Useful pony camp packing checklist
While you obviously don’t want to be going to camp without your sleeping bag and other essential items like that, over the years I found that there was a handful of items that I just couldn’t do without.
- Hairnet – If you’ve got long hair then you’ll know how useful hairnets can be. Some camps also have a dress code so expect you to be smart at all times.
- White shirt – The first camp I ever went to I just took comfortable casual clothes with me. This wasn’t a problem until an impromptu competition was announced with a best turned out class. I had to borrow one but it was a bit too big, needless to say, I didn’t win.
- Riding jacket – As with a white shirt, I would always recommend a smart riding/show jacket.
- Tie or riding stock – A tie or riding stock won’t take up much space in your but if your camp has any competitions you’ll be glad you’d packed one.
- Riding gloves – You might think that you ride all the time so don’t need riding gloves but when you spend a lot of the day in the saddle you’ll quickly realize the benefits of them.
- Waterproof jacket – I know you’re more likely to be going to camp in the summer and that the chances are you won’t need a waterproof jacket but we all know how quickly the weather can change. And with that in mind, they’re lightweight and don’t take up much space so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Body protector – Even if your camp doesn’t say you must take a body protector with you I think it’s a must. I know it can be horrible to wear it when the weather is baking hot but on the chance you do fall off you’ll be glad you were wearing it.
What to leave behind
You might think that you can take anything with you to pony camp and while this is the case for a lot of them it’s by no means the case for all of them so it’s important to check beforehand. For example, some camps won’t allow you to take a cell phone, iPod, tablet or any other electronic device.
Regardless of whether your camp has a ‘leave behind’ list or not I found that there were a few things I just didn’t need.
- Cellphone – Even if your camp allows them I still think it’s a good idea to leave your cellphone behind. We all spend way to much time on them so why not leave it behind and make some new friends at the camp.
- Valuables – Some camps will have a secure box where you can leave your valuables but if you’re going to leave it there why bring it with you in the first place?
- Jewelry – Essential earrings (unless studs) should be left at home. They can easily get caught and fall off so it’s better to not bring them in the first place.
Page 1 – Essential packing checklist
Page 3 – What is pony camp?