Avoiding Horseshow Hangovers

We’ve all been there, the inevitable horseshow hangover. The hangover seems to occur whether it’s a two-day show, or a two-week show. The late nights, early mornings, over abundance of caffeine and calories can leave us feeling like we got a little too rowdy the night before. But these hangovers aren’t the typical type, and no, hair of the dog will not solve the problem.

1. Have a plan. Know the: who, what, when, where and why. Know which classes you are entering and have your horse ready, so you’re not rushing around. The rushing around adds stress, and can decrease your odds of having a sound mind in the show pen.
2. Try to get as much sleep as possible through time management. If you have a longer break between classes, take a quick nap.
3. Bring healthier snacking options. Often times, a big change in diet can affect our mood and energy level. By bringing smarter snacking options, you can sustain your energy, even with the dwindled amount of sleep we experience at shows.
4. Stay hydrated. Bring water and Gatorade or other electrolyte supplement drinks to help keep you going. Personally, I find it easiest to bring gallon jugs of water to track my water intake. I will drink 1-2 Gatorades throughout the day, especially during the summer shows that can leave you extremely dehydrated.
5. Take care of the aches and pains. If your health allows, don’t be afraid to use topical pain relief such as, icy hot, or oral pain relievers like Advil to help take the edge off the aches and pains that occur from showing all day.

Unlike the drinking induced hangover, the horseshow-induced hangover leaves you jonesing for the next one. Also with every show, we learn to be more efficient and to have a better game plan for the next show. If you have any tips to avoid horseshow hangovers, please feel free to share!

Show Pen

May 16, 2016