Pre-Ride Checklist with BONUS Pre-Show Checklist Pre-Ride Checklist: Why? A few simple checks BEFORE you ride can protect your horse from injury and save your time and money. A well-used pre-ride checklist will minimize the chance of an accident to horse and rider and maximize your valuable lesson time (= $$). When you and your horse are ready to ride, physically and mentally, in safe and quality tack, before your lesson starts, you don’t waste your, your trainer and your horse’s time/energy. You don’t waste your money as your lesson ticks away while you are looking for your spurs while the rest of the group just jumped the big oxer in the outdoor arena. At Swan Training we recommend a simple yes/no checklist modeled on the USPC inspection list with a few of our own values added. We hope you print it, keep in your tack trunk, and use it before every ride.
Pre Ride Checklist
YES NO NOTES
RIDER
Safe, neat & clean attire
Appropriate attire for the event
Boots in good repair, appropriately clean
Spurs (if used) put on properly; polished
HORSE (the rider preforms the horse pre- checks before mounting, regardless of who was responsible for preparing the horse)
Well groomed, reflecting regular care; no sweat marks or dirt; healthy coat
Mane and tail clean and tangle-free
Sheath/udder showing regular care
Feet well-trimmed and/or shod
Feet picked out
Eyes, nose, lips, dock clean
TACK
Safe, clean, supple, reflecting regular care
Properly adjusted
All stress points clean
No cracked leather
Metal clean & polished
No residue in holes or lacings
Saddle pad clean & brushed
Tighten girth before and after mounting SPORTSMANSHIP
Mentally ready to ride
Ready to work in sportsmen-like manner with trainers and barn mates
Physically prepared to work
PRE-RIDE CHECKLIST (EQUI SUPERMARKET 2017) 1. Check Your Horse for Lameness Look at your horse as you leading them to the tacking up area. Look carefully for stiff or clipped steps, a bobbing head and any signs of soreness. If you suspect that any symptoms are the result of stiff muscles, allow your horse to warm up gently and then check them again. If in doubt, don’t ride! 2. Inspect Your Horse’s Skin and Coat While grooming, check your horse’s back for rain scald, hives, sunburn or other skin irritations that might make your horse uncomfortable if you sit it on him. Do a quick scan for cuts and other lesions that might need your attention. 3. Check Hooves Before each and every ride, clean out and check your horse’s hooves. Pull out any debris and foreign objects such as stones or pine cones are very uncomfortable to walk on. If your horse is shod, check all of his shoes and ensure that they are not loose. As part of this check, look for any signs of trouble in your horse’s legs. 4. Inspect Your Tack Look for frayed stitching, cracked leather, cracked bits, buckles or other metal fittings, weakened saddle billet straps and girth straps. Billet straps and girth straps are particularly prone to wear and so should be checked for tears, cracks, thinning or ripped buckle holes. Broken tack is a safety hazard so this is one check that you should never overlook. 5. Wear Your Helmet If your helmet is very comfortable, it is easy to forget that you are wearing it and equally easy to set off without it! Establish that you are wearing your helmet and then make sure that it is properly adjust and fastened. 6. Tighten Your Girth Your final check should be the girth. Before attempting to mount, check that the girth is sufficiently tight otherwise the saddle could turn and you will end up on the floor. Check the girth again after a few minutes of riding as some horses tend to expand a little when a saddle is first put on. Another value checklist for equine competitors, horse and human, is a Pre-Show Checklist and WOW is it ever a long list. The example below, from May 2005 Horse & Rider, clearly illustrates just how much ‘stuff’ it takes to get even one horse and rider ready for the show ring. PRE-SHOW CHECKLIST
PAPERWORK Original or photocopy of registration papers (Tip: Keep these and all papers/certificates in a binder with your horse's name on it.) Coggins certificate, if needed
Health certificate, if needed
Association membership and amateur/youth cards
Show bill
Rule book
Paper and pens/pencils
Horse insurance card
Map/directions to the show facility; phone number to call in case you get lost
Emergency equine roadside service phone number
Cash/checkbook/credit cards
TACK
Saddle
Saddle pads or blankets (schooling and show)
Girth
Bridles (schooling and show)
Bits
Martingale
Draw reins, if you use them
Extra pair of reins
Extra stirrup leathers and stirrup-iron pads
Spurs
Chain shank
Crops
Protective boots/wraps
Spare bridle screws and screwdriver Leather hole puncher
Tack trunk
Saddle covers
HORSE CARE ITEMS
Feed
Feed bucket or tub
Supplements
Hay
Hay net
Water buckets (two per stall)
Water hoses
Bucket hooks and/or snaps
Stall fans
Extension cords
Duct tape and bungee cords
Tools
Molasses, cider vinegar, Jell-O, or Kool-Aid (if needed to flavor water so your horse will drink)
Electrolyte paste or powder (if it's hot consult your vet)
Manure fork and bucket or wheelbarrow
Broom
Bedding shavings or straw (if you're not required to buy it on-site)
Horse blanket and hood, if needed
Sheet or fly net/fly mask
Cooler
Shipping boots
Halter and lead rope (two of each)
Tail/leg wraps
Lunge line and whip
Treats for a good horse
TACK CARE
Saddle soap/leather cleaner Saddle oil
Sponges/cloths
Roll of paper towels
Silver polish
Small bucket
Bit wipes
Old toothbrush for cleaning saddle stitching
FIRST AID (FOR YOU AND YOUR HORSE)
Complete vet kit including equine first-aid book
Your vet's phone number/phone number of vet near the show facility
Iodine-based antiseptic solution (Betadine)
Triple antibiotic ointment
Nonstick gauze pads
Self-conforming gauze rolls
Stretch bandaging tape
Elastic adhesive tape
Scissors
Cotton/disposable diaper or sanitary pad (to use under wraps as an emergency bandage)
Chemical ice pack
Liniment
Sunscreen (for you and your horses, if needed)
Bute and Banamine (if needed and your show association permits)
Eye flush
Advil or Tylenol (for you)
Human first-aid kit
GROOMING SUPPLIES
Currycomb, Brushes, Mane/tail comb
Towels
Sponges
Hoof pick
Sweat scraper Bucket
Shampoo/conditioner
Mane/tail detangler
Fly spray/insect repellent
Baby powder or corn starch (for brightening white markings)
Baby oil or commercial highlighter (to dress eyes and muzzle)
Hoof sealer or hoof black (if your association permits)
Electric and/or battery-operated clippers
Plastic razor (for last-minute whisker clipping)
Hair brush
Rubber bands for banding
Yarn for braiding
Scissors
Tail wrap
RIDER ATTIRE/PERSONAL GROOMING
Breeches
Shirt (show shirt)
Tie, pin, or choker
Coat or vest (hunt jacket, etc.)
Boots (schooling and show)/socks
Boot pulls
Gloves
Belt and buckle, if needed
Sports bras
Helmet (check your breed/sport association's rules regarding helmets)
Baseball cap/sunglasses for sun protection
Hair nets (bring several and make sure they match your hair color)
Bobby pins
Safety pins
Grooming apron/coveralls
Schooling clothes Hair comb/brush
Hair spray/gel
Mirror
Appropriate jewelry, if needed
Rain jacket
Rubber rain boots
Extra towels
Boot polish and rags
Stain remover
Sewing kit and scissors
MISCELLANEOUS
Emergency cash
Jacks/spare tire/tools for vehicle and trailer
Jumper cables/spare fuses
Flashlight/batteries/emergency flares
Camera and/or video recorder
Folding chairs
Plastic bags
Extra clothes
Extra paper towels
Wet Ones (or other antibacterial wipes)
Umbrella/sun shade
Trailer block
Shade awning/rain canopy
Insect repellent for you
Ice chest
Cold drinks/bottled water/Gatorade
Nutritious snacks: fruit, sandwiches, granola bars, energy bars, nuts
Paper cups
Reading material for downtime: books, newspapers, crossword puzzles, horse-related reading material
Box for putting ribbons in (to protect them) Cell phone LEARN MORE AT SWANTRAINING.NET