What's the most important thing you've ever forgotten for a lesson?

Gah! I'm always so jealous that you go to clinics with them all the time. You are probably on a first name basis by now!!

Actually, my boots. LOL. I like to drive in my flip flops because driving in boots makes me almost wreck (the heel is like a leverage thing and makes me not use the brakes right lol). So I normally leave my boots in the back seat of my car. However, I guess I took them out of my car this once, so I arrived at lessons in flip flops and no boots. Fortunately my trainer had some paddock boots in the office I could borrow.

I've also forgotten my helmet before (used someone else's that day), forgotten a hair tie so my hair was loose and everywhere (guessing you won't have that problem!).

If I was going out of state to a clinic, I'd be sure to pack my boots, helmet, breeches, shirts, etc etc obviously.... and extra things, depending on how paranoid you are (extra reins in case yours break, etc).

Hope your gelding is up for it. Sounds like a blast.... I'm so jealous.

I forgot my chaps at a local show once. We made my dad drive the 40 minutes back and get them! I've had friends forget boots and borrow some, I've seen saddles forgotten, bridles forgotten, basically everything. When I was about 4 hours on my way to APHA World I realized I had forgotten my video camera. We almost turned around but then mom realized that she could take videos on her phone. It is always funny to see what people forget. I keep all of my show clothes in a bundle with a string tied around them so I don't forget an item. I keep all of the tack in the trailer and necessary random items on a shelf in the garage. It helps to get a routine down and have everything together in two or three areas.

Ok, this has to be the best question I've seen all day! I just love the answers!

Lyla, you had me howling pretty good!

I never really forget anything... I intentionally leave everything at the barn. If it comes home, it stays home, no fail. I have planned to ride and left my saddle at home after having to change the gullet size on it... I mean hey, bareback is bareback and I don't mind but I really wanted to use the saddle.

When my husband and I cleaned both the vehicles about a month ago, I surprised on the amount of stuff that had gone missing but was again found. Halter and lead rope, two brushes I had replaced thinking someone had borrowed them... I can't tell you how many hoof picks I always manage to find when I clean my car.

One year I had a a few carrots and an apple in a cheap produce bag and didn't realize that it had rolled under my seat. I could never figure out what the raunchy smell was so I cleaned out my car to find this disgusting mush that just REEKED... that hasn't happened since :\

I've certainly forgotten the girth a few times, saddle pads, and the worst is when I forgot my bridle. This was only so unfortunate because I didn't have a way to take my horse so was walking her down the road (30min walk). Got there and and no bridle! Had to walk all the way back to get it, and back again. In the end it worked out to a total of two hours walking... luckily I was going early to watch other people so had the time.... :( At least in your position you'll probably be able to borrow or buy anything you forget.

The bridle and bit. I have so many from over the years, so they get misplaced all the time. And that was for my barrel racing lesson, and it's kinda rare that two barrel racers use the same bit. (I don't know why, but a lot of barrel racers tend to think that the whole run depends solely on what bit they're using)

I used to forget my boots all the time, and my helmet like every other lesson. And for a while, I lived 40 minutes from the barn, so no turn arounds! I'm surprised I didn't get lice with as many different people's helmets I would wear..

Now now GregB, I'm sure I've told you before, DON'T FORGET YOUR HORSE! The O'Connors will not be impressed...

I have forgotten to take tack to a show, and had to beg, borrow and steal around the lorry park to get everything I needed. I've also taken a pony off the lorry and been utterly gobsmacked to discover that I'd forgotten to plait the bloody thing. I've left a child sleeping in bed while taking her pony to a show. I got 10 miles down the road before I screamed, "sh!t! no rider!" and turned back. I've also gone a dog walk, and opened the back of the car to discover that I hadn't brought the dog. My sister (the evil one) went to leave the hospital with her newborn daughter ... and forgot to pick up the baby.

Don't stress. Just don't forget the horse, and pack your tack and whatnots the night before.

Add: Well Gregory, you know I like to entertain. Thing is though - it's all true...

Make a list! Categorize it - feed, halter and rugs, tack, bandages/boots, grooming kit, plaiting kit ....

The most silly thing I forgot was a girth! I drove my horse in harness to the place where I was to give a demonstration and lesson with the saddle and bridle hung over the back nicely. I got there in plenty of time, unharnessed, put the bridle on no problem. Put the saddle on - er, no girth! I was most embarrassed! I had to borrow one from a friend!

i've forgotten a girth. i always take the girth off and hang it up because i ride alot of different size horses. i was pissed! i've also forgotten a sweat scraper, i was pretty mad about that. i'm with megan, when i was in college, i forgot my boots once. i've always dreaded forgetting my cooler, but never have.

bring an extra shirt to change into midway through the day if you sweat a bit. also, bring extra socks and undies for midway through the day. you'll be surprised at how refreshed you feel just by changing these things!

Lyla, LOL! that's so funny.

I have arrived minus the saddle - borrowed one from the place the clinic was held.

I have never gone as far as to forget the horse but I know people who have.

When I was Pony Club eventing my jodhpurs were left behind and way back in those days there were no saddlers at the events. A young girl who came with us was wearing a new pair of jods - nylon ones so she was stripped of them and I was squeezed into them. We had to cut the stitching under the knee pads to get me into them. I did the best dressage ever - 19 penalties because I could not move for fear of busting out all over!

For the jumping I asked the organisers permission to wear light coloured trousers with the excuse that I had only just come out of plaster from a busted leg and jods were too tight and making my leg ache.(I remembered to limp into and out of the tent! LOL)

I do the lessons at my own barn so I can't really forget anything but I did forget to bring a bridle for my crazy horse once when we trailered out to ride. That was a fun ride. I kissed the ground when we got back.