Lining the bathrooms, practice arena walls, and doorways at the Congress are signs of all kinds including horses for sale or
tack and trailers. But among the
“For Sale” signs are service advertisements for massage therapists, chiropractors, Game Ready
treatment, Magnetic therapy, and not to mention the veterinary trailers. There is a reason for this: showing at the Congress is hard on your horse. What can you do before getting to the
point of needing professional help? In
this world of concrete, long rides, and the 24 hour buzz of activity, we went
out in search of how riders keep their horses comfortable and calm during the
Congress.
Basic Comfort Ideas
1)
Proper Bedding – From 10 – 20 bales of shavings, riders fill up their stalls
with lots of bedding to keep their horses comfortable while resting in their
stalls. You can also see folks
buying “boards” from Wayne Davis Shavings or hauling in their own rubber mats,
all with a purpose of providing a cushion while their equine athletes are
resting or sleeping.
2)
Soft Ride Boots – The Ohio State Expo Center is made
up of a lot of asphalt and concrete, and with so much distance between riding
arenas, lounge areas and stalls, our horses ended up walking on a lot of
concrete while they are at the show.
This year, you could see more riders being conscience of this by putting
Soft Ride boots on their horses while walking to and from arenas.
3)
Choosing when to ride – In an earlier article
about Warm up survival tips, AQHA Professional Horsewoman Lainie DeBoer suggested riding during the earliest times not only for the lack of traffic,
but also because the dirt in the arena has yet to be packed or chopped up. Always thinking about the comfort and
care for her horse prior to showing.
4)
Grazing – While grass is hard to come by, there
are a few locations, and as natural grazers, horses crave the green stuff. It also helps with their
digestion. Take your horse out for
a couple of horse to pick through a few blades may allow him to comfort his
stomach and clear his head.
Calming Effects
1)
Noise reducers – Some riders don’t come out of
their stalls without a set of earplugs for their horses. If your horse isn’t bothered by the
beeping sound of garbage trucks, buzzing golf carts, or the hum of motor
coaches then you might be fine.
However, if this is a new experience for your horse and you aren’t sure
how he will react, it might be a good idea to pick up a set of earplugs. Extra tip: Pomms are design to touch
acupuncture points to give a calming effective.
2)
Stall locations – Some stalls and barns are
quieter than others. Trainer Karen
Evans Mundy opts for the North Commercial or Poultry barns, “It’s a little
longer walk, and we have to blanket the horses more when it gets cooler, but it
is so much more quiet for the horses, and for us.”
3)
Products – there are a host of products for sale
in Congress Hall and Annex. Each
horse has a different reaction, and while you should really try products out
before you get to the Congress, some of the products do allow your horse to
relax and take a little worry off before you show.
4)
Leave them be! – Author and AQHA Judge Stephanie
Lynn suggests giving your horse some time off. Lynn says, “Try to work your horse somewhere he/she will not be pinned
against others, crashed into, bumped by rude riders or generally feel
claustrophobic. In other words, ride where and when it is quietest, get your
work done then leave your horse alone. Don’t pester him or her. Let your horse
have some down time, away from you or any other person or horses. If schedule
permits, let your horse have a day off or any easy day at least between show
days. Remember, lack of preparation on your part does not constitute a
crash-training course for your horse. Give him or her AND you a break.”
5)
Just Escape – Sometimes horses just need to get
away from the madness. In the
past, horses have been to be taken off campus for a short trip to near by
farms, just have a few hours to be turned out and escape the hubbub of
activity.
All competitors are there to win, and sound and happy horses
are more likely to be champions! So keep your horse comfortable and calm during
the most active show of the year.
About Sarah Elder Chabot:
Competing on the AQHA
circuit for more than 20 years, Sarah Elder Chabot has grown up showing
American Quarter Horses in all classes from the hunter ring to the
roping pen. With a diverse background in showing, Sarah is also a past
contributor for the American Quarter Horse Journal, GoHorseShow.com and
other equine publications. She currently competes on her horse, A Well
Dressed Man, in amateur hunter classes, and was recently named the 2013 Congress Champion in Amateur Hunter Hack. Sarah can be seen traveling around
with her favorite companion Elise, an Irish Jack Russell and her ever
supportive husband, Andy. Outside of showing horses, you may see Sarah
putting in a quick run, traveling to far off lands, and tasting great
wine–all a part of her day job!
