it's almost time to start packing the trailer and get ready to begin hauling again! I am so excited for winter to be over so I can get back to riding regularly. This year I have my 4 yr old gelding to season and start hauling more. I'm really looking forward to it, he's a pretty fun guy and I can't wait to spend more time with him.

I make a list of everything to pack, especially for my first trip out. I like to be well prepared while traveling, so if someone else needs something I can help them too!

This year I am actually going to make a master list to have for each Spring. I learned a lot last year hauling so much out of state. I know what's important and what's not now. Having a list ready to follow will help me take some of the stress away from preparing for my first trip out again.

One product I love and always have with me are LifeWave Patches. They are handy to have and last year I used them on myself and Rocko all season. Never heard of them? LifeWave Patches are self-adhesive patches that are applied to specific points on the body; gently stimulating those points helps balance and improve the flow of energy in the body. Energy congestion causes inflammation and soreness. By checking certain points along the horses body you can ease certain problems, and help them perform at their best because they are pain free! Rocko was diagnosed with Lyme disease and several co-infections last year. I treated him, but he was still body sore. I understood this from my experience with Lyme disease. I knew how much the patches helped relieve my pain, so I made sure to check him for specific areas of soreness before each run, and patch as needed. These are drug free so they can be used at any level of competition safely! They work immediately, and you can see it happen before your eyes. It's a very cool product!

I always make sure to have tire changing tools with me. I was hauling to my friends house to meet up to head out for the weekend. It was 9:30 at night, I was on a narrow road with little room to pull off. I felt the dreaded thumping of a problem with a tire, so pulled over as soon as I could find a relatively safe spot, and got out to see my rear tire on the trailer was blown. I really didn't want to wait for help. I had a brief moment of panic then realized I had everything I needed to do it myself! I quickly swapped out my spare, and was back on the road in less than 20 minutes! It felt empowering to be self-sufficient, taking care of it by myself!

Obviously, I NEVER leave home without my DiO CONCENTRATE & GEL! I spray my horses before and after riding, and often after taking them off the trailer if we've hauled all day. I do carry other liniments with me for specific timing, but DiO is so versatile and can be used at any time, that I ALWAYS have that with me.

I'm an over packer, but have really gotten better about knowing what I need to take with me. So I try to keep it to the bare minimum, especially hauling with someone else! A few other items I never left home without last year are Rocko's nebulizer and EquiSports Massager, JailBreak Pre-Race paste for traveling, Banamine Paste (just in case), extra set of horseshoes, extra rubber bands, Stud Muffins (because they're his FAVORITE treat!), and quality snacks for me to help eliminate eating junk food!

Making sure to have all my tack, including a spare halter, along with what I needed for myself for competition are always a priority for me. I don't care what I forget for clothes outside the arena, but for competition, I want to know I'm ready. It helps me feel more confident and worry less, which is important for me.