Well, now you are here! Let`s do a checklist of priorities for the day (assuming this is a day only show). You should have already gone ahead to bed your stall (if you choose to have one), and have the bucket rings in place, as well as the stall guard rings. Keeping your horse at the trailer for the day is fine if he is calm and content with that, and that you have protection in the chance of rain (or?). Make sure you have brought along plenty of hay and water to last the day (preparing for the sudden change of weather to hot and dry). With your horse bedded and watered and hayed, or tied with hay and water, go and confirm your entries and number. Make sure to pick up extra pins if available! You should have brought your show clothes with you in a garment bag, and if at all possible, change in the horse trailer just before you go to the warm up ring, (unless the washrooms are very close by, and within ear and running distance if your time gets tight for the class).

Your horse should be clean and ready to braid. I recommend using Quick Braid, and rubber bands that match the color of your horse`s mane and tail. Spray on Quick Braid, and then I use a hair gel LIGHTLY on my fingers and run through ONLY the area that I will be braiding first, applying the gel only as I get to each section. Stand square to the exact area of your horse`s mane that you are braiding (that is why you have to have an easily portable stand) and have a friend keep your horse standing straight and square to you. Then using your combs, start braiding poll to wither. I put up my braids, once I have braided all the way down. That way, ensuring that they are even. In putting them up one by one, I make sure that they are lying straight alongside of each other. I then do the tail. Remember to have Hunters braided only on the Right Side of the neck!

Now, run a finishing brush over your horse, tack up, and go change! You are ready to knock `em dead!

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