Looking for things to do while at home? You are not alone. USHJA is here for you with plenty of at-home opportunities!

If you're looking for things to do to keep yourself busy, start with our list of 10 things to do while at home! The following list includes all opportunities made possible by the USHJA.

1. Take a virtual Wheeler Museum tour and tackle our scavenger hunt

You may have seen that many prestigious museums in major cities across the nation are offering virtual tours you can take through your computer screens at home. The USHJA Wheeler Museum is offering a similar experience, showcasing videos of our past and present exhibits featured at our headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. Since the office is temporarily closed to the public, we’re bringing the Museum to you. We have multiple videos on Vimeo featuring walkthroughs of past exhibits in the Wheeler Museum that you can watch at any time. We’re even offering prizes to those who can correctly answer our scavenger hunt questions. 

2. Take on the Horsemanship Quiz Challenge

The USHJA Horsemanship Quiz Challenge is a great way to brush up on your horsemanship knowledge without even leaving the house. We offer a free online study guide to help you prepare, and by taking the online quizzes, you could qualify to go to HQC Nationals later in the year. The extra horsemanship knowledge will only do you good in the long run. Want to make it even more fun? Do it with friends (virtually, of course)! Challenge your friends to all do the Horsemanship Quiz Challenge at the same time and see whose knowledge reigns superior. And, beginning April 1, HQC will open to adult amateurs, so members of all ages can put their knowledge to the test!

3. Read the latest issue of USHJA In Stride Magazine

Did you know you can read the latest issues of USHJA In Stride online? Each one is packed with a variety of educational content and articles, competition coverage, member spotlights, plus so much more. You can even go back in time and read issues from 2015 all the way to the present.

4. Learn a new skill

This downtime is perfect for learning that new skill for which you just never seemed to have the time. Our Resources page offers educational videos on longeing, which you may need to utilize after your horse has some time off. There are also educational articles covering everything from horse ownership, show scheduling, to preparing for natural disasters, so you can learn everything both in and out of the saddle that can enhance your knowledge for when the sport picks up full force again.

5. Clean tack

Cleaning tack is like flossing—we all tell our trainer we do it every day, when in reality, some of it only gets properly cleaned every month or so. Take your tack home, take it all apart and fully clean every inch of it. Scrub the scum off your bits, get all the dirt out of every crevice of your saddle and polish your boots like there’s no tomorrow. This is also a great time to take inventory of what you own. If you have more tack than you use regularly, maybe you could clean it up and sell it in the future. You will also notice what parts or pieces may need replacing soon. Having well-kept and undamaged tack is crucial for when we step back into the competition ring.

6. Immerse yourself in horse movies and competitions

There are endless options for streaming these days and the majority of platforms include horse-related content. For example, Harry and Snowman, featured in our Museum, can be streamed on Netflix. Amazon Prime, Hulu and Apple movies also offer tons of horse-related movies. See a long list of movies here. We also offer many of our past competitions and clinnics on-demand via EQSportsNet through Horse & Country TV! It’s only $10 to unlock tons of exciting content including International Hunter Derby Championships, USHJA Gold Star Clinics and more. If you’d rather watch live TV, check out foalpatrol.com to see live footage of newborn foals!

7. Go for a walk and listen to some equestrian podcasts

It’s getting closer to springtime weather in much of the country, so get outside and go for a walk! While you’re at it, grab some headphones and tune into an equestrian-themed podcast. There are tons available on Spotify, Apple podcast, or anywhere else you typically stream podcasts. It’s a great way to stay in-the-know in regards to the horse scene while you are away from it. There are podcasts about everything from horsemanship to the top of the competition circuits and everything in between. You and a friend can even listen at the same time, then have a phone call to discuss what you each learned!

8. Release your inner artist

Even if you don’t have an extensive art education, anyone can pick up a pencil or paintbrush and draw or paint a horse. There are plenty of online resources from YouTube tutorials all the way to advanced online classes that teach you every type of artistic medium. Be sure to share any creations on Instagram and tag @ushunterjumper! Follow some of the best equine artists on Instagram for inspiration.

9. Put the screens down and pick up a book

You can do a simple Goodreads search to find endless horse-related books to read, and you don’t even have to worry about ordering or buying a hard-copy since e-books are so popular. Smartphones can cause so much stress in this uncertain time, so take a break from them and get lost in a good book, even if it’s not about horses.

10. Make horse treats

Most horse treat recipes are simple and require what you probably already have in your pantry. Make it a fun activity to do inside and bring them to your horse when you visit next. You can find great recipes on Pinterest. Pro tip: if you keep them in the freezer, they’ll stay fresh for a longer period of time!