Pre-Ride Checklist with BONUS Pre-Show Checklist Pre-Ride Checklist: Why? A few simple checks BEFORE you ride can protect your 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 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 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 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

Show /

Draw , if you use them

Extra pair of reins

Extra leathers and stirrup-iron pads

Spurs

Chain shank

Crops

Protective boots/wraps

Spare 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

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