Last Updated: 04/11/2025
Preparing Your Horse for a Competition
Get your horse competition-ready with our vet-approved guide. Discover expert tips on nutrition, hydration, gut health, and grooming for peak performance.
Author: Dr Teagan Lever BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 6 minutes - short read
The thrill of competition, the culmination of months of hard work, and the unique partnership between horse and rider—it's what makes equestrian sport so rewarding. Whether preparing for a local show or a major event, the preparation in the weeks and days prior is just as crucial as the training in the saddle. As veterinarians, we see firsthand how much effort owners put into their horses' fitness, but peak performance is a holistic concept. It's a delicate balance of nutrition, fitness, stress management, and meticulous planning.
This guide provides vet-approved advice for keeping your equine partner happy, healthy, and ready to perform at their best. From managing the sensitive equine gut to ensuring perfect hydration, here are the key areas to focus on as you prepare for your next event.
Building the foundation: Fitness and nutrition
A high-performance equine athlete isn't built overnight. The foundation for success is laid in the weeks and months leading up to the competition.
Fitness
A consistent training program that gradually builds cardiovascular fitness, strength, and suppleness is essential. Abrupt increases in work right before a show can lead to muscle strain or fatigue. Ensure your horse is comfortably working at or slightly above the level that will be required at the competition.
Nutrition
This is the fuel for performance. The single most important component of any horse's diet is forage (pasture, hay, or chaff). Ensure your horse is receiving a minimum of 1.5% of its body weight in forage daily. Any hard feeds or concentrates should be selected to match the energy demands of the work.
- Avoid sudden changes: Never introduce a new feed in the week before a competition. Dietary changes must be made gradually over 10-14 days to allow the sensitive gut microbes to adapt.
- Balance is key: Performance horses may benefit from supplements to support joint health, hoof quality, or muscle function. However, it's vital to ensure the overall diet is balanced.
Managing the gut-brain axis: Stress and digestive health
For horses, stress and gut health are inextricably linked. The stress of travel, a new environment, disrupted routines, and the exertion of competition can all impact the delicate balance of the digestive system. This can manifest as loose manure, poor appetite, behavioural changes, or, more seriously, contribute to conditions like gastric ulcers or colic.
Proactive gut management is one of the most effective strategies for ensuring a happy, high-performing horse.
- Maintain forage intake: Constant access to forage is the best way to buffer stomach acid and keep the gut moving. Use a slow-feeder hay net during travel and ensure hay is always available in the stable.
- Proactive gut support: For horses prone to stress, a daily digestive supplement can be invaluable.
- Targeted stress support: For the acute stress of travel and the event itself, a targeted paste is an excellent tool.
To avoid any issues with swabbing, always check that any new supplement you plan to use is compliant with the prohibited substance list for your specific equestrian sport.
Vet picks for stress and digestive health
Hydration is power: Water and electrolytes
Dehydration is a major, and often silent, cause of poor performance. A horse losing just 2-3% of its body weight in sweat can experience a significant drop in performance, muscle function, and concentration.
Horses are notoriously fussy drinkers, and the stress of travel combined with unfamiliar-tasting water at a new venue is a common recipe for reduced water intake.
Hydration tips
- Bring Water From Home: If possible, bring several large containers of your horse's water from home. This familiar taste can be the difference between a horse that drinks and one that refuses.
- Flavour Training: In the weeks before the event, get your horse used to a flavour in their water (e.g., a splash of apple juice, molasses, or a specific electrolyte flavour). You can then use this flavour to mask the taste of "new" water at the competition grounds.
- Soak Feeds: Making up a wet mash or soaking hay cubes is an excellent way to get extra fluid into your horse.
- Replenish What is Lost: Sweat isn't just water; it's a rich solution of vital body salts (electrolytes) like sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium. These are essential for nerve and muscle function. Plain water alone cannot replace these losses. An electrolyte replacer is non-negotiable for a competing horse.
Vet picks: electrolyte replacers
For fussy eaters or a rapid post exercise dose, we recommend a paste for easy administration. Some liquid electrolyte replacers may also be given orally as a drench, or mixed into drinking water. Powder format electrolyte replacers typically are designed to be mixed into feed or drinking water.
Important: Incorrect use can be harmful. When using electrolyte replacers always follow the dosage and administration instructions on pack. Ensure your horse has access to fresh water, including a separate source of plain water if you are using a product mixed into drinking water.
Safe and stress-free travel
The competition arguably begins the moment the horse steps onto the float. Arriving at the venue calm, hydrated, and physically comfortable is a top priority.
Horse travel checklist
- Vehicle Check: Ensure the float or truck is in safe, roadworthy condition. Check tyres, flooring, and lights well before departure day.
- Leg Protection: Use travel boots or bandages to protect against bumps and scrapes. Ensure they are well-fitted to prevent slipping or causing pressure.
- Ventilation: Floats can become very hot and stuffy, even on cool days. Ensure there is adequate, draft-free ventilation to maintain air quality and regulate temperature.
- Hay and Water: As mentioned, a full hay net provides a welcome distraction and supports gut health. For journeys longer than 2-3 hours, plan a stop to offer water.
- Arrive Early: Rushing is a source of stress for both horse and rider. Arrive with ample time to find your stable, unload calmly, and let your horse settle. Allow them to have a drink, a pick of grass, and observe their new surroundings before placing any demands on them.
Vet picks for safe horse travel
Grooming for success and health
While a beautifully turned-out horse is a mark of respect for the sport and the judges, grooming is much more than just aesthetics. It is a vital daily health check.
The daily once over
Use grooming time to run your hands and eyes over every inch of your horse. Check for:
- New lumps, bumps, or swellings.
- Heat or sensitivity in the legs.
- Small cuts, scrapes, or signs of skin conditions (like mud fever or rain scald).
- Signs of rubbing from rugs or tack.
- A change in expression or demeanour.
Presentation is key
A gleaming coat and tidy mane contribute to the overall picture of a healthy, well-prepared athlete.
- The Shine: For that show-ring-ready coat, a good polish is essential.
- Perfect Plaits: Tidy plaits (or braids) are a staple of the showjumping ring. A "sticky" spray can help grip the hair for a tighter, neater finish, while quality plaiting bands will keep them secure.
- Pest Control: Flies are more than an annoyance; they are a major distraction that can cause a horse to lose focus, swish its tail, or toss its head at a critical moment. A high-quality, long-lasting repellent is a competition-day essential. Apply it before tacking up, paying attention to the legs, belly, and chest.
Vet picks for perfect presentation
Putting it all together
Success in competition is the sum of many small, consistent actions. By focusing on these key pillars—nutrition, gut health, hydration, safe travel, and diligent grooming—you provide your horse with the best possible foundation to perform. Remember that every horse is an individual; what works for one may need adjusting for another. Listen to your horse and be prepared to adapt your plan.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue Feb 11 2025
Edited by Dr Teagan Lever BVSc (Hons)Dr Teagan Lever BVSc (Hons)
Head Veterinarian, BVSc (Hons)
Pet Circle's Head Veterinarian, Dr Teagan graduated from the University of Queensland in 2010 and went on to work in small animal and mixed practice in various locations around QLD & ACT before joining Pet Circle in early 2016. Dr Teagan has special interests in dermatology, nutrition and preventative health care. She feels privileged to witness the special bond people share with their pets on a daily basis and enjoys forming lasting relationships with pet parents and their fur children.
