider Quic Wraps, Back on Track Sheets, Triple Crown Show Blankets, saddle pads, shipping wraps, polos and more. I have included their website link here: Cedarhillfarmstore.com
Miscellaneous:
- 1. Sharpie (to label all your tools and supplies!)
2. First Aid- Band Aids w/ Neosporin for you
3. Sunscreen for you
4. Corona Ointment for superficial scrapes for your horse - 5. Seam Rippers – to remove braids at A Shows
- 6. Treats- Carrots are best- otherwise check for sugar content for PSSM Horses…
- 7. Scissors
8. White Paint Pen to label Black Colored stuff- Boots, half pads, Quic Wraps etc.
Not much to have to explain in this last bit. As daunting as this entire list seems- there is always more… Check out the trunks of some of us who have been with the horses longer… it is always amazing what one will find!