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Horse show camping?

5K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  paintedpastures 
#1 ·
In a few weeks I'm going to my first overnight horse show :) we're going to be camping out in a tent, and dinner and lunch will be bought at concessions. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips to make it go smoothly, or any things that might be overlooked when making a list of things to bring.

Thanks all!
 
#2 ·
I have never camped at a show, I am such a diva, lol, however lots do, it's just like camping any place else, except you get up and take care of your horse, then go ride it and show it. Sometimes showgrounds have camping facilities, sometimes it's dry camping, so find out first and bring appropriate gear.
 
#3 ·
It's just a big field next to the arena for camping. They have portapotties *shudder* but we'll be hauling water from home for multiple reasons.
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#4 ·
Are the horses stalled, picket lined, or tied to the trailer? Bring lots of hay - letting them munch all night will keep you and the horses calm.

Bring Advil - even if you have an air mattress you may be achy in the morning.

Bring ear plugs if you want to be able to be well rested to show the next morning - it can get LOUD with people talking, horses whinnying to each other, horses who are overnighting inside the trailers noisily stomping, trucks & trailers coming & going, etc.

Bring extra clothes, boots & socks in case you wake up to wet ground. Nothing worse than wet socks rubbing in your boots! I'd always start my day in mud boots, to make sure my good boots didn't get icky for the rest of the day.
 
#5 ·
Thanks Cynical 25!

The horses may be kept in a paddock, but it depends on if they have water troughs kept in them. If they do and we can't drain them/take them out for the night, they'll be tied to the trailer. I'm a paranoid horse mom, what can I say....

Advil, Benadryl, and ibuprofen are on my list. :lol:

Earplugs are a great idea! I bet picking up a sleep mask from the dollar store would help too....
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#6 ·
In a few weeks I'm going to my first overnight horse show :) we're going to be camping out in a tent, and dinner and lunch will be bought at concessions.
Oh, THAT's what we were doing at all of those CW Reenactments!
Seriously, that's what everybody does at a multi-day horse show. DH and I have been camping off of the main drag and on vacations with canvas tents for over 30 years now. We built our bed on the ground:
rubber "period" raincoat
horse pads
bedroll
You will curse that air mattress. They can break on the 2nd time out, but always lose air.
IF you are using a tent, buy a canvas one. They are cotton and breathe. The synthetic ones leak, are super hot in the sun and freezing if it gets cool. REALLY! Also, buy yourself an aluminum cot to be comfortable.
If I were showing I would sleep in the overhang of my 4-horse slant gooseneck, where I have a real mattress and real pillows and sheets. I also have room to hang clothes and plenty of room to change. Plus we always packed our own portapot with the chemicals. It's a specially made bucket that you can carry to a portapot to empty but have privacy and the knowledge that nobody else's "germs" touch your bottom. If you have a buddy who wants to show with you and has a trailer set up at LEAST like mine, jump at it. You'll sleep MUCH better.
 
#7 ·
You must've had bad luck with air mattresses then!
We've had ours for years now and it's amazing. It's never leaked or lost air. It gets used about once a month too, when we have guests over. Ours is close to our hearts. :lol:

I'm a barrel racer, so I don't need many sets of clothes or anywhere to hang them and keep them nice. Just wranglers and my boots, and whatever shirts clean. :lol:

We just have a two horse bumper pull as a trailer, we thought about putting the air matteress in the truck bed but decided on a tent to keep the Mosquitos away.
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#8 ·
We camp out at the horse shows all the time,stay in the horsetrailer.The horses are stabled indoors for weekend:D. Just returned from show, my trainer & other girls from our barn all set up a group campsite with the trailers,had a group patio,BBQ it was a blast!!
 
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