Guest Post by Jemima Bartlett.
It’s show season again so buckle yourself in for a crazy financial ride. Between gas, entry, insurance and registration fees, lessons, clinics, veterinary treatment, chiro sessions and saddle re-fittings amongst others necessities, your budget will likely experience a significant tightening! Follow my helpful hints to see if you can save some spondula.
1. Pack Snacks
The price of convenience is high. Save yourself the 110%
mark-up on café snacks and the calories you’d no doubt be consuming. Instead of
binging on café food, opt to pack yourself protein rich, nutritious snacks which
will boost your energy and concentration levels.
2. Don’t Buy Horse Makeup
A simple makeup switch-a-roo can save you lots of money!
Some of my personal favorites are using liquid chalk or black chalk soaked in
baby oil as alternatives to horse makeup. Likewise, a spray bottle filled with
human hair conditioner and diluted with water makes a fantastic coat spray. Or,
for an extra sheen on your horse’s quarters, try a few drops of baby oil.
However, beware of baby oil in hot weather, sunburn is an accessory your stead
can do without!
3. Photograph
Depending on your photography skills and editing expertise,
just attending the horse show can become a revenue earning experience. You will
likely be in attendance at the show for the majority of the day, so you could
take that time to video or photograph other riders during the competition for a
small fee. These seemingly small earnings may even amount to enough to cover
your entry to the event.
4. Helpers Discounts
Pencillers for dressage shows are often difficult to come
by. So, it is worth inquiring with the show organizers about rewards for gear
check stewards and pencillers. Potential pencillers or gear check stewards
could be eligible for a discount on entry fees in return for their help on show
day.
5. Share a Float
Provided your stead is a happy traveler and your float is
roomy, why not offer to take another stead along with your own to the
competition in return a nominal fee? Your earnings could be put towards petrol
or tolls.
May your halts be square, your pirouette tight and your trot
cadenced.
Until next time,
CruiseController
Jemima Bartlett is the CruiseController. She is a University student and dressage rider based in Australia. She has recently taken to combining her passions as writing and riding through the creation of a blog titled, “Delusions of Dressage Grandeur”. You can check out Jemima and her horse Cruise on twitter@CruiseCtrlr
