It's on the list... now if I could find the list....

When C called the other night, and after I made the decision to make the trip, I did my usual scramble/rummage through the tack boxes, the barn, and the refrigerator to collect everything Sunny and I would need for the day. It's a task that gets easier later in the riding season after a few outings have nailed down in my head exactly what not to forget.

I'm really going to have to find my horse-camping checklist and keep it where I can actually remember to use it! And actually, I need to have several. One for day trips, one for overnights/longer trips, one for showing, and one for just hauling. I have a longer one for the overnight trips, and have finally mostly compiled one for showing (it keeps getting longer), but there always seems to be something forgotten at home that we really could have used.

On the things-I-forgot list for yesterday go:

1. first aid kit - I have a horse/people one at the farm, and a travel kit that always goes along, but with traveling with someone else, and packing the saddlebags at home, I didn't think of taking the more complete one. I did have vet-wrap, and wound powder along while riding - gotta love saddlebags, and I always carry a knife/multi-purpose tool and a hoof pick, so we at least covered for minor stuff, but still...
2. bucket & water - there was ample water on the trail. I'd ridden it before and knew there would be, and I know Sunny's good about drinking away from home, but....
3. tack check - I hadn't checked to make sure that the new saddle pad I've been using was compatible with the saddle bags I took. I didn't do a test run, or I would have discovered at home that the saddlebags ride up under the pad as soon as Sunny shifts. He would have had a sore back if I'd used them. J was able to tie them on his saddle for me yesterday, but.... Since the pad is working, I think I may need to try something that sits over the saddle horn instead.

Things I did take that worked:

1. The Freedom Bridle - I've been playing with it since last fall, but hadn't ridden him out and about with it. He does have a tendency to pop his nose up if he doesn't want to stop, but that I can work on.
2. Saddle & pad -- his back was evenly wet, it didn't shift on the hills, and he didn't have any sore spots at the end of the day, although I'll check him again today to be sure. Hooray for finally finding a pad that doesn't slide!
3. Food - lunch-size soft cooler filled with portable stuff like cheese sticks, pepperoni slices, and multiple small water bottles pre-frozen. Hard fruit, granola bars (non-sticky kind), etc. Trail mix without melty stuff.
4. Stiff brush - the $1.79 floor scrubbing brushes from Wal-mart are better than most of the "horse" brushes I've purchased. They're stiff enough to remove dry sweat and mud, but not so stiff that the horses don't lean in to them. And they're comfortable to hold.
5. Extra saddle pad, just in case (didn't need it, but...)
6. Sanitary/babywipes & a pack of tissues for emergency TP use.
   
7. Cell phone (in case of emergencies)
   

If you haul to shows and rides that require overnights, do you have a list that you use to pack? What about for day trips? Is there anything you've found that works really well or not so well?