I can’t be the only one who feels like they cram their entire tack room into their trailer each time we head out for a show. Trip after trip, I tote armfuls of equipment to my trailer as if I am heading off to a winter at WEF when I really will only be gone for an extended weekend. You quickly grow tired of loading and unloading constantly, so I have developed some trailer organization hacks to keep things simple! Read on to hear some of my favorite organizational tips and tricks, brought to you by Draper Therapies. Be sure to share your hacks in the comments as well!
Doubling Up
The easiest investment I made was purchasing multiples of items that I keep at home but also want to tote to shows such as grooming tools or stable supplies. The tack room in my trailer plays host to a permanent set of buckets, fans and hay nets to keep me from having to take down the ones I use at home for a weekend away.
Things I doubled up on for my trailer:
- Buckets
- Hay nets
- Small grooming kit
- Lunge line
- Extra halters/leads
- Horse care (Magic Cushion, Poultice, Wraps, etc.)
- Lawn chairs
- Fans/Fan holders
Maximize On Small Spaces
When I recently upgraded to a new trailer, the biggest thing for me was a spacious tack room. Coming from a trailer with only a rear tack set-up, I had to make the most of every square inch that was available. One way that I did that was by investing in a hanging grooming organizer such as the one below from Schneiders.
These hanging organizers are a LIFE SAVER and can be easily transported from your trailer to your tack stall while keeping everything in its proper place. Tuck boots, grooming supplies, polo wraps, fly bonnets and more in this bad boy and have everything you need in one place. Pro-Tip: I like to keep a equine and human first-aid kit in the larger, top pockets for those unfortunate emergency situations.
Another great hack for those of you with front load trailers is to load things like tack trunks or spare hay bales (especially if you are going to encounter rain on your trip) in the front escape area. For safety purposes, these items should be strapped down to prevent them from sliding into your horses and should be the last things you load and the first things you unload when traveling. If you are going to store spare hay bales in this space, I highly recommend bagging them to prevent your horses from grabbing an unscheduled snack. Plus these bags make toting hay bales around a lot easier, in my opinion!
Hack-Worthy Products You Need
There are a handful of products with the smart trailer packer in mind that can help you keep clutter to a minimum. I have compiled them here for you to see!
Collapsible Buckets
While I have never used these, I can see how they could be a great space-saver in your trailer!
CarHooks
If you have an older trailer without bridle storage, consider investing in some of these CarHooks so you can hang your bridles up in the backseat of your vehicle!
Water hoses are one of those things you really NEED to have in your trailer, even if you may not always need it. Traditional hoses are huge and bulky, but these expandable ones are easy to tuck into a corner, hang on a bridle rack, or slip into storage totes!
What are some of your favorite trailer organization hacks?
Go Jumping!
