Preparing Your Horse for Competition Season

Season prep is logistics plus conditioning. The horses that last until September are the ones whose shoeing, fitness, and recovery were planned in April.

Eight weeks out

Veterinary review: teeth, vaccinations, musculoskeletal check.
Farrier: confirm shoeing cycle fits peak show weeks.
Fitness baseline: three jump schools and two flat/hack sessions per week for most amateurs.

Four weeks out

Introduce competition-height fences in short sessions.
Practice loading and travelling if the horse is green.
Log weight and condition score weekly.

Show week

Light jump two days before — not the day before unless your horse needs it mentally.
Electrolytes and hydration on hot transport days.
Course walk with a written plan; photograph the board if allowed.

Recovery

After a big weekend:

Hack or walk the next day.
Full jump school no sooner than 48–72 hours for most horses.
Note any rubs, swellings, or behaviour changes in the health log.

Paperwork

Passport, vaccinations, insurance, and emergency contacts in one folder (physical or phone). FEI horses: check medication withdrawal times before anything new goes in the feed.

Seasons are marathons. Budget recovery like you budget entries — the start list is long, but only one horse carries you through it.