You will need to bring much of the same equipment that you use for a regular horse trials: your dressage, cross country, and showjumping tack, plus your clothing, stable equipment, feed and hay, snacks for people, and all of the things that make a show away from home comfortable for you and your horse.  However, since endurance day is in a long format, there is a brief break just after Phase B/ Steeplechase, plus the Ten Minute Box (a longer break in preparation for Phase D/ Cross Country).  Both of these breaks require special preparation, which is detailed below.

You will also need a nice outfit for the First and Third Horse Inspections, or "jog."  Make sure you can run in the shoes that you choose. 

The Ten-Minute Box

by Audrea Johnson

The Box. It takes incredible preparation—all the extra equipment, the organization, time management, and choreography of a team. It takes focus, the ability to handle pressure and stress, while remaining completely calm for the sake of the horse, the rider, and the rest of the team.

For a groom, there is no comparison to a real three-day. It’s such a rush, an adrenaline high, for those 10 minutes—get that horse in, TPR, check shoes, halter on, stirrups up, loosen the girth, weave through traffic to your pre-determined station, towel on the saddle, reins to the ears, sponge and scrape and walk, sponge and scrape and walk (big circles not small ones!), change studs if needed, minute-four TPR and jog, back to station, sponge and walk, scrape, “TWO-MINUTES!” do up the girth, overgirth, check the noseband, towel the reins, rider up, rubber glove, leg grease shoulder to ground, stifle to ground, “ONE-MINUTE!” rider leaves, take a breath and cheer. It’s such an accomplishment to work as a team, get that horse down and send him out to run the course of his life.

I don’t profess to be a master three-day groom. Actually, I’ve only groomed at 3 long formats, since 2001 (and competed two, myself), and at least four short-formats (riding in two more). But I was very, very well “schooled” in the process of Endurance Day—my (very experienced) rider made darn sure I knew every small detail of preparation and execution of our plan. I dearly miss the long format three-day… not just from the saddle, but from the ground in the 10-minute box. We’re losing horsemanship with the loss of the long-format....

And for anyone out there hoping to do a long format, please keep supporting it! Go and groom first, for an experienced rider if you can, so you have a good idea of what to expect. That’s the best way to prepare… that way you can be there for *your* grooms!

For any potential grooms out there, here’s my personal Endurance Day list of stuff. Keep in mind every rider has a few particular items they like/don’t like, but these things have served me well: (please feel free to add… I may have missed something off the top of my head!)

STEEPLECHASE BUCKET: (to travel With Groom Following Horse, will go to Box)
-Halter (numbered) with lead rope, chain shank if your horse is rank
-Rag
-Water (bottle for rider)
-Extra shoes (WITH STUDS IN, prepared Fri night, know L/R, F/H)
-Duct tape
-Electrical tape
-Hoof pick
-Sponge/scraper (for possible C-halt)
-Vetwrap (optional)
-Extra studs (copies of what you use, maybe something diff if rider chooses), wrench
I like to carry the extra studs in a small baggie, with wrench, in my pocket

10-MINUTE BOX: (label and/or stripe EVERYTHING)
-Large tarp, to place everything on
-At least 4 buckets, 5 to 6 is better (one for drinking); muck tub
-2 quart-size pitchers, for pouring water on horse (better than sponges for immediate cooldown!)
-At least 2 sponges and 2 scrapers
-Appropriate clothing: irish knit, scrim, thermatex
-Several large towels and rags
-Halter (numbered) and lead rope
-Chain shank (even if you think you won’t need it)
-Chair (for rider)
-Water/gatorade (for rider)
-Boot jack, boot pulls
-Hole punch
-Powder
-Grease (and rubber gloves)
-Electrical tape
-Duct tape
-Stud kit (you may leave this at the barn, if multiple horses competing, but be sure to have spare stud options!)
-Stick spray/saddle tite
-Woof boots (for walking horse home)

-Extra gear
>Bridle (fitted to horse, with similar bit; or different, if rider prone to bit-change
>Girth (make sure it fits!)
>Overgirth
>Martingale
>Breastplate
>Reins (unattached to spare bridle)
>Stirrup and leather (usually just pull it off the dressage saddle)
>Boots (horse) front and hind, bell boots
>Helmet
>Gloves
>Whip
>Watch

First aid:
>Bandaids
>Triple antibiotic
>Eye drops, saline, esp if rider wears contacts (extras!)
>Aluspray/wound dressing
>Bandage, wrap, gauze
>Vetwrap (2+ rolls), diaper/hoof boot (lost shoe)
>Thermometer (don’t *always* trust the vet’s!)
>Electrolyte paste (optional)
>Stethoscope (optional)
>Alcohol (optional, add to ice water for evaporation cooling)