Show Day in the Life

A Summer Show Day and Summer Essentials for Pony and Rider!

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Welcome to Show Day

Welcome back to Part 3 of our Equestrian Life series!

This week, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what a full day at a big summer pony show looks like — from the 5am alarm to pulling back into the yard 12 hours later, tired but very happy.

The show in question? The KNL IPS Tattersalls Summer Show — that’s the Kildare North Leinster Irish Pony Society Show, held at the iconic Tattersalls Ireland venue in Ratoath, County Meath. It’s a brilliant summer event, with horse and pony competitions taking place across the weekend. We were there on Sunday for the IPS showing, performance, and working hunter classes — and it was our first outing with our new pony, which made it all the more exciting.

In this post, we’re bringing you along for the ride — the early start, the loading up, the prep, the classes, the down moments, the laughs, the packing-up-again — all the bits you don’t always see when the rosettes are handed out.

We’ll also be sharing a few of the little things we find helpful on a day like this, the bits we’re glad we packed, and some quick thoughts on what to expect at a busy IPS summer show. (Don’t worry — we’ll be doing a more in-depth show day prep guide soon too.)

We’ve also been sent some amazing discounts and promotions from TRI Equestrian, who have partnered with us on this series — including up to 70% off selected items. You’ll find those details further down if you’re interested. As always, if you choose to click through and buy something, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you — but there’s no pressure at all.

It was a brilliant day. No rosettes this time, but some very happy clear rounds, a calm, focused pony, and a rider who came home smiling. So let’s rewind to where it all began — before the sun was even up…

Teenage girl rider on her grey Connemara pony at a summer showing competition, dressed in traditional show gear. Captured mid-morning in the warm-up ring, both pony and rider are calm, focused, and immaculately turned out. This photo represents a typical Irish show day for a pony-mad teen and her beloved native breed pony.

Before the Show: Early Morning Chaos

On big show days like this, it always starts early. Very early.
The alarms went off at 5:00am — and to be honest, for a summer show, that’s not too bad. In Ireland, it’s already been bright for over an hour by then, so dragging yourself out of bed doesn’t feel quite as grim as it would in winter (when it’s pitch black and cold and you’re tacking up by torchlight).

This particular show day was going to be a father–daughter outing, but like most show mornings, Mum was up first to get the picnic packed — a vital part of any equestrian day out. While there are usually food trucks at big shows, they can be busy, expensive, and just not what you want when you’re running between classes. So we always bring our own.

What’s in the Show Day Picnic?

Freshly made ham sandwiches (using our slow cooker ham — recipe just went up on the blog!)
Crisps, fruit, chocolate biscuits, granola bars, and plenty of jellies (non-negotiable)
A flask of hot coffee
A cool bag packed with ice-cold water bottles
Plus a couple of folding deck chairs — perfect for grabbing five minutes between rings (or the ramp of the horse box does the job too!)

A behind-the-scenes look at an Irish pony showing competition with our Connemara pony and teen rider. In our Show Day: A Day in the Life blog post, we share the full rhythm of a typical show day — from early morning prep at the yard to classes in the ring, winding down, and heading home. Meanwhile, our Show Day Essentials post rounds up all the must-haves to pack for both pony and rider, whether you're off for a quick class or a full day of showing.

Perfect for new competitors, seasoned riders, and pony-mad families alike, these posts cover real-life showing tips, Connemara pony care, horse show packing checklists, and the everyday magic of equestrian life.

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Getting On the Road

The night before the show, we always hook up the horse box to the jeep and pack it with all our gear. That way, in the morning, we’re not faffing around in the dark trying to find gloves or hoof picks.

With the weather forecast looking decent (just a few light showers), the car was packed and ready to roll. By 6:10am, they were out the door and on the road to the yard.

Pony Prep and Loading

Our new (Dun) pony was thankfully clean and ready from the night before — one of the true perks of owning a dun instead of a grey (our last pony was a roll-in-the-muck specialist). She looked pristine in her pink-and-white polka-dot fleece rug and lovely leather headcollar.

At the yard, everything gets a quick once-over:

Tail guard and tail bag on
Travel boots fitted
Full haylage net packed
Water bottles loaded
Tack and grooming kit checked (again)
Extra headcollars and lead ropes because ponies will be ponies
Show gear — tweed jacket, helmet, gloves, boots — double-checked and ready to go

I was already dressed in jods and shirt, with everything else either packed or hanging up in a garment bag.

Things We Never Leave Home Without on Show Day

For the Rider:

Helmet (very important)

Body protector (for jumping)

Boots (cleaned and polished)

Tweed jacket (also clean and preferably hair/dust free )

Shirt & tie (with tie pin)

Gloves (no holes, please!)

Hairnets, scrunchies & spare bobbins

Shoelaces or number ties (look neater than the ribbons they give out with numbers)

Whip

Jodhpurs (usually already on!)

For the Pony:

Saddle, bridle(s), martingale or breastplate (if needed)

Full grooming kit (including sponges, brushes, hoof pick)

Buckets and spare water

Haylage nets

Spare headcollar and lead ropes

Travel boots, fleece rug, tail guard & tail bag

Number bib (for eventing, pony club, etc.)

Coat shine spray and cloth

Fly spray, sponge, towel

Loads of water

Emergency kit: scissors, electrical tape, plaiting thread, snacks for both of you!

With the pony loaded, the gear triple-checked, and the picnic tucked in the boot, it was time to hit the road for a busy day at the Tattersalls Summer Show…

First Impressions & Settling In

This was my second time competing at Tattersalls, or Tatts as everyone calls it, and honestly, it’s one of my favourite shows of the year. I’d been looking forward to it for weeks — it’s such a fun day out, and the atmosphere is always amazing. But this year was even more special because it was my first ever show with Clare Bear — and our first time competing together as a team!

We arrived just after 7:30am, bright and early (okay, maybe a little bleary-eyed), but my first class was scheduled before 9:00am so there was no time to dawdle. Because we were one of the first classes of the day, the showgrounds weren’t too busy when we got there, which made things a little less chaotic — for a while, anyway!

Tattersalls is a big show with multiple disciplines running side by side — we were there for the KNL IPS show, but the July Show was also taking place nearby, so there were horses and ponies in every field, rings set up all over the place, and lorries and trailers parked as far as the eye could see.

We parked up in the lower field, checked in on Clare (still spotless, bless her), and then headed over to the secretary’s tent to collect my number. After that, it was straight to walk the course for my Performance class. It’s always one of the first things I like to do — it gives me a chance to see the layout, think about my lines, and figure out where things might get a bit tight. They did add an extra fence later on for our class, but nothing too tricky!

Once the course was walked, I met up with a few friends from the yard who were also competing. It’s always lovely seeing your barn mates at these big shows — everyone’s a little bit nervy but mostly excited, and there’s always plenty of chat (and a bit of pony plait envy).

Back at the box, I got Clare tacked up — her first time being unloaded at a show with us, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but she was as cool as anything. We gave her a quick brush down, added some shiny spray and hoof oil, popped on her saddle, and I changed into my full show gear. (Top tip: always tack up your pony before getting into your show jacket unless you like slobber prints and hay flakes on your tweed.)

The Classes – In the Ring and Out Again

By 9 a.m., we were ready and in the ring for our first class of the day — the under-16 Connemara Ridden class. For anyone unfamiliar with this kind of class — maybe you’re new to riding or visiting from another country — this is a flat class, meaning there’s no jumping involved. You’re judged on presentation and performance: how clean and well-turned-out your pony is, how they move, their conformation, and the overall impression as a combination.

The class begins with everyone walking, trotting, and cantering as a group on both reins. Sometimes the judges pull the riders into line in order of preference, other times it’s more relaxed and they call them in randomly. Then each rider performs an individual show in front of the judges — no, not a dance, despite what some might suggest! It’s a short routine: walk, trot, canter, and then a gallop or extended canter, showing off the pony’s movement and responsiveness.

After that, it’s time to look at conformation. You “strip” the pony — removing the saddle, brushing away any sweat marks — and present them in-hand to the judge. You walk them up in a straight line so the judge can assess how they move naturally, then trot them back again. Once all individual shows and in-hand presentations are complete, the judge typically has everyone walk around the ring once more before pulling in their top six (though that can vary depending on the show). Those placed receive their rosettes and take part in a lap of honour, while the rest quietly leave the ring.

So how did our showing class go yesterday? Actually, very well. I wasn’t sure what to expect — I’d never ridden Clare in company like that before, especially in such a big class with around 15 ponies in a very small ring. It got quite tight when we were all cantering together, but she held her outline beautifully and flicked her toes like a true show girl. There were a few distractions — a jumping ring just over the hedge and the hum of food truck generators — but other than a few side-eyes at the unseen ponies cantering past, she was a star.

We didn’t get pulled in, but our individual show went well (even if we were a little short on brakes after the gallop!). She trotted up nicely in-hand, and while we didn’t place, I was genuinely delighted with how she went. The competition was stiff — I’d guess most of the top six were heading to Dublin next week — so it was no shame to be out of the ribbons. It’s probably been about six years since she did a flat class like that, and for our first proper outing together, I couldn’t have been happier.

After that, we had a decent break — time to untack, let Clare rest in the box (and recharge her batteries- but not too much! ) with some hay, and grab some lunch. We wandered around, watched some of the other classes, and waited (as ever) for the performance ring to catch up. Lead rein and cradle stakes classes always take their time, and there was a little delay waiting for Championships and another class to finish up.

Eventually, it was time for our next class: 60cm performance jumping. That’s smaller than what we usually do, but for a first day out as a team, we wanted to keep it low-key and see how she handled the environment. And well — she pulled my arms off but she was flying. She’s quick, clever with her feet, and gets me out of trouble more often than I deserve. We went clear — very happy with that! Some of our strides were… creative, let’s say… but we made it round.

No placing in that class either — it was a huge entry again, and our round wasn’t the smoothest — but honestly, I was thrilled with how she went. We got round, we got clear, and we had a really positive first day out together.

After the Classes: Winding Down

So, once the classes are finished—what happens next? How does the rest of the day pan out?

Well, the ponies always come first. Always. Before snacks, before chats, before anything else. Our little pony needs to be cooled down properly, especially in summer when the weather’s hot and they’ve been working for a good while.

We usually walk them off a bit, particularly if they’ve been jumping. Then it’s time to untack completely and sponge them down with some cool water—sometimes a splash of cooling wash too. We make sure they have plenty to drink and a good bit of hay to nibble while we tidy up.

Once they’re settled, we pop their travel gear back on and load them into the box, ready for home. Usually, they’ll just chill there for a little while as we watch the last few classes or catch up with friends—but not too long. They’ve already had a long day, after all.

After we checked on Clare once more, I headed off with some friends, had a few snacks, and watched a couple of my mates jumping. Then it was back to the yard.

Once home, we unloaded her, mucked her out, and turned her out to the field for about half an hour. It was getting late, but I wanted her to have a little time to herself to unwind. While she was out, I got her feeds ready—one for that night and one for the next morning. Then I brought her in, made sure she had everything she needed, and tucked her in for the night.

And of course, I unpacked all the gear and cleaned up—put everything back where it belongs.

So, what were the highlights of the day?

No rosettes this time around—but that’s okay. It really was a good day. I’m genuinely happy with how it all went. For our first proper outing together, it actually went really well. It could have gone a lot worse, and I’m just proud of her. We had a few wobbly moments, but she tried her best, and that’s what matters most.

Next Week on Equestrian Life…

Coming up next week we’ll be chatting about what’s in my grooming kit and I’ll be sharing with you a printable checklist of all your must have pony grooming essentials.

Hope you enjoyed a show day in the life, I had a really great. Until next week, happy hacking, stay safe, have fun and chat very soon!

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