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Wentworth Hunter Pace - June 6, 2021

After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time!  most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the...

What's in YOUR tack room? Trailer Edition

Here is the latest installment of "What's in YOUR tack room?" and this time we are looking at what I keep in my trailer!  First installment is here.

My first trailer was a neat 20' Eby stock trailer that I purchased in 2003 and paid for myself.  It is the first thing I bought and paid for new on my own, and I towed that thing everywhere from here in Maine to New Jersey and even Kentucky.  I loved that trailer and was sad to sell it, but it was pretty exciting to purchase another new one, just a bit longer (gotta fit husband's pulling oxen!).  So now it is not a "horse trailer" but a "livestock trailer" haha.  


My first rig - still own the truck (bought that new and paid it off as well!)

I admit, at first I was not super impressed with owning a stock trailer.  It just didn't seem as cool as the nice slant horse trailers with real dressing rooms and real horse windows.  Of course, it didn't take long for me to realize that a stock trailer, while not as fancy, is much more versatile than a regular trailer.  I have moved not just horses and cattle, but also hay, my belongings (three different moves!), a manure spreader, and jumps, just to name a few. I love Eby's craftmanship and while the new Frontier trailer is still nice, it is NOT an Eby.  


Excuse the dump trailer tailgate and my oldest son's lawn mower haha!
The new trailer is longer at 25' and we now have three sections instead of just two as in the Eby.  This means there is plenty of stall space for animals and I have a little "tack room" at the front.  We opted to do a second swinging divider instead of a wooden permanent wall in the tack room, which I like, but then I soon realized after we purchased it last spring that there were no spots to hang my tack hooks.  

I did some serious internet searching and found The Organized Barn.  I measured and analyzed and measured again.  I ordered what I thought I would need and delayed hanging anything up, for fear of messing it up.  Screwing into the metal panels of the trailer is kind of a one time deal.  You do it once and there is no turning back!  My husband helped me, as he is much handier than I am; I am the thinker/dreamer and he is the man with the tools!  ;-)  Overall, it worked out pretty well and I have used the set up at two shows so far.  There are two grids, two saddle racks, and a bridle rack.  I still don't have a great spot to hang my two garment bags (black one for dressage, green one for jumping phases), but I will figure something out.




I have two trunks for showing that stay right in my trailer.  I have not done overnight shows in a few years, but I used both of these in temporary tack stalls at shows.  One has wheels and a handle which makes it MUCH easier to move around (right side), but I have lugged the one on the left all over the place.  Totally a PITA, but whatever!  HAHA!

The trunk on the right is THE BEST EVER.  I have had it for several years now and I don't think I would buy anything else.  If you are considered a trunk, this is a great option by Stanley that is actually for tools.  It is a great price point and is well made.  It has become all the rage with eventers it seems, and I understand why.  It is lightweight and fits a Dover tack trunk cover perfectly.  Yes, I spent as much on the cover as I did on the trunk, but it was worth it!  I love having things look nice but also being budget conscious.  You could easily spend eight times as much as I did for the Stanley and the cover on a fancy custom trunk.  ;-)  
The trunk on the right is a Rubbermaid trunk my parents bought for me YEARS ago, like at least twenty years ago.  It has held up quite well and I was surprised to find the link to Tractor Supply haha!  The only drawback is that it doesn't move well, but if you don't need to move it (or if you are like me and just say screw it while lugging it miles from your trailer to your tack stall...) then I totally recommend it.


The Stanley plastic logo fell off and I bought a Dover name plate to glue in its place.
I keep saddle pads, girths, straps goods, boots (mine and my horse's), my show helmet, and brushes in here.


Quick word about that Troxel helmet carrier.  I LOVE IT and it is totally worth the money!  I have had it for years and it is perfect for showing.  It looks classy, fits easily in my trunk, and it is breathable.  Now that I look for a link, I don't see it anywhere online!  Maybe Troxel doesn't carry them any longer, which is too bad!
The Rubbermaid trunk has two large shallow trays in the top.  I keep all sorts of hardware (mostly all for overnight show use) on one side and my gloves, emergency rain ponchos, a blue bag of hairnets, pins, etc., and a mirror on the other.

Underneath, there are show sheets/coolers, leg wraps, and a first aid kit.
Other things I carry in my trailer include chairs (and apparently my random Horseware cooler haha)...



...several buckets, muck bucket, a tack room fake carpet for shows, and a pop up tent.  One tote holds things for showing at fairs (fancy stall signs and fabric for decorating the fair stalls) and the other tote has extra trailer ties and bungee cords.


And I have a step stool for mounting (my ancient one I bought for super cheap from Walmart years ago finally fell apart last summer).  I was SHOCKED they are so expensive but I figured this one will last as long as the previous one at least!  I also have a water container to bring water from home.  My horses tend to drink home water better anyway, plus it is never fun to lug water at day shows!



So far, I have been happy with the set up of our new trailer!  I think for trying to stay on a decent budget and make it look nice "for a stock trailer" haha, I have done well. And nothing here was staged, as I literally just opened the trailer and snapped some photos!  ;-)

Comments

  1. Oh my goodness your trailer is lovely inside!! <3 I have no trailer but if I did I'd want it to look like that inside haha!

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