Grooming Kit for Arena Eventing

Beat the mud with arena eventing! If you haven’t tried arena eventing we recommend it as a great day out with your horse. It comprises a series of show jumps immediately followed by cross country style fences. It's all ridden in the same arena, so we’re looking at rubber or sand-based surfaces.

Due to the uniqueness of this type of event we thought it would be useful to share what we have in our grooming kit for arena eventing. So here we go!

What to Include in Your Grooming Kit for Arena Eventing

1. Hoof pick with brush: It’s paramount to check your horses feet before they jump, sore hooves can lead to poor performance so pick out and check feet before every competition. The Borstiq Stubby Hoof Pick with a pick on one end and a small brush on the other allows you to be more thorough, removing every last bit of dirt and mud.
2. Brushes: First you’ll need to use a stiffer brush, we recommend the natural fibre bristled Borstiq Arenga or a Super Groomer, to remove any dried on mud. You will then want to follow this up with a body brush to fully remove any dirt or dander from your horse’s coat. Brushes come in various sizes and bristle types to suit different horses. Have a look at our guide if you’d like more information on which brush is for you.
3. Mane and tail brush: A mane and tail brush is used to detangle and smooth your horse’s mane and tail. Combine with Xtreme Detangler for pain free knot removal, ready for plaiting.
4. Perfect Plaits: Practice and more practice will help achieve neat, even plaits and will help your turnout improve, but for truly perfect plaits use what the professionals use and have a look at the Smart Grooming plaiting range. Use of Plaiting Wax and Plaiting Gel will make all the difference!
5. Bring out the Shine: for maximum shine we recommend hot clothing, and adding a cap full of Super Shine to the hot water well leave a brilliant finish. It may not help you get a clear round, but you’ll look fabulous while you’re out there!
6. Post competition brush: You’ve made it round safely, and everyone has had a great time. Particularly if you’ve ridden in a sand arena remember to use the body brush thoroughly to remove any flicked up sand from your horse’s coat, paying particular attention to the belly and legs.
7. Splosh Wash, Sponges & Sweatscrape: Did your horse work up a sweat? Splosh Wash will be just the thing. Invigorate with peppermint or relax with lavender. Mix with warm water, with this no rinse formula, just use a sweat scrape to remove excess water and you’re all done.
8. Grooming tote, bag, or box: It’s likely you’ll be travelling your horse to your competition– a specific bag for your grooming kit keeps everything together and it’s easy to put straight in the lorry or trailer. Here is one of our favourites – the Smart Grooming Competition Bag. 

Good luck at your competitions this year!