Evening before a show, what do you do?

dressager

dressager

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Generally I keep busy with cleaning tack, organising travel stuff etc to try and stay relaxed. However the night before my next BD competition I have a big 30th b'day to go to and am not looking forward to the lack of sleep before having to get up stupidly early to plait and wash my grey! Even a late night with no booze makes me feel bleurgh.

Wondered what people do the evening before competing, do you carry on as normal, go out etc. Or do you try and focus more and avoid late nights?
 
I just carry on as normal, if that means going out then I do, if not then I'll probably get my things together and look through my tests again!
 
Definately go out for a beer! I find the hangover helps
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I'm more worried about the pain than the test
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Unless its jumping, then I feel sick!
 
I thin I am a bit of a nerd I will get organised then try to eat a high carb meal to keep me going the next day and make sure I am in bed by 11ish. If I had the party I would go but try to bail out before 12 and not drink too much.....that's always the plan anyway
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Lol Smiffyimp, maybe I'll give the hangover theory a go in that case. Hope I don't get breathalised at the show though
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I would try and get as done the night before, I always bath, plait, wash, condition and brush through tail so it will dry in time, clean tack and load lorry the night before, then I just have to wash off stains in the morning.

I would still go out but prob wouldnt drink or limit myself to a few drinks
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I used to be really good, (spend all night cleaning tack, getting things together) and then things gradually got worse and worse, now i normally go out, generally have a few hours sleep and then am up and ready to go, looking and feeling like deatch warmed up! LOL! I think going out is always a good thing if you get nervous to take your mind off it
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If I decide to be good and stay in, then a bottle of wine always helps the tack cleaning nicely
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I love going to shows.. xx
 
Well I show so it consists of LOTS of pampering ha ha

I'll ride in the evening, usually school then go for a relaxing plod round the block (if he's round my grandads, if he's at home though I will just school as I can't hack from home
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Then I will give him a good bath was his tail and mane, make sure his legs as spotless and white... (lucky I have no plaiting as he's a pure bred arab
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)

I will then leave him with a haynet in the sun to dry off and relax, while I muck out and give him a clean bed

I will then put his tail back into a plait and into a tail bag (as it is very long) brush his mane through and spray him over with finishing spray, I will then put his PINK hood on
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and a clean thin rug... depending on the size of the show whether I bandage him (he's very clean any way so don't usually bother) but I will put lots of chalk on the night before, and maybe bandage

Then put him to bed/feed him about 6pm

we will then get the trailer out and I will put haynet in it, get everything in the car ie, grooming kit, rugs, feed ect ect

I will clean the tack in the evening, but and put it in the car in the morning (don't like to leave tack in the car, just incase)

I will get out all my clothes the night before so I'm ready don't like to be rushed in the morning and usually have early mornings any way!!!

Also get out any paper work to take, ie numbers, gate passes, money for the day, passport, oh can't forget the camera's
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ect ect

eat, relax and sleep ha ha!!!!

xxxxx
 
im a nerd too chloe! ill go out if its an important *do* but always make sure i get 7 hours sleep and dont drink. i work hard to pay for entries/training and dont want to ruin things with a silly mistake due to a hangover.

ruffles a few feathers when none horsey work/friends/friends of OH cant understand why i dont want to get hammered, but hey ho, my life, my money!
 
normally I have cleaned tack etc the day before. Make sure everything is ready to go straight into the lorry and all ponies travel stuff is ready. If I need to plait I usually do it the afternoon/evening before and pop his lycra hood on to make sure he doesn't get shavings in them.

I would go out but if it is a mega early start then I don't think I could cope with the lack of sleep and being hungover. But if it is a reasonable start time then there is nothing wrong with a couple of glasses of vino.
 
Blimey, you are organised, think I need to take a leaf out of your book
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No matter how much I get ready the day/night before, I always am rushing in the next morning, I do small hunter so always have to be there early too... The joys, but we love it!
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x
 
I'd just like to add to this that the best dressage test I have done was after 2 hours sleep and a severe hangover, and very little working in due to said hangover (I had to sit on the floor in the shade for a while after tacking up
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!)
Luckily I didn't have to drive the lorry
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Certainly made me much more relaxed.
Couldn't do it now I drive the lorry.
 
Clean the ponies; the evening is spent tack cleaning, boot polishing and then infront of the tv. I'll usually stay up til around 1am though; I find I cannot sleep very well due to pre-show nerves so I end up getting more rest going to bed tired than if I went at a decent time.

Usually end up sleeping in the car on the way there
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Normally I finish very late plaiting / bathing / cleaning tack etc. However when I was competing in Italy, big shows were a bit of a social event (there's normally only one per month and all competitors / trainers / judges sleep in the same 3 or 4 hotels, so every night there's a pretty big meal at a restaurant.......finishing LATE!)
I guess it's not so bad when it's the same situation for everybody
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I try not to go out the night before either. I never drink that much anyway but I do need a LOT of sleep to be on top of things. I always clean tack and load lorry the day before, and make sure horse is clean enough. I'm pretty quick at plaiting and my current horse doesn't have any white, so the morning routine is quite easy. Plait, tape (sorry, I'm a white tape fan), brush and spray tail, brush horse, travel boots and rug on, in lorry and go go go!!!
 
1) ride horse
2) Wash horse's socks and tail
3) do normal yard duties, muck out/sweep yard/feed etc.
4) Fill haynets and water for show next day whilst doing yard duties
5)Put horse to bed
6) Clean tack
7) load lorry with all gear
8) check I know my dressage tests/what time leaving etc.
9)Sleep!
 
i generally finish work at half 1 in the morning so get to sleep at about half 2!! then get up at half 6 to get everything done, it can affect you too much as i have been no worse than 4th at every show this year on different horses!!!!
 
normally wash the horse after work and plait up if i have time.
clean tack
check i have everything ready for the morning- clothes and tests mainly!
next day wash the horse again, check plaits and go!
 
Strangely enough two of my best days (champion at a big county show and another show with 2 wins qualifying for two major championships) were after I had been on "light alcohol" the night before though in both cases were already at the show. Generally it is putting everything in the hallway to put in the car to put in the lorry, organising food for us and that is about it. I then spend the rest of the evening worrying about whether or not I am leaving at the right time the next morning. Horse is at livery so am very spoilt and generally don't actually do anything for the horse the day before a show.
 
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