Stay Away Show Essentials: A Feeding & Support Checklist

Stay Away Show Essentials: A Feeding & Support Checklist

As the proud official supplement partner of British Eventing, we know a stay away show is a lot more than just packing tack. New surroundings, travel, disrupted routine and a busy atmosphere all place genuine pressure on your horse - often quietly affecting digestion, hydration and focus long before it shows up in the ring and impacts behaviour or performance.

Here's our 7-point checklist to help keep your horse feeling and performing at their best, wherever the show takes you.

1. Keep Your Feeding as Consistent as Possible

Sudden changes to feed, hay source or routine can disrupt your horse's hindgut microbiome at exactly the moment you need them to be settled and comfortable. Pack your usual feed and hay where you can, rather than relying on what's available on-site. If you need to rely on forage delivered on site, try and pack as much of your own forage as possible so that you can mix the new and old to help introduce the change gradually.

2. Plan Feed Quantities in Advance

Weigh or measure out what you'll need for the full duration of the show, and pack a little extra in case plans change - delayed classes, an extra night away, or a longer journey home than expected are all common, and running short isn't worth the risk to routine consistency. Don’t introduce any new feed or supplement for the first time at an event – you never know if your horse may have an allergy to the ingredients - and always look for the BETA NOPS logo on feed and supplements when competing.

3. Guard Against Acid Splash Before Travel and Each Class

A horse's stomach isn't designed to sit empty, and travelling or working without adequate forage in the stomach can allow stomach acid to "splash" onto the unprotected squamous stomach lining during movement. Offer a small forage feed (ideally long stem forage such as hay, but chaff based feeds are better than an empty stomach!) 20–30 minutes before loading and before each class. Consider feeding additional forage if you have long waits between disciplines in eventing or between rounds in showjumping. For horses prone to gastric sensitivity, UlcerAid provides targeted daily support for the stomach lining through exactly this kind of travel and competition pressure.

4. Support Hydration Away From Home

Many horses drink less when away from home - unfamiliar water, travel stress and a change in routine can all reduce voluntary intake, even before the demands of competing are factored in. Offer water regularly rather than waiting until your horse seems thirsty, and consider taking water from home if they're reluctant to drink away. UltraElectroS can help encourage drinking and support hydration and muscle function through the added demands of travel and competition.

5. Managing a Fussy Eater Away From Home

Some horses go off their feed the moment routine changes. Keeping feeds familiar, palatable and consistent goes a long way - all Equell products are formulated with natural ingredients to appeal even to notoriously fussy feeders, so introducing gut support ahead of a show shouldn't mean a fight to get it eaten.

6. Maintain Condition and Coat Through a Busy Season

A demanding show season, with its travel, altered routine and increased energy demands, can take a visible toll on condition and coat shine if the hindgut isn't properly supported. Gut Food nourishes the hindgut microbiome with a diverse range of prebiotic fibres, helping support the consistent condition and shine that comes from a genuinely healthy gut.

7. Support Calm Focus in a Busy Atmosphere

New surroundings, warm-up ring chaos and unfamiliar horses all ask a lot of even an experienced competitor. Unwind supports composure and focus through the gut-brain axis, without sedating or dulling performance - helping your horse stay settled enough to do what they do best, giving you one less thing to worry about when navigating your dressage test or jump course.

Travelling with a horse prone to both gastric sensitivity and dehydration risk? Our Travel Duo bundle pairs UlcerAid and UltraElectroS together, covering both ends of the pressure travel puts on your horse in one straightforward step.

Here's to a settled, well-supported show season - for you and your horse.

Love from, The Equell Team 💚