Blanketing: Why does the pony have more clothes than I do?

****Note: The links in this post aren't really recommendations.  At the bottom I will give you a run down on what I know of brands and places to buy them but I am putting links with lots of the items I mention just so you have a reference point for what I'm talking about.

Living in New England, blankets are a pretty serious topic.  Everyone kind of develops their own system and brand preferences and you will too.  However, we all need a jumping off point.

Last winter we were at a barn that really took care of the blanketing for us.  Our leased pony came with blankets and we didn't think about it too much.  Heading into winter this year we had a new pony and no blankets.  I didn't even know where to begin.

One big issue is that pony sizes are hard to come by so where horses have the option of buying a set from one brand and having all the layers work together, ponies end up with a bit of a hodge podge.  Then there is the issue of where to buy blankets.  I like to buy from my local tack shop.  It saves shipping costs and means I can try things out and exchange them if they don't work.  This is really important with blankets - just as it is with saddles and bridles.  But when it comes to ponies, the local shop won't always have what you need.  Sometimes, they can't even order it!  In that case, Just for Ponies is the place to go.  Even then you may not find what you need.

So what do you need?  It depends on where you live but if temps get down to 20 degrees in your area you should, at a minimum, have a turnout sheet, a cooler and a heavy.  A turnout sheet is the horse version of a lightweight rain jacket.  It can be put on when it's 50 and raining to keep the horse dry.  We also use ours overnight before a show so the clean pony can't get dirty when he rolls.  A cooler can take many forms but is essentially a cotton or fleece layer that can be put on either to keep a damp pony from catching a chill or as a layering piece under a turnout sheet.  So if it's 30 and rainy you may put a fleece cooler under the turnout.  Turnout sheets also come in medium and heavy fill powers so the heavy is like a super warm North Face down coat, usually with 300 grams of fill.  The medium is just a little lighter, usually around 200 grams of fill.  Both should be waterproof.  Many, like the Smartpak Deluxe, can be ordered in any or all of the 3 weights.  Sometimes you find you can order your blankets in a set which gives you more layering options rather than a heavy weight turn out.  I'm surprised by how much we use both the heavy and the medium.  Sometimes one of them gets wet so it's nice to have the other one available.  If you have a horse you are likely to have for a long time it's worth have a good selection of blankets and sheets.

If you live in a cool climate, a quarter sheet is a really good idea.  I made the one in this photo from a blanket called a Chappy Wrap.  A quarter sheet is soft and warm and is used to keep the horse warm while riding on a really cold day.  It has side extensions that go under the saddle flaps and meet in front of the saddle where they velcro to keep the sheet in place while you ride.

There are several other types of blankets and sheets out there.  Typically if someone refers to a sheet they mean the lightweight turnout.  However, there are also stable sheets.  These are not waterproof and are more appropriate for a life indoors.  It's nice to have a stable sheet for trailering or for putting on when they come in on a rainy day so the turnout can hang and dry.  It can also be a good layering piece.  The Baker Blanket is an equine staple and we have 2.  They are great for layering and come in wool or cotton.  We have cotton which is easy to take home and run through the washing machine (more on cleaning horse clothes in a minute).  Another good item to have in your equine wardrobe is the anti-sweat sheet.  This is similar to a cooler and is used to keep a sweaty horse from getting chilled.  It soaks up sweat but is like netting so it allows air in to dry the horse while keeping him warm.  There are certainly other items out there including dress sheets.  Some people like to have a separate set of blankets they use only for shows when the horse is clean and they want to look good.  They usually have a nicer trim and are embroidered with a monogram.  Most tack shops also offer a line of custom sheets and coolers.

If you plan to clip your horse's neck or if you live in a severely cold climate, a neck cover - or a heavy weight blanket with a high neck - might be necessary.  If you want a neck cover it is best to buy one that goes with your sheet.  Again, with ponies, this is a tall order.  I did end up finding one that fit our pony but then the sheet of the same brand didn't work with it. Fortunately, it does work with our medium and our heavy.  Eventually I'll get around to adding rings to our lightweight so it will work with that too but it still isn't ideal.  If you can, try to buy them together.  There are a few different systems out there but for the most part they have velcro or hooks on the underside of the neck cover that attach to the neck edge of the sheet either through metal rings or belt loops.  This is one of those things that's nice to buy at a tack shop so you can see how it works before making your choice.

To order blankets you will need an idea of what size your horse will wear.  The size corresponds to a measurement you can take.  Using a soft tape measure, start at the center of the chest and measure to the tail.  This is really only a starting point.  Our pony measures 63 inches but he has short legs and a big barrel.  Some blankets are long on him and a 66 fits better than a 63.  Like people clothes, some brands run big and others run small.  Some run in 2 inch increments, others in 3 inch.  Some have pony sizes and some do not.  Once you find a blanket or sheet that fits really well, take it with you when shopping for sheets and use it as a comparison.  Take notes on which brands and sizes fit well and keep it on your cell phone so any time you are out shopping you can remember if it was Weatherbeata or SmartPak that ran big for your guy.

Now that you have a wardrobe, I suppose you'd like to know how to use it.  This is something that just takes time and experimentation.  The goal is to keep the horse warm without causing him to sweat.  You don't want to over blanket.  If a horse gets sweaty and gets his blanket wet he can catch a chill as the temperature drops.  This is all pretty basic common sense.  If your horse has a heavy winter coat he won't need as much clothing as a thoroughbred with no hair.  If you do a full clip, you need to put on extra clothes.

Clipping may be another post but you may have no idea what I'm talking about so I'll try to explain briefly.  When you work a horse for an hour, even on a cold day, they can work up a sweat.  Before you can put the horse in his stall for the night, he must be completely dry.  You can't blanket a wet horse for the night.  If your horse is particularly fuzzy it can take a very long time walking him around to cool him out - we're talking about an additional 45 minutes.  So, you can shave off some hair to reduce sweating as well as the time it takes to cool down.  We full body clipped Pumba in October but it's pretty much fully grown out now.  For the coldest part of the winter we are just clipping him under his neck, across his chest and belly just past the girth.  You have to experiment with your own horse and the amount and type of riding you do to know how much clipping is optimal for you.  Follow this link for some information on clipping.

With blankets and clipping come blanket rub, yet another thing I had no idea about until one day I noticed an area on our pony where the fur had literally "rubbed" away.  Even really nice, well fitted blankets can give a horse rub.  On a chestnut horse it looks like a small patch of grayish dirt.  It's pretty easy to see on a light grey pony - it's typically dark grey against their light hair.  The real issue with allowing rub to continue is that eventually, all the hair in the affected area will wear away and the blanket will then begin to rub and irritate the skin.  I guess you could think of it like a bed sore.  The chest area is usually the worst and there are a few products on the market to help prevent rub.  Stretchies are usually the first line of defense.  You can buy a full body stretchy or one that covers the chest area and which many people refer to as a "bra".  Another option, and definitely a brand recommendation, is the Bossy Big which completely eradicated rub from the portion of our pony that it covers.  The stretchy just didn't work for us but the bib is a life saver.  We find that our Baker Blanket causes more rub than a fleece cooler if we need to layer - we recently had a stretch of sub-zero temperatures that had us layering under Pumba's heavy!  We also find that rotating blankets helps since different blankets fit a little differently and put pressure in different spots.  Most sheets have a nice slippery layer against the pony to minimize friction but some horses are just prone to rub anyway.  We find our Amigo heavy and SmartPak Deluxe medium are really good sheets and don't cause much rub.

Horses are dirty and love to roll in the mud so your pony clothes will get filthy.  Our barn sends sheets out at the end of winter for cleaning.  You can also have older sheets waterproofed if they are starting to leak though it seems as though once they start leaking, they never stop.  We sometimes take blankets to Dover Saddlery to send out for cleaning and I know there are other places that do it as well.  Dover is just really convenient for us.  I do wash coolers at home in my washing machine.  We usually put duct tape around the metal parts to preserve our washer and dryer.  Be prepared if you wash blankets at home you will find horse hair in everything you own!  It's probably not a good idea to wash sheets at home for several reasons.  Firstly, they are seriously dirty.  Secondly, you may damage their waterproof finish.  Thirdly, medium and heavy weight turnouts are super big and may overload your washer.  Having them cleaned once a year at the end of the season is usually sufficient.

So, in case you couldn't tell already, my favorite places to shop are Dover Saddlery, SmartPak and Just for Ponies.  We are super super super lucky to live in Wellesley, Massachusetts which boasts brick and mortar Dover and SmartPak stores.  We have even been so lucky as to find blankets in the discount attic at SmartPak and basement at Dover.  We love the SmartPak brand blankets.  Weatherbeeta tends to make sheets with the most fun fabrics.  Horsewear Ireland makes both the Amigo and Rambo brands which are pretty much top of the line in both price and design.  We got an Amigo from a friend and it is super nice.  It fits really well and when I'm out shopping I notice both brands take advantage the most innovative design and textiles.  If you can afford it, I think they are worth the money ($400 for a Rambo heavy vs. $200 for a SmartPak heavy).  But I am just about as happy with our SmartPak sheets so you don't HAVE to spend more.  I do think Horsewear does a better job with neck covers so if you intend to use a neck cover frequently you might really think about splurging.  Also take into account how long you will have the particular horse you are clothing.  It's rare that the next horse fits in the same blankets.  If you are leasing for a year, you might not go for the extensive wardrobe of high end blankets.  If, however, this is a young, forever horse, I would buy blankets that really fit well and will perform for a long time.

SmartPak has some great resources on their website including a Blanketing 101 article and a Blanketing Glossary.  Both are worth a look if you still have questions.

Have fun dressing your pony! -
Kristie

If I buy or lease a pony for my child, what will our time commitment look like?

So I'm kind of excited that a total stranger found my blog and asked me to give her the low down on what a week of my life as a horse mom really looks like.  I'm happy to share but caution you not to be scared off by what I tell you.  I've just been proof reading this post and warn you that it's seriously boring.  This one lacks entertainment value.  However, I think it's a pretty full and honest account of what I do as a horse mom.

The degree of insanity is, to some extent, up to you and to another extent dependent upon which discipline your child rides in and the culture of the barn she rides at.  But I will say that having a pony can give any other sport on the planet a run for its money in time and financial commitment as well as required parental involvement.  Downhill ski racing kind of comes close as does ice skating but when skiers and skaters are done they don't need to spend an extra hour caring for the animal that enabled their competition.  If their equipment gets damaged, they can buy new skis.  Not so with a pony.  Just saying.

A major factor in the amount of time I spend engaged in Elizabeth's pony activities is that she is too young to be dropped off at the barn on her own.  Sometimes I leave her there for a couple of hours to clean tack but for the most part if she's there, I'm there.  She will be so happy when she's old enough to hang out at the barn on her own and she can spend every day all summer long with her pony.  I suppose it's also fair to say I love being Elizabeth's horse mom and I like taking care of Pumba so if you really aren't into horses yourself, I'm guessing there is some lower maintenance way to go about all of this.  It may not give your child the depth and breadth of experience Elizabeth is having but that might be OK.

This time of year, being a horse mom in New England is kind of miserable.  My daughter only rides 4 days a week in the winter but most of those days I sit watching bundled in in ski pants, a down coat, mittens with hand warmers and a ridiculous but warm rabbit fur hat.  Sometimes I ride at the same time she rides which is definitely better.  Elizabeth has 2 one hour lessons per week and we have her trainer ride her pony one day per week so he works 5 days per week.  We ski with our family every weekend of the winter so this is a nice time of year in the sense that riding takes a bit of a back seat in our lives.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I pick Elizabeth up from school at 2:30.  Wednesday and Friday she has a lesson from 3:30 - 4:30.  They usually alternate between jumping and flat lessons and this time of year they focus on correcting problems by doing drills and exercises targeted to help both Pumba and Elizabeth fix whatever isn't working.  The other days she rides on her own or with a friend, often reinforcing what she does in her lessons.  Sometimes I set up jumps for her on non-lesson days but we do less of that in the winter.  Once in awhile we go for a walk through the woods and fields.  Riding in the indoor for months on end gets pretty monotonous.  We usually get home around 5:00.  We go away for Christmas and February break and have other people ride the pony or give him time off.  Going directly from school is the only way I can make this work.  Elizabeth has two older brothers.  I am very fortunate that they are independent, do their sports at school and have other means of getting home.  After I get home from the barn I am often back on the road taking them to karate, attending track meets and of course cooking dinner.  But I'm grateful that I have found a way to support Elizabeth while still taking care of my boys.

Winter grooming is pretty low maintenance since you can't bathe your horse.  We clipped Pumba in

October, shaving his entire body, which took me a few hours one day while Elizabeth was at school.  It took longer because I clipped a fun design onto his butt.  His coat has now fully grown back in and we just keep his chest and belly shaved during the coldest months.  We do this so that he doesn't sweat during a workout.  If Elizabeth finishes riding and he's wet and sweaty, it can take a very long time to cool him down and dry him off.  He needs to be completely dry before we blanket him for the night.  We keep a close eye on the weather and change his blankets or call the barn and ask someone to do it accordingly.  Sometimes he needs to be changed multiple times a day.  Keeping him clipped helps reduce the amount of

cooling down time needed.  I'll likely clip him more fully again in late February just before he starts to shed out his winter coat as the weather gets a little warmer.  We let his mane go a little raggedy in the winter but I do spend 30 minutes pulling it every few weeks just to keep it manageable.  You can also "roach" the mane which means to just clip it off.  If you do it early enough in the winter it will grow back in time for braiding during show season.

Pony Club is also a little quieter this time of year.  I have one parent's meeting a month in the evening.  Elizabeth has 2 unmounted meetings per month which I attend with her and where she learns about tack, horse health, safety, vet care and other horse management topics.  There are a few bigger events as well but generally a much lighter load than in the good weather.  Meetings run about 2 hours and the bigger events, being further away, take up the better part of a weekend day.

Whatever the time of year, a pony still needs visits from the farrier.  Our pony is shod every 6 weeks.  I don't have to be there but I do have to remember to leave money for the farrier and to organize lessons around his visits.  I do like to be there when our vet comes.  She generally comes out to give spring and fall shots.  Once in awhile something goes wrong and you need to bring the vet out.  We saw too much of our vet over the summer when we were borrowing the world's greatest pony from a friend.  She had some eye problems and they never resolved so we ended up sending her back to our friends' barn where they cared for her. Our vet also comes out if we are doing some type of joint treatment.  Many if not most eventing (and for that matter any other discipline) horses get some type of anti-inflammatory, joint injection or other treatment for stiffness or soreness.  The treatments range from IM injections of Adequan - which I now do myself - to IV injections of Legend or Polyglycan - which I have the vet come do - to more major procedures such as having hocks injected or blistering stifles.  (Did you read that and think what the heck does any of that mean?  Don't worry about it.  Hopefully you won't need to know any time soon and then suddenly you'll know more than you want to!) The costs and efficacy also vary but what you need to know is that active horses get sore.  Sore horses don't perform well and aren't happy.  We ask so much of our equine partners I'm pretty liberal with veterinary care to keep ours comfortable.  Of course there are a thousand other reasons for the vet to come out so make sure you maintain a good relationship with yours.

Sometime in March the ground will thaw and we will again be able to ride outside for more than just a hack in the snow.  We stop skiing and focus on riding by mid-March.  At that point, Elizabeth rides 6 days a week.  Our plan this season is for her to stick with 2 lessons per week.  As the season progresses the lessons start to focus on whatever Elizabeth has coming up the following weekend.  Shows start in April and she will likely have either a show, pony club mounted meeting, pony club rally or an outing to go XC schooling somewhere every weekend from April through October.  She competes in both dressage shows and eventing 2 and 3 phase shows and so far all have been schooling shows though one of her goals for the end of this season is to go to a rated show.  After a big outing or show the pony always gets a day off.  In August her pony club hosts a camp at a nearby barn and she rides twice a day with different instructors.  We plan to bring the pony with us to Maine for vacation weeks this summer.  We have a house there and found a barn nearby where we can rent short term stall space.

During a typical week in the show season I will pick Elizabeth up from school everyday at 2:30.  She will ride on her own or in a lesson.  If she has a show or pony club rally (I'll explain in my pony club post) we will stay at the barn late the night before to bathe the pony, clean tack, prepare the trailer.  I braid her pony for her but soon she will learn to do it herself because it takes me 1 - 2 hours, I get faster as the season progresses.  If she just has a pony club meeting or is going schooling we don't have as much prep work.  Once we get to the summer, Elizabeth likes to wash her pony pretty often, at least once or twice a week.  We hose him off after every ride in the good weather and let him graze while he dries.

On show days we get to the barn at least an hour before we need to depart.  I hook up the trailer while Elizabeth gets her pony from his paddock.  We check him over to make sure he didn't roll and get filthy or lose a braid.  We usually have a plan so if her first event is at 10am we want to be at the show before 9am to park, unload, check in, change, warm up.  Our shows are usually pretty close by and I always leave a significant time cushion so for a 10am start 20 minutes from our barn we will leave our barn around 8am.  A show day starts early and ends late.  That's all there is to it.  But at least we are usually home for dinner.  When competing in eventing and dressage, riders are given a time slot for each phase or test so you have a pretty good idea how long your day will be before you get started.  Hunter shows are more like swim meets making for a really long day with classes sprinkled throughout the day.  A pony club rally starts even earlier and ends much later.  We only rallied once last year but I don't think we got home until after 10pm.  In addition, rallies usually warrant a separate rally prep meeting so the kids can work with their rally team to make sure they have everything they will need on rally day.

Pony club mounted meetings are the best!  These, along with pony club camp, are Elizabeth's favorite.  She gets to ride in a relaxed atmosphere with all her friends.  I get to hang with the other moms and total time in for a mounted meeting is really only about 3 - 4 hours with trailering and everything.  Camp was a big time commitment but so worth it.  Monday morning of camp week we trailer over with everything Elizabeth owns and set up her stable for the week.  Parents take 2 - 3 half day chaperone shifts during the week.  We took a turn feeding one morning because Elizabeth really wanted to do it so that day we arrived at 7am.  After feeding all the horses Elizabeth took care of her own pony and tack.  The kids all participate in a Wednesday night jumper show the week of camp so that day we are there late.  Friday afternoon is all about packing up and returning to our home barn, unpacking and going home exhausted.  This year I'm in charge of camp so I'll be spending even more time there which is fine with me!

Our pony club does a fundraiser in the summer.  We run a concession stand during the Wednesday night jumper shows at the barn that hosts our camp.  Every family is responsible for 4 three hour shifts during the season and the pony clubber is expected to work as well as their parent.

Pony Club ratings are a big deal and take serious preparation.  For the most part they are a test of the things you should be doing every day, a rider should not be rating above their everyday activity level.  However, there is still a good deal of time spent preparing for both the horse management and riding sections, cleaning tack, calming nerves.  A pony clubber won't necessarily do a rating every year.  Elizabeth did 2 last year and hopes to be ready to do another in the fall.  We organize study groups and focus some lessons on the standards.

Last summer we engaged in 2 pony hunts so that was a MAJOR time suck.  Now that we are settled in with a great pony, things are very manageable.  If your pony gets injured, all bets are off.  There may be no riding, there may be visits from the vet or trailer trips to an equine vet clinic.  There may be a search for a short term lease to get your rider through their season if they have become very competitive.  It's difficult to predict life with horses.

I think that's it!  I suppose there are other things like a million trips to the tack shop trying different blankets and saddles until you find the right one, buying new show clothes every season and just checking out what's new because it's super fun and we love the people who work there!  We spend time at home reading about riding and Elizabeth puts a ton of time into studying her pony club horse management.  In all honesty the pony has come to dominate my life as well as my daughter's but I've never been happier.  We have so much fun doing this together.  Instead of going through adolescent mother-daughter angst, we are a team.  I'm right next to her to share in the highs and lows (there are plenty of both).  I am so lucky to be doing this with my daughter and even more blessed with all the friends we have made at our barn and in our pony club.  I wouldn't trade this for anything.

So, in a nutshell, we spend about 10 hours a week riding in the winter (including driving to and from the barn) in addition to a variety of minor maintenance and grooming activities.  Late March through mid-November we spend closer to 15 on just riding and probably another 5-10 hours a week on prep and outings.  So, this is my job.  In fact, I quit my job as a pattern maker - my dream job I might add - in order to be able to support Elizabeth's interest in horses.  It was a tough decision but one I would make again.

I hope this helps.  If you had 10 other horse moms tell you about their weeks you would get 10 different answers.  Some kids go to schools with equestrian sports so that's often much simpler.  Some barns don't mind you dropping off kids younger than 14 - though I do think there is often an insurance issue.  I know many kids who had to wait to get their first horse until they were old enough to be at the barn alone.  If your child is interested in horses and you are willing to give it a go, you will find the right approach and balance for your family's life.

Best of luck!
Kristie

I have a pony, do I need a trailer?

The short answer is no.  You don't really NEED a trailer, but then did you NEED a pony?  It really depends on what you are doing with the pony.

Our first barn was very accommodating.  Not only did they drive our pony to all the shows my daughter attended, they were the ones to get up, load the trailer and get to the show grounds crazy early.  We got at least an hour or two of extra sleep as a result.  If we wanted to go somewhere, they could usually drive us and their fee was very reasonable - $75 roundtrip locally.  Shows, however, were limited to the shows they were going to as a barn.

When we changed barns, we had to find some other way to get where we were going.  One of the first things I noticed at our current barn was the huge number of trailers littering the property.  It was my first clue I might be in trouble.  There are transport companies out there and often someone is going the same place at the same time and can give you a ride.  I have friends who have supported equestrian daughters for years without buying a trailer, usually paying someone to drive them which can be very expensive - a ride to and from a long show day can be $200, more if it's far away.

I, however, am a control freak.  I like to know where I'm going, how I'm getting there and limit the probability for error.  I like making my own schedule, coming and going to horse shows when it makes sense for me, not when it makes sense for my ride.  I liken being at our barn without a trailer to living in the country, working in town and not having a car.  Our neighbors are all very nice and if they are going our way with a space, we are welcome to it, but on that day it just doesn't work out, what do you do?  Once we had a pony it felt like we needed a way to fit him into our car.  Our pony is another member of the family.  If you have 3 kids you buy a car with 5 seats.

Then again, as another horse mom recently reminded me, what works for one of us isn't necessarily what works for another.  I'll share my advice but you'll need to figure out for yourself if a trailer is in your future.  Here are some questions to ask yourself in trying to decide if you "need" a trailer:

1. How many times a month would you use a trailer?  If it's 1 or less, you might hold off.
2. Do you intend to take your pony anywhere other than the shows your barn is going to already?
1. Are you joining Pony Club? (I'll post about Pony Club very soon to help you make this decision!) This is ultimately what pushed us.  With 2 mounted meetings a month in addition to an active show schedule, we needed a way to take our pony places pretty frequently.
2. Do you intend to do some XC schooling (riding outside of shows) at courses other than the one available at your barn?  We did quite a bit of this last summer and I was really glad to have a trailer.  As plans and schedules changed a million times I didn't have to call my ride once a day with a change of plan.
3. How likely is it that your horse situation is going to last?  You might try to make do for the first year you lease/own.  I would have waited if we hadn't changed barns and joined pony club.
4. Do you have a friend who is ready to buy a trailer?  I know some people who sort of "share" a trailer because their kids are always doing the same things.  One family owns the trailer and the other buys gas.
5. Do you have the proper vehicle for pulling a trailer?  This is not a deal breaker since you can always get a different car but it can get very expensive and will be a factor in making your decision.

If after thinking through this list you conclude that yes, I must have a trailer, then you are ready to think about what type and size trailer you need and whether you want to buy new or used.

Gooseneck Trailer

There are two types of trailers: Gooseneck and Bumper Pull.  A gooseneck has an extension on the front that goes over the flatbed of a pickup truck.  The truck has a hitch in the middle of the bed to which the trailer attaches.  A bumper pull attaches to the more traditional hitch point at the back of your car under the bumper.

Next you need to think about size and features.  Horse trailers are broken into categories by how many horses they carry, whether or not they have a dressing room (something worth considering) or living quarters (likely unnecessary but whatever floats your boat) and how they are loaded - slant or straight, ramp or step-up.  All of these things come down to personal preference.

Layout option for slant load trailer.

A slant load is a trailer in which the horses are set at an angle to the side of the trailer.  They are "slanted" when you are driving straight down the road.  These trailers usually have windows for the horses on the side of the trailer.  A straight load, conversely, has the horses parallel with the side walls of the trailer.  They usually load in from the back and face forward as you drive but there are many variations depending on the number of horses you carry.  For instance, a 2 horse will usually load from the back and have the horses facing front.  But a 4 horse might load from the side and have 2 horses on either side of the entry point, 2 facing forward and 2 facing back. 

Layout options for a 4 horse trailer.

Ramp Load and Step Up are exactly what they sound like.  A ramp load has a ramp that you lower to the ground and the horse ascends the ramp to enter the trailer.  A step up has no such ramp.  The horses just step on the way we get into a car.  

Trailers also have different kinds of dividers in them.  There can be a half wall or just an 8" plank like piece dividing the stalls at about shoulder height.  I like the wall because the horses can't kick each other and it allows me to store stuff on the empty side if I'm only carrying one horse but I know a lot of people who prefer not to have a wall so the horses have more room to spread their legs out to brace for turns.

A dressing room may sound like a silly thing to anyone who hasn't owned a trailer but don't write it off too quickly.  If you have your own trailer, you and your child will be getting to the barn early, hooking up, cleaning out shavings, putting in new shavings, hanging fresh hay, filling water bottles, loading tack, etc.  Even if you did much of this the night before there is a good deal of work to be done on the morning of a show and the rider is not going to want to do it in their show clothes.  When you get to the show and your rider needs to change, where is she going to do it?  If you are like my husband, you will say she can change in the now empty trailer.  He can say this because not being the parent to go to shows he is ignorant of how dirty the trailer is and how difficult it is to keep your show clothes clean while changing in there.  The alternative is changing in the car.  Not a lot better and an option that will get more complicated as our daughter gets bigger.  But by the time I was buying a trailer and a new car to pull it, I could tell the dressing room was pushing my luck so I backed off.  

Most trailers with dressing rooms have saddle and bridle racks in the dressing rooms.  We added such racks to the interior of our 2 horse bumper pull straight ramp load trailer.  Ours is pretty big inside and we mostly pull ponies so there is actually plenty of space for our muck bucket, tack trunk and tack.  Since our tack is in with the horses, we invested in saddle covers, helmet and bridle bags to keep things clean in transport.

Next you need to think about whether you will buy new or used.  This is when you need to think about your budget.  My sense is that trailers, especially those made by Kingston, Hawk and Featherlite, really hold their value.  A 2007 trailer sells used for close to what it cost new in 2007 in part because the new 2014 trailers are so much more expensive (I've kind of found the same to be true of good used saddles).  So you save money with the used trailer but not as much as you might think.  And resale value can be important, especially if you are buying a smaller trailer with fewer bells and whistles and planning to upgrade in a few years if all goes well.  We bought a 2007 Kingston from a wonderful horse mom in Connecticut.  The trailer looked completely brand new and she even gave me some driving lessons.  We got a great deal paying $6500.  Even though it was in great shape, I spent an additional $1000 having it serviced and adding racks before we used it.  When you buy a used trailer you should plan to take it to a local dealer to have the brakes, tires and wheel bearings checked.  

That reminds me.  Horse trailers have brakes.  The brakes are hooked up to your car and you will need an electronic braking system.  The car we had when we bought the trailer did not have one so we had one installed.  We went to a local trailer place, not a horse trailer place necessarily but one that could install a controller quickly so I could drive down to pick up my trailer.  The system cost about $350 installed but we should have spent a little more and gotten the higher end digital unit with more adjustment.   If I had it to do again, I would go to a bigger trailer shop and one that had some experience with horse trailers.  The unit is installed under the dash right where your knees like to be when driving so you have access to adjust it easily and your husband can frequently curse you for having a horse trailer that makes driving uncomfortable for him.

A month after buying the trailer, I bought a new car.  My 2011 Honda Pilot could pull the trailer but it didn't feel very good.  We were well under the 4400 pounds our Honda was certified to pull.  Our trailer weighs 2500 pounds and our pony was only 800 pounds.  There are different weight measurements you will see in your car manual about gross vehicle weight and what not.  I focused on tow capacity and that seemed to be a sufficient data point for determining the best vehicle for pulling my trailer.  Most trailers I am interested in are between 2500 and 3500 pounds.  If I have 2 big horses that's an additional 2200 pounds.  Add in a little tack, water, I'm guessing the most I will ever want to pull is 6000 - 6500 pounds.  Pick up trucks are great for this, especially a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado 1500 or Doge Ram which can tow 12,000 pounds, but I wanted an SUV that could do double duty as my people mover (I have 2 sons who want nothing to do with horses).  The best choices seemed to be the Chevy Tahoe and the Ford Expedition which can each tow around 9000 pounds (consumer reports does a good job with testing vehicles' tow ratings).  A Suburban would also be a good choice but I had recently downsized from a Suburban and didn't want to go back.  One of the things I really liked about my Expedition was that it had the electronic braking system integrated into the vehicle itself, installed at the factory.  So when I hook up my trailer, the digital readout in my dashboard acknowledges the trailer and tells me the level my brakes are set at. I LOVE LOVE LOVE towing with this car!!!!!!  You will see people towing horse trailers with all kinds of cars.  This is another one of those cases where what works for me does not necessarily work for you.  But I think this is something the owner of our old barn had in mind when she told me I would wreck my car if I bought a trailer.

So, where does one buy a trailer?  I found mine on equine.com.  You can create an account, then create a search with detailed criteria and save the search.  I would go back every day or two to see if there was anything new to look at.  There are new and used trailers listed on the site.  You can try Craigslist but I found the listings on equine.com were a better fit on average.  You can also go to your local dealer who will likely carry both new and used trailers.  There are several near where I live.  Many people around here use Yered.  I had mine serviced at Orchard.  Ask around the barn and at the tack shop and you'll find out where you should go.  If you are near Ohio or Massachusetts, attend the Equine Affaire.  They host an AMAZING horse trailer display.  It's so fun to run around dreaming about having a huge motorhome with seating for your entire equine family.

A few more things to keep in mind as you are looking at trailers.  

• There are several shapes out there.  The trailers with really square fronts create more drag than those with rounded or pointed front ends, impacting gas mileage.  
• Horses and all their stuff are really dirty.  It won't look new for long!
• Even if you only have a pony now, are you likely to have a big 17 hand warmblood in a few years?  Probably not but think about it before buying the smallest trailer you can find.
• My only pet peeve with my trailer has to do with the rings on the side of the trailer.  During a show, you will tie your pony to the trailer and hang a hay net for them to munch on.  The rings on our trailer are really low.  I am planning to take it in to have another one added higher up so the hay net doesn't hang so low.
• Buy a muck bucket, muck rake, really good broom and shovel just for the trailer.  If you can, put a small trunk in the trailer and keep some basic supplies in it such as fly spray, baby wipes, bit wipes, water buckets for drinking and sponging, sponges, a big water tank in case water is unavailable where you are going and an extra medical armband if you have an eventer.  Nothing worse than getting somewhere to go schooling or to a show and not being able to participate because you left your armband at the barn.
• I see trailers out there without windows.  That seems weird to me.  On a hot day I love opening all the windows and even latching the upper half of the back totally open for the drive home so the pony can have some air.
• Practice driving your trailer!  It's great if you can buy a trailer from a place that will give you lessons.  It's really not that hard to drive one if you practice a little bit.  Be sure to learn how to back up and how to park so you don't embarrass yourself at a horse show.
• I found the information on this site extremely helpful in learning about safe trailer driving.
• You should also have a professional check the hitch you have for pulling a trailer.  Not all hitches are rated to pull the significant weight associated with horse trailering.  You want to make sure that the ball is the right diameter, the drop the correct height and the weight rating high enough for the load you intend to pull.
• My dream Hawk 2 horse with dressing room is around $13,000 new right now just to give you an idea of cost.

I'm so excited for you to go get your trailer and become a mobile horse parent!  Happy trailer shopping!

Kristie

When is it time to change barns?

One of the hardest things we go through as beginner horse moms is understanding if and when to change something - barns, trainers, ponies, sports (there are many sports within the equine genre), vets, farriers.  

There were two pieces of advice more experienced horse people shared with me a year ago when my daughter wasn't as happy as a girl with her first pony should be and I wondered if it was time to change barns.  The first is that if you are thinking about it, and thinking about it seriously enough to call strangers for advice, then it is time to make the change.  The second is that once you’ve decided to make a move, the sooner the better.  They were absolutely right and I’m surprised I couldn’t see it then. 

In life, it is usually best to look forward, not back.  The time we spent in limbo was awkward.  Even if no one else knows you plan to move, you will feel strange every day until you do it!  Change is hard.  We don’t want to hurt people we’ve grown close to.  In some cases you may be afraid of the trainer you are leaving or concerned about backlash down the road.  Thank God those were not on my list of issues.  But whatever your situation, if it isn’t working for you, find one that will.  We spend a crazy amount of time and money on this sport and we have to feel good about the services we receive.

BUT before you jump the gun and decide your feelings of frustration require a drastic change of barn, trainer, pony, whatever, talk to your people.  I don’t know why we are shy about speaking up and voicing our concerns!  When my daughter looked as though she wasn’t thriving, I sat down with the two instructors at our barn and talked about how Elizabeth was feeling.  They were awesome and jumped right in to help us make some changes.   I have other friends who feared the conversation only to find their trainer could totally solve the problem and go with them to the more competitive barn they were interested in.  Remember, it never hurts to ask.

Looking back I realize something pretty obvious.  Though we are grateful to the people who teach our children to ride and we often feel some strong sense of loyalty, there will be few who stay in one place from the day they ride their first pony until the time they leave for college.  The instructors all know this.  Some are more sensitive about it, some more mature and understanding.  Some barns really specialize in teaching little kids to ride and I often wish these barns would embrace that role and initiate the conversation about a rider’s goals and future, helping the parents choose a path to the next step even if it takes them to another barn.

So, if you have decided to make the change, how do you go about it?  That’s probably a whole other post but here are a few suggestions.

• If you know ANYONE, no matter how distant the relation or friendship, who has had a child go through the sport you are interested in, call them up and ask questions.  I cannot stress enough how wonderful and willing to share most parents of horse kids are.  Of course there are exceptions but I’ve always shared what I know and I got most of it from other moms! My first call was to the sister-in-law of an acquaintance.  She had raised two hunter daughters and gave us a long list of hunter barns and IEA teams.  Just before we hung up I mentioned my daughter’s interest in eventing and she thought there was an eventing barn very close by and gave us the name.  I will be forever grateful to her.  

• Go to your local tack shop and ask the manager about local barns.  They may have a list.  Also ask about what magazines cover equestrian sports in your area.  Now that I read Equine Journal and Massachusetts Horse regularly I’m wondering where these wonderful publications were during my time of need.  They have listings for barns by discipline, including our beloved barn!

• Contact the DC (District Commissioner) of your local pony club.  There is a national pony club website that lets you search for clubs by zip code.  Whether you have any interest in joining pony club or not (though I strongly encourage you to do so if you can fit it in and will go into great detail as to why in another post), these people are extremely well connected in the horse world within your geographical area.  If they can’t tell you what you need to know they will know someone who can.  And on average, pony club people are very generous with their knowledge.

• If all else fails, google for barns in your area and start dialing!  This was probably the least productive of all the things I did but it was kind of fun and I learned a few things including the fact that the biggest and most stunning new barn I’ve ever seen, and which was only a few miles from my house, was for the private use of the family that built it!  The woman was very nice but they were not taking any boarders though their barn had at least 20 stalls and their facility boasted a huge indoor and fabulous outdoor arenas.  And so that set me to daydreaming…

I know for many of you riding began as something your child wanted to try.  They were little, maybe a friend was taking lessons and they tagged along.  Maybe it was something you did with a neighbor.  The first barn was less a choice and more a happy accident.  We are forever indebted to those wonderful people who introduced our children to the love of horses.  If you were as lucky as we were, your child learned to care for a horse, to work hard around the barn and picked up some valuable horse knowledge along the way.  

If you are making a move, it could be for one of many reasons.  Your child may have big goals they cannot attain at the current barn.  Maybe there are no stalls available for you to bring in your own horse.  In our case it was a change of discipline as well as a desire for a different program where we had more control and more choices.  Too often it is because a trainer is excessively harsh or shows too high a degree of favoritism.  Sometimes these are things we have to live with.  Then again, when we are talking about little girls with a fragile sense of themselves, these can be very damaging.  Whatever your reason, you are the parent and you make the choice.  Don't be bullied by your experts.  There are plenty of other people out there willing to take you under their wing and give you a different experience.  Remember, you are paying these people a significant amount of money!

And as for how you'll know when you've found the right place, you'll just know.  Like looking for a house or choosing a school, the right place feels right.  The people are people like you.  The trainers share your values.  Your child wants to be there every minute of every day and you don't mind being there either.

Best of luck and happy barn hunting!

Kristie

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