Taking my horse to training camp - advice needed pls

C

Chichi

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2009
Messages
63
Visit site
Hi,

I have booked a place on a weekend training camp with my horse but I have never been anywhere with my horse so far so I really need help from more experienced people.

There are no stables where we are going so I will need to corral the horse. Needless to say I have never done that in the past. What is a good corral size? any recommendations where I can buy the stuff I need?

What do I need when going away with my horse: tack, grooming stuff, hard feed and hay, buckets, rugs... what else?

I do not have my own transport so first I thought I will just organise for a company to do the transport for me but now I am just wondering where I am supposed to leave all the stuff for the horse? i am not sure everything would fit in my car? Would it be better to hire a small lorry where I could store stuff during the day, park next to the horse and keep an eye on him and maybe even sleep in at night?

I am planning to go there on my own as I have been thinking it might be a good way to meet people with whom I could then share transport and so on in the future. Please do not hesitate to give me any advice that could make the weekend a nicer experience.

I am really wondering whether it is such a good idea to go there as our first experience. It seemed like a great idea but now it seems really complicated.
Thanks in advance.
 
From what you are saying it doesn't appear to be well organised at all. There are no provisions to stable your horse. You mention putting up a coral, well you'd need fence posts, electric tape & an energiser. There may or may not be somewhere to leave your stuff but it sounds as though your tack & feed would have to be left in your trailer/lorry.....which you don't have. I think this weekend could work out extremely expensive for you & as I've said it doesn't sound well organised at all. With organisation like this you wonder what the quality of instruction will be?

Sorry but I think I'd cancel.
 
Think I would also cancel, cant believe anyone would organise a camp with no facilities for the horses to stay, does not sound well organised or a safe environment to take your horse to, or secure for your tack etc.

How much are they charging for this camp, who is doing the teaching etc.
 
I suggest that you speak to the organisers about your concerns. Corraling is very common for a lot of people and does not neccesarily mean bad organisation or an unsafe enviroment. It mans that events can be held at cheaper venues without a lot of stables. Electric fencing is most commonly used and some people use hurdles. I am surethat someone will have room for the stuff that won't fit in your car. Find out more before you start to panic and remember that things done differently are not always worse.
 
Thanks for your advice.

It is a Trec training camp and it is quite common to corral horses at Trec competitions. Usually the facilities are quite limited as you basically just need bridleways and a field for the PTV and COP. The organisers have tried to keep the price as low as possible and at that particular location there is one loo, one shower that's it. I don't think it is badly organised, the people organising are used to organise 2 days competitions.

I am indeed a bit concerned that it is going to turn into a very expensive weekend if I have to buy / hire lots of stuff... Actually I just wanted to hear from more experienced riders whether there are other things I need to consider buying because I can't stretch my budget too much.

I am going to talk to the organisers, maybe they know of people in my area who would share transport and I am going to check the prices of the posts, electric fence and energiser...
 
Thank you ester, that's very useful.
My horse is out a night all year round so I think he is going to be quite happy in a corral... unless he thinks the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and tries to escape. Due to health and safety I think you are not allowed to pitch your tent next to the field, but I don't think I would sleep really well if I couldn't stay close to him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top