Stabling vs. Shipping In

If a show is a relatively short drive away, you will often have the option of either shipping in every day or renting a stall. Even for a single-day show, day stalls or overnight stalls are sometimes available. There is no clear-cut answer as to what the best option will be for you; each option has its upsides and its downsides, and you will need to determine which are most important to you.

To help with that decision, here is a list of pros and cons related to each option:

Stabling (overnight)

Pros

• Horse settles in on the first day, stays quieter throughout the show
• The cost of the stall could work out to less than the cost of gas for shipping back and forth over multiple days
• Horses can be safely left alone in their stalls
• Stalls are often located near the show rings, closer than the ship-in parking
• Horses drink and eat more readily, and are comfortable urinating
• Easy location if using a professional braider
• No ship-in fee

Cons

• The cost of the stall
• The cost of bedding down the stall (at an average of $6 to $8 per bag if buying from the show)
• Having to stick around or come back for night check if not staying nearby
• The time and manpower to load/unload all of the equipment and hay/grain/shavings being brought
• No turnout unless the show has paddocks for rent

Shipping in

Pros 

• Costs the least for a single-day show, and could cost less for a multi-day show, depending on distance
• Horse gets to sleep at home in a comfortable environment and maybe get some turnout if the show days are short
• Less to pack and unpack
• No need to go to the show on days when you aren't showing
• No extra barn chores besides those already being done at home

Cons

• Some shows charge a ship-in fee that could offset any savings on the stall once the cost of gas is added in
• Difficult to handle multiple horses, especially with certain trailer configurations in which the horses can't be accessed individually
• The horses arrive excited each day, which could make a hot horse more difficult to handle 
• Earlier mornings in order to load up and arrive in time for the first class
• Ship-in parking can be far from the show rings
• Space can be limited around the trailer if the parking area is small
• Difficult to leave one horse alone if another needs to be at the show ring
• Some horses won't drink or urinate on the trailer
• The horses might need to be held outside of the trailer if the day is warm
• Extra time at the end of the day to drive home and settle the horses back in
• Difficult loaders might not want to get on and off the trailer repeatedly and therefore need to be held between classes

Day stall

Pros

• Easier handling of horses than on the trailer (ability to access them individually)
• Other horses nearby to keep a single horse company
• Horses are more likely to drink and urinate in a stall
• Stalls are often located near the show rings, closer than the ship-in parking
• Easy location if using a professional braider (but must arrange to be done in the morning, not the night)
• No ship-in fee
• Horses can be left alone in any weather
• Protection from the elements if it rains

Cons

• Still need at least one bag of shavings per stall on top of the stall fee
• Need to unpack some equipment and reload at the end of the day
• Longer day than with shipping in because of the time to settle the horses and repack
• Higher cost per day than multi-day stabling
• Limited availability
• More expensive than just shipping in and working off the trailer