Traveling to a show can sometimes be as difficult as the competition itself. From negotiating the TSA with spurs to finding a motel close enough to the show grounds, many challenges can stand in the way of a successful trip.

Owners with horses in training at out-of-state barns know the nomadic life well, one that involves frequent travel with short stays in many places. Unlike a member of a nomadic community that has no permanent home, these exhibitors do have a permanent residence.

It’s just that the thrill of the circuit beckons and they respond traveling several times a month and often several hundreds or thousands of miles at a time to do what they love most – compete.

The best laid plans can go awry. It’s all a part of the road warrior experience. We’ve asked several seasoned exhibitors to relive their most memorable moments on the road.

They’ve shared their tried and true travel hacks for navigating airport security and making the most of a budget.

Exhibitor: Candice and Cory Hall

Home: Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada

Events: Candice, Western Pleasure and Western Riding; Cory Performance Halter and Longe Line

Trainers: Gil Galyean, Kristy McCann

Current Horses: Made by J, Made a Uturn, Tequila, Made Me Do It, Orange Crush, Hawaian Honey

Travel Frequency: Once or twice a month to compete and additional to trips to the trainers to practice

Most Memorable Travel Moment: Cory left his passport in a seat pocket in the seat in front of him on a flight into Arizona. The couple didn’t realize the mistake until landing in Seattle. This meant they could not return to their home in Canada. It was the couple’s anniversary. It was a Sunday night and both needed to be at work on Monday. The airlines said they had to visit the Consulate downtown and start the process of emergency passports. But that was only open during regular business hours. “We just looked at each other, grabbed our bags, rented a car and started a mad dash back to Canada in the pouring rain hoping we would get through the border with just a driver’s license,” she said. “It worked.”

Airport Advice: If you absolutely need an item to compete, carry it on. “You may not see your luggage for two or three days. It happens. To us, it happens a lot,” she said. “We’ve learned to laugh it off.” Dressing comfortably and simply, in easy-to- slip on shoes is key. Candice quickly learned to avoid wearing her favorite clothes with bling and rhinestone zippers to avoid the friendly ‘pat down.’

Travel Game Changer: The gear stays in the horse trainer’s trailer. It would be impossible otherwise. Yes, that means the couple has two sets of tack since they have two trainers. But having as much gear as possible already at your destination makes for a much less stressful trip.

Exhibitor: Donna Senick

Home: Florida

Events: All Around Events

Trainer: Vicki Holt

Current Horses: Aaflac and You Aintseen Nuthinyet. Both out of her mare Hotroddin Zippo Babe

Travel Frequency: As often as she can

Most Memorable Travel Moment: When Senick downsized from traveling to shows with her motor home and horse trailer, she was challenged to organize her gear in an easy to carry ensemble. She had hat cans, chaps, bridles, saddle pads and spurs to transport. “I was accustomed to having everything with me in the motor home and having to down size to suitcases was quite a challenge,” she said. The biggest test was bringing a custom weighted tail in her carry-on bag along with her spurs, curling iron and cell phone charger. As the bag rolled down the security scanner belt, lights flashed, security guards surrounded her and travelers groaned in the line behind her. The tail appeared as a cylinder-shaped metal item on the x-ray machines. The agents asked her to slowly open the bag because they didn’t understand the terminology “weighted tail.” As she unfolded the pile of hair, a security person at the far end of the station smiled and motioned to the other guards. “She owned show horses too and was able to defuse the situation,” she said. “I had flown out of Orlando and did not have a problem I just had not given it a thought when leaving Des Moines, but I do respect the job the TSA does and understand their suspicions.”

Airport Security Advice: Aside from the weighted tail fiasco, she has learned other strategies for a painless security screening. “Avoid bling on jeans, she said. “And have the correct baggie size for liquids.” One time her baggie was too big. She had to leave the line and buy the correct size at a store in the terminal.

Travel Game Changer: Points. Always use the points earned through credit cards and recurring rentals from the same hotel or rental car chain. It is no effort at all.

Exhibitor: Sarah Nimigan

Home: Canada

Events: Hunter Under Saddle, Pleasure Driving, Western Pleasure, and Reining

Trainers: Tim and Katy Jo Zuidema in Florida for pleasure. Martin Muehlstaetter in Arizona for reining. Sometimes she travels to places like Ty and Karen Hornick’s that are within driving distance so she can practice.

Current Horses: Best Brew At The Bar, Revolution Is Dun

Travel Frequency: One to two times a month, but she can be on the road for weeks at a time

Most Memorable Travel Moment: Coming home from the World Show in 2016, Like A Boss won the Southern Belle Reserve Champion trophy in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle and the Amateur. Dr. Brad Cumper was on the same flight home to Detroit. “He was so chivalrous that he carried the trophies for me through security. Everyone was congratulating him and thought he was the coolest ever,” she said. “He kept trying to tell them they were mine, but I denied it. He was blushing and laughing. It was the perfect way to start the day at 6:00 a.m.”

Airport Security Advice: Avoid having to travel with any equipment. That might mean coordinating with someone who is driving, shipping big pieces ahead of time, or borrowing tack when you get there. “It’s way easier than carrying all that stuff through a busy, crowded airport,” she said. “Most airlines only allow one carry on bag and one personal item, so you have to plan well. And nobody wants to drag three huge suitcases to the rental car place.” For the gear you have to bring, check the items that might give you trouble going through security in your luggage. Sharp edges like those on spurs or crops might catch a security attendant’s attention. It’s hit or miss depending on the airport and the security staff. Many exhibitors report that they’ve had no issues carrying these items onto the plane. Others have been asked to put them in a checked bag. When you’re transporting show clothes it’s important to make sure they’re protected and wrinkle free upon arrival. Nimigan stores her clothes in a garment bag and has found that most planes have a closet where they can hang. And she always keeps her hat in a can. “Get high quality protective cases such as a durable and sturdy hat can and quality garment bag and good hanger that won’t break with the added weight of heavy show clothing,” she said.

Travel Game Changer: Hertz Gold status. “Your car will be waiting for you, you don’t have to wait in that horrific line and it just makes everything easier,” she said.

Exhibitor: Brenda Looney

Home: Tennessee

Events: Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, Trail

Trainers: Keith Miller, CAC Show Horses, Tate Oakley, Mark Dunham

Current Horses: Its Always Sumthin, Iron Mead, Cool Breeze, Mr. Freeze, Geez Whata Breeze, Faith Is Certain

Travel Frequency: Once or twice a month

Most Memorable Travel Moment: Most often Brenda avoids the airport madness and pulls her own living quarters trailer. The times she has flown have been largely uneventful. “I’ve never had any trouble going through security,” she said. “We have carried on spurs, saddle pads, hat can and a hunt seat saddle.” During one trip through the security line she did have a humorous exchange with an agent while he scanned her carry-on. “He thought my spurs were cookie cutters,” she laughed.

Airport Advice: Let the agents know you are going to a horse show. “We show them pictures of our show horses on our phone help them to understand it all,” she said.

Travel Game Changer: “Google search what amenities are available in that area,” she suggested. Many times the Looneys pull their living quarters trailer, but when they fly and need a place to stay they stick with one hotel chain because they know what to expect in terms of quality and service.

Exhibitor: Carli Stewart Armenta

Home: Texas

Events: Western Pleasure and Reining

Trainer: Matt Armenta

Current Horses: Cherrie Bomb and Velvet Rush (Western Pleasure), Josieandthesparkles (Reining)

Travel Frequency: Once a month or more

Most Memorable Travel Moment: Not every travel moment is a laughable one. Some are serious and nerve wracking. During a return trip from the Denver Stock Show one of two horses in the trailer began acting colicky around 1 a.m. “She was the first one loaded out of two in a three horse trailer,” Armenta said. “The second horse did not always load easily on the trailer so this left us in a jam.” The couple stopped a Walmart and unloaded the second horse onto an icy parking lot so that they could administer medication to the first horse. Fortunately, everything turned out fine and the usually difficult loader stepped back on without an issue. “It was probably because it was 20 degrees out and he decided he liked the trailer better than the parking lot,” she said. “But I was pretty nervous to say the least.”

Airport: Pack everything tightly in the suitcase so it can’t move when the baggage handlers chuck it into and out of the plane. And check your surroundings, the floor around your seat and the overhead bin. “Don’t forget your hat in the overhead bin. My husband did that one time and we remember just in time to be able to go back and get it,” she said.

Travel Game Changer: When traveling alone and without the trailer, she tries to share a room with someone she knows. When Carli knows her plans are concrete she books a hotel and rental car on one site like Hotwire.com. This can save a few hundred to a thousand dollars at lengthy shows like the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. “But if your plans change you don’t get your money back so it’s kind of a catch-22,” she said. Armenta typically hauls by herself or with her husband. Everything is pre-loaded in the trailer. The couple has found that sometimes it’s helpful to bring a car too since most events are within two to four hours of home. “This way my husband and I can be on different schedules when we need to be especially since the Pleasure and Reining classes are never close together at shows,” she said.

Ask TSA is available to help with travel related questions. You can tweet or contact them through Facebook Messenger with questions. You can even send a picture of an item to find out where it should be placed.