This year, I started horse showing again on my 5yo OTTB mare after some time off. That meant I had to brush the dust off my old tack trunk, organize it and remember what I needed to pack in it. If you’re anything like me, you like always to be prepared. Besides, over the next few days you’ll be living out of that tack trunk, and you don’t want to pack too much or too little because each square inch of that trunk is valuable. So, what do you really need in your tack trunk this show season? To compile my Tack Trunk Checklist, I’ve lived the life, dug through my friend’s trunks, and asked on Schneider’s Instagram story what’s really needed in your tack trunk. Below, I’ve listed the 50 items you should pack in your tack trunk this year.

The Obvious Tack Trunk Essentials

These tack trunk essentials are the obvious items you need to pack. It’s your tack, grooming supplies, horse and rider essentials that you need (or might need) to get ready for the show season. We broke it down in an easy-to-read list, so you can check off one by one and make sure you’re properly packed.

Tack Riding Equipment

Tack and Riding Equipment

  1. Show pads and schooling pads: Pack an extra just in case the weather gets bad. You don’t want to go into the arena with a wet or muddy saddle pad from the day before.
  2. Bridles
  3. Martingales
  4. Bits: I always carry a few types of bits, because you never know what type of horse you may get.
  5. Show girths and schooling girths
  6. Girth attachments
  7. Ear plugs and bonnets
  8. Tack cleaner and conditioner
  9. Extra halters: I’ve successfully broken my halter at the worst times, so now extra halters always travel with me.
Grooming Supplies

Grooming Supplies

  1. Hard Brush and Soft Brush
  2. Curry Comb
  3. Hoof Pick
  4. Mane & Tail Brush
  5. Baby Oil: This is great to use for cleaning up your horse’s nose and ears before showing.
  6. Alcohol: This is great to use to dry your horse’s legs up before wrapping them
  7. Seam Ripper You’ll need this to get braids out
  8. Hoof Paint
  9. Moisturizing Spray
  10. Detangler
Horse Care Supplies

Horse Care Supplies

  1. Tail Wrap and Sleazy/Slickers: You’ll need this to help protect your braids, especially if you have a horse that likes to rub them out.
  2. Shampoo, Whitening Shampoo, Liniment, Sponge, Sweat Scraper
  3. Rags for cleaning your horse, tack, and whatever else.
  4. Poultice: This will help with any soreness after a long day.
  5. Hoof Pack: This will help reduce inflammation in your horse’s hooves
  6. Vet Wrap
  7. Front Boots
  8. Polo Wraps
  9. Standing Wraps
Rider Essentials

The Rider Essentials

  1. First-Aid Kit
  2. Spurs
  3. Gloves: Bring an extra pair just in case a loose Jack Russell Terrier finds yours and takes one as its own.
  4. Crop
  5. Phone Charger
  6. Hair nets & rubber bands
  7. Boot Polish
  8. Snacks: Bring a variety of snacks and lots of them. Your stall neighbor will probably be sharing.
  9. Sticky Spray (lots and lots of sticky spray!)
  10. Toiletries (Deodorant, Sunscreen, Chapstick, etc.)
Not-So Obvious

The Not-So Obvious Tack Trunk Essentials

These items are not always top of mind when packing your trunk, but you’re certainly going to find yourself wishing you had them at some point. Trailers get packed and unpacked a ton, and sometimes these items get left behind or misplaced. These not-so obvious tack trunk essentials will make you the barn favorite when one of your barn mates desperately seeks them out.

  1. Extra Utility Straps
  2. Utility Hooks
  3. Double End Snaps
  4. Stall Guards
  5. Leather Hole Puncher: Because you never know when your horse will snap her reins in half (speaking from personal experience).
  6. Pins for Numbers
  7. Electrical Tape
  8. Tools: Screwdriver, Scissors, Staple Gun, Wrench and Hammer
  9. Spray Bottles
  10. Zip Ties

What do you like to keep in your tack trunk? Share in the comment section below!