Show Season Prep: A Month-by-Month Checklist

Show season waits for no one. Whether your first show is in May or June, getting organized early takes the stress out of the process. Here's a practical timeline.

3 Months Out

• Book your vet check: Get a pre-season soundness check and update vaccinations (influenza, rhinopneumonitis, rabies, West Nile)
• Review your horse's dental health: Schedule a float if it's been more than a year
• Check your farrier schedule: Make sure your horse will be freshly shod or trimmed for your first event
• Review and repair equipment: Check saddle fit, bridle, boots, and protective gear

2 Months Out

• Fitness conditioning: Start building your horse's fitness if they've had time off
• Enter your first shows: Many popular shows fill up fast, so don't wait
• Book trailering: If you need a transporter, get on their schedule early
• Practise trailer loading if your horse needs refreshing

1 Month Out

• Practise show conditions: Ride in your show tack, practise in areas with distractions
• Organize your show kit: Groom box, medical kit, extra equipment, paperwork
• Get coggins and health certificates if crossing provincial borders
• Confirm all bookings: Stabling, transport, entries

Show Week

• Bathe and groom
• Pull or braid mane depending on discipline
• Pack the trailer the night before
• Get a good night's sleep, seriously

Finding Services for Show Season

Every service on this checklist is in the directory:

• Farriers for that pre-show trim or reset
• Horse transport if you are not hauling yourself
• Photographers and videographers for ring shots
• Saddle fitters if your tack check turned up a problem
• Veterinarians for the soundness check and paperwork

Check what's on the calendar for dates, and browse your province for providers who travel: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario.

Preparation is the best confidence booster.