Going to Events on your Own

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MontysKeeper

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Hello,

Any tips for going to events on your own? I'm going to dressage on Sunday and haven't been to many shows and this will be my first on my own! Do you leave your horse on the lorry whilst you notify that your there or take them off and leave with a haynet? Feeling so nervous already!

Thanks in advance 😊
 
MontysKeeper said:
Hello,

Any tips for going to events on your own? I'm going to dressage on Sunday and haven't been to many shows and this will be my first on my own! Do you leave your horse on the lorry whilst you notify that your there or take them off and leave with a haynet? Feeling so nervous already!

Thanks in advance ��
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I would never leave horse tied up without supervision but always leave my horse alone on the lorry whilst I walk the XC etc with a piece of paper with my number on the window
 
In many ways I prefer going to shows on my own, I can move at my own pace and I haven't got to worry about telling someone else what/how to do something. Dressage especially. I've found at dressage you don't need to notify them you're there until you're at the warm-up (even then some venues don't have a steward, you just need to know who you're following). I leave the horse on the lorry if I'm not there, unless there's someone around who can keep an eye, most people are pretty friendly and there are often quite a few others on their own. Just a case of being organised really!
 
Michen said:
I would never leave horse tied up without supervision but always leave my horse alone on the lorry whilst I walk the XC etc with a piece of paper with my number on the window
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This - and if there are people parked near I ask them to keep an ear out too. I specifically chose my box so that I can open the top part up, move the partition over and let him hang over with a haynet so he can see what's going on (he freaks out if he can hear things, but not see associated movement)
 
I am happy competing on my own, it is quite liberating, just me and my boy out and about. The biggest disadvantage is no one to take photos!

I do not tie unattended to the outside of the lorry. I am happy to tie unattended inside, but leave a piece of laminated paper in the front window to say I am here and this is my mobile number. I only open the ramp in a 7 1/2 tonne, so the back gates are still shut, or open the top doors only in a 3.5 tonne, to discourage people/kids/dogs from wandering in.
 
I usually leave mine on the box while I collect numbers, notify etc. I quite like going alone except if I have more than 2 horses going then I like to try and find someone to come with me. I did a show with 5 at last year alone because my helper(s) never arrived in the morning. Never again
 
I always go alone. People at shows are generally friendly so I usually find someone to chat to & people will keep an eye on your horse of you ask. Never leave a horse tied to the Lordy without supervision, always leave it on or load back onto the lorry before you go off somewhere.
You just need to be organised. Plan your times, length of time needed to warm up, tack up etc.
 
This is a lovely reassuring post. I will be in the same position next year (If i EVER find a suitable 3.5 lorry I can drive on a driving licence!!) I dont have a horsey OH and I keep my boy at home but I cant wait to have wheels and to just load up and head out as and when we want :)
 
I love going on my own. Although these days I only compete locally so chances are I know someone when I get there!! I never leave my horse unattended. I either ask someone to watch him or I hold him whilst I as someone to collect my sheets etc. People are usually willing to help. Leave yourself plenty of time to sort yourself out when you get there. When you have done it once it's a real sense of achievement and you will wonder what you were worrying about!! Good luck and let us know how you're day goes x
 
I've been going to events on my own for a while now and it's fine :) I leave on the lorry with a hyanet and a laminated 'in case of emergency' sign in the window. At the end of the event I'll quite often take my horse with me to look at scores/collect sheets etc to keep her legs moving and just collar a random stranger to hold her if I need to look closer or go inside (my eye sight is awful ;) )
 
another who goes alone all the time. OH is usually shooting if I go to a weekend show, and he's working in the week (whereas I can take holiday :) )
It's fine, I do actually leave mine tied outside sometimes as she can get stressy in the lorry but will park outside all day, though we are practicing and it's getting better ;)
Only thing I miss is having someone to whip horse's boots off. Oh, and photos :D


Start chatting to people and they will almost always chat back... if I didn't go on my own we wouldn't go anywhere so you just get used to it :)
 
Thanks Everyone. Feeling abit more reassured 😊 Think it's also because I haven't been to this venue either, so all new!

Thanks Again
 
I love going out on my own!

I usually tack up on board and only get her off when I'm ready to get on. If I tie up afterwards to wait for sheets/results, I usually ask some kind nearby person to keep an eye on her while I nip to the tent. Or I pop her onboard and ask someone to keep an ear out.
 
Another loner here. There's really nothing to worry about. The big thing is to allow plenty of time. Allow a few extra minutes for unforeseen things like having to re-do a few plaits and then add a few more to make sure you're not stressing over time. You won't have anyone to do the running around for you picking up things you've forgotten so make a mental checklist of things you need to have done before getting on and work through it. There's usually someone walking past who can be commandeered to pull boots off just as you go in or something similar, but bear in mind there might not be and factor it in.

If it's winter and we're parked on hardstanding I leave him on the trailer (many places don't like you dropping hay all over the car park) with a haynet to keep him occupied. In the summer if there's grass to eat I leave him outside but I know I can trust him not to do anything daft (I know some don't like them eating grass at shows but it doesn't bother me). If you're not sure, I'd leave him on the trailer and maybe ask the person parked next to you to keep an eye on him.

As long as he'll stand happily, I like to allow enough time to have a little wander round, have a cup of coffee (before dressage anyway, too nervous before jumping!) say hello to people, maybe watch a couple of tests etc. I usually do the same after my test when he may be more likely to stand quietly.
 
Leave on the box to sign in :) Depending on horse and show then either with a net outside the box or back inside in-between, and then back on before going to get sheets :) I do leave my old hands at the box unsupervised (or with a neighbour 'keeping an eye' - we often stay away for up to 5 days at driving or scurry shows so they're well used to it!

Enjoy!
 
As a show organiser, could you please make sure that someone has a phone number of your yard or family to contact in an emergency. Oh and from bitter experience it is not helpful if you leave your dog locked in your vehicle so that no one can get dog out or put horse in, especially if your family turn out to be 4 hours away by public transport to rescue all the said animals while you 'lie around' in hospital!!!
 
I've been out on my own, with both one and two ponies. I leave them on the trailer while I check in etc and I always put them back on the trailer rather than leave tied to it (one of mine is an escape artist and the other will kick if people come too close with strange horses). I've also asked people to hold them while I pop for a wee or collect results and people are always helpful and friendly. I have emergency contact 'dog tags' on my tack and clothing, plus if I'm there alone I usually write it on the entry and put a contact number on that, just in case.

My mum was the emergency contact for one of her friends and she got the call to pick up his horses from an event after he was taken to hospital. It took her several hours to get there (we lived a good 100 miles from the event) and everyone there had been really helpful and accommodating.
 
I'm a Billy no mates and go on my own. I've been doing it for years. At the dressage I'm well known, so that it's easy because there is always someone around to help. As someone else said leave contact numbers somewhere they can be got at. I recently came off at a show and while I was OK and able to communicate, it could have been different, I used a car as a soft landing place:D. I've given emergency numbers to the show organiser. I'm also going to leave a list in the van in case . I had to be rescued by my Dad.......oh the shame :D

The lesson I learnt is that just because you are on your own do not be afraid to ask for help. All the single riders at the dressage now ask for assistance when mounting,after a spate of nasty falls when mounting unassisted. There are enough people around, happy to help, why take the risk. My horse is prefect to mount! prefect until the saddle hurt him!!!
 
I'm yet another who goes it alone all the time, RC, Hunting, Dragging, hacking etc.
I let someone know on arrival that I'm on my own, just in case of issues, and DH is always told where I'm going and I'll text on arrival and again by xyz time.

I have a laminated card which I pop against the drivers window with contact numbers, yard location etc. (have had to take others horses back before, its so much better if your own can be taken home :) )
Also, my mobile number is in large writing (in chalk) on the partition and on the rear horse breast wall too.
Never ever will I tie outside, always left inside the box till required. My tie rings are virgins :biggrin3:
 
Great tip about leaving a sign up with the key details. Never thought of that and thankfully so far never needed to, but will do that now. I prefer having someone on the ground to help but it's not always possible.

If I'm on my own, I also leave mine in the lorry whilst I nip off. Would never leave him tied up outside. He's fine on the lorry but would def get himself into trouble tied up outside!

Agree about being organised, having all your stuff handy, getting prepared inside the lorry and then get him off when I'm ready to tack up and go. If it's not far and I'm not sure what it's like at the venue I will also travel tacked up. Did that when I first got my current horse as he was a real fidget. It's common in hunting circles and again provided you secure everything and have a half sensible horse, I think it's ok.
 
Thanks for all the responses! We did it and scored 62.77% on our dressage 😊 Chuffed to bits as this was our first outing since May this year. Pony looked after me x
 
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