Getting Ready for the Horse Show Season
2008-03-06
Christmas and the New Year have come and gone and now it is time to start thinking about getting ready for the upcoming horse show season. While there are some breed associations that will have horse show all year long, the peak of most horse show seasons is from early spring to mid fall. The American Quarter Horse Association is no exception to this trend. The first major AQHA show of the year is the Sun Circuit in Arizona in early February and the last major show is the AQHA World Show in mid November. This means that many exhibitors will not have much time to get ready for the new show season after the completion of the World Show.
Many exhibitors that regularly haul to horse shows have created their own system to ensure that both they and their horses are safe while on the road. One of the first things that anyone hauling a horse needs to do is to make sure that they have all of the necessary paperwork. Some of the things that will be needed include the horse’s registration papers, proof of a negative coggins and health paper. It may also be necessary to have transfer of ownership papers if the horse is being hauled to a new owner. It is also important to not carry the original copies of these papers if possible. Copies of all of these papers should be carried instead because it can be very difficult to obtain replacements if something were to happen to the originals.
Now that all of the necessary paperwork is in order, it is time to make sure that the horse is ready to travel. It does not matter if the horse will only be hauled fifty miles or five hundred miles, they must be comfortable during the trip. The first thing that should be done is to ensure that the horse is well fed. This means that the horse should remain on their regular feeding regimen before the trip and they should also be given some hay and access to fresh water while in the trailer.
Even though horses stand most of the day, riding in the trailer can be very strenuous. This is why it is important to stop periodically to allow the horse to rest. Horse owners will be able to ensure that their horse travels well by simply taking the time to ensure that they have planned their trip very carefully.
Many exhibitors that regularly haul to horse shows have created their own system to ensure that both they and their horses are safe while on the road. One of the first things that anyone hauling a horse needs to do is to make sure that they have all of the necessary paperwork. Some of the things that will be needed include the horse’s registration papers, proof of a negative coggins and health paper. It may also be necessary to have transfer of ownership papers if the horse is being hauled to a new owner. It is also important to not carry the original copies of these papers if possible. Copies of all of these papers should be carried instead because it can be very difficult to obtain replacements if something were to happen to the originals.
Now that all of the necessary paperwork is in order, it is time to make sure that the horse is ready to travel. It does not matter if the horse will only be hauled fifty miles or five hundred miles, they must be comfortable during the trip. The first thing that should be done is to ensure that the horse is well fed. This means that the horse should remain on their regular feeding regimen before the trip and they should also be given some hay and access to fresh water while in the trailer.
Even though horses stand most of the day, riding in the trailer can be very strenuous. This is why it is important to stop periodically to allow the horse to rest. Horse owners will be able to ensure that their horse travels well by simply taking the time to ensure that they have planned their trip very carefully.
