Horse Show Glamping

For those of use living the horse show life this summer, it can mean dirty hotel rooms and fast food meals or sleeping in your gooseneck trailer with a foam mattress and cold ham and cheese sandwiches. As I was scrolling through my newsfeed today I saw a post about Miranda Lambert showing her welsh cob named Ellie (huge shout out to Miranda Lambert for representing all of us crazy horse show people!). Later she had another post with the hashtags #horseshowseason #glamping. This made me wonder… hmmmm what is this “glamping” all about.

Urbandictionary gives a few definitions and on of my favorites is:

“Glamorous camping. Satisfying your craving for the outdoors and your penchant for a good meal, nice glass of wine, and a comfortable bed.”

So this begs the question, can you “glamp” even if you are not a famous country star like Miranda Lambert? I don’t see why not! I think no matter how you travel to horse shows, you can make it something special.

Here’s how to satisfy your craving for that horse show life while still having…

“a good meal, and a nice glass of wine”

The horse show diet can leave a bit to be desired. Eating greasy fried food at the food stand for every meal does not really prepare your well for competition. With a fridge or not, you can make your own healthy alternatives that are still quick and easy to eat. Yogurt and fruit make for a good breakfast. They take little preparation and it can all be done before you leave. Wash and cut up the fruit and separate it into servings in plastic containers. Pack a little granola to liven up the yogurt. Another one of my favorites is hard boiled eggs. Eggs are a good source of protein and they are easy to make ahead of time and store. A great afternoon snack could consist of hummus with pita chips and vegetables like carrots, broccoli or celery. All of these vegetables keep well and hummus gives you needed protein and healthy fats for energy all day long. For dinner you can prepare crock-pot meals ahead of time before you leave and then throw them in the crock-pot the morning of. Even if you do not have electricity at your tent you can plug it in near your stalls. Combining pretty much any cut of meat and some potatoes with your choice of vegetables will come together as a nice warm meal to finish off a long, successful day.  All of this can be stored in coolers or refrigerators. If you use a cooler, remember to add ice daily to keep your food fresh. Last and most importantly for “glamping” would be to pack your favorite beverage. This may mean some refreshing wine coolers, or delicious sweet tea but in my case I couldn’t travel any where without my coveted Pinto Grigio. Whatever it may be, make sure you are enjoying what you’re eating and it’s fueling your body right!

“a comfortable bed”

Whether you are sleeping in an expensive traveling home, a small living quarters trailer or a pop a tent on a nice patch of grass, having proper sleeping arrangements is one of the most important things. We all know that sleep is a commodity at most horse shows because there is not a lot of it to begin with. Between the late nights banding and braiding and then getting up to feed and lunge before the show starts, your hours of rest can be dwindled down to next to nothing. Having proper sleep is crucial to a successful show weekend. There are many studies to prove that sleeping improves your memory and cognition. You will be able to move faster and more efficiently and perform better in the show pen. If you are sleeping in a tent try a blow up air mattress or a cot. This can keep you off the ground and lessen the chance of a sore back in the morning. In a gooseneck, ask family and friends for an old mattress that you could put up there. It will provide just the right amount of support and not take up too much room, which will still allow you to pack all of the essentials. In either case, make sure you have enough blankets so you do not spend the whole night shivering and keep a portable, battery-powered fan nearby for the really hot nights. Being uncomfortable can make it hard to fall asleep and leave you feeling groggy in the morning. “Glamp” it up with some fun colored bedding or pillows to really make you feel at home. A little glitter never killed anyone.

Whenever you are feeling burnt out and don’t think you can spend one more day on the road, remember what its all about. We love our horses and all the great people that are involved with them. Anything you can do to make your time at the horse show a little more special can go a long way in terms of your health and overall well being.  Bring on the #horseshowseason #glamping!!

-Kerry

Pictures:
http://www.highwaywestvacations.com/category/glamping-campsites/
https://www.facebook.com/mirandalambert?fref=ts
https://instagram.com/mirandalambert/