Hauling is often synonymous with horse shows, where dust, sweat, mud, green slobber stains, and various oils, grease and goo come with the territory. Despite the gritty side of competitive riding, there is something to be said for the joy of inching closer to one’s goals as a result of all the dirty work, prompting the repeated hitching of the trailer time and again. Such demonstration of perseverance deserves some relief, and so we began to fantasize about all of the ways in which a souped up trailer might aid in a more comfortable horse show experience.
For a wide range of ideas we asked a few rider friends and cruised the information superhighway, rubber-necking at the posh details of luxury living quarters. The end result is a collection of “tools” for the mobile tack room—both practical and playful—that are meant to add a little glamour to the show circuit grind. Because if 80% of success is showing up, why not make it 100% more fun?!
No matter what progress has been made in or out of the arena, one should always be prepared for the impromptu pop of bubbly. Inspired by the mouth-blown glassware of the Czech Republic, Juliska has earned a cult following for its signature berry & thread motifs, more recently incorporating them into an al fresco collection of acrylic tableware. A shatterproof solution to those horse show celebrations!
Odds and ends like braiding bands, a nail file, Band-Aids, sunscreen, hair nets, and more are often tucked away in stackable bins (or repurposed SmartPak drawers). We like the idea of elevating our storage game with a vintage-inspired travel case for its durability, and this one can be monogrammed, ensuring it doesn’t venture too far from home.
This product may seem a bit overzealous, but we treat Oprah’s reviews as gospel: “When I tried this foot massager, I swear fireworks lit the sky, waves pounded against the shore, and a choir of angels sang. This is some powerful pampering,” she has declared. The deep tissue Shiatsu massage device applies heat, resulting in spa quality self-service from the comfort of one’s own tack stall.
Early mornings in the warm up ring can come all too soon, especially when one is reliant on the sunrise jolt of caffeine. This sleek, cordless gadget contains massive power from patented technology that we were too distracted to comprehend after reading that it reaches “unparalleled coffee extraction qualities” that rival most home espresso machines.
Sometimes the show office is so close you can see it, but too far for a sprint in tall boots. This nifty transport lets you pedal manually, or switch to electric power with speeds of up to 20mph—kind of like applying spur to a lazy mount (a.k.a. “more leg!!!”).
Mobile Napping Station
Things to add to the aforementioned cosmetics case: a silk eye mask and noise-canceling headphones. When warmup starts at 6am and our classes start much later, we’re more than happy to hop in the truck, recline the seat, and catch a few winks. However, we highly recommend setting an alarm!
