Before The Event
- Try to pick a venue that you are familiar with and that you have competed at before.
- Make sure you know the dressage test, and have practiced it many times in advance! There is nothing more stressful than finding out you have learnt the wrong test, and frantically trying to get it into your head whilst warming up your horse, who then picks up on your nervousness and flips his lid. Trust me, been there, done that, don't wanna go back!
- Ensure that you are ready for the level you have entered, especially the cross country.
- Try and find a hunter trial at the height that you have entered, so you can get the feel of running a full course. There is a big difference between going cross country schooling and riding a full course.
- Walk the course the night before! There might be a Show Jumping course walk on the day, depending on which event you go to, but where possible please try and walk the cross country course the night before. Although you can walk it on the day, it will be while there are horses going round it, and your concentration won't be fully on the course, as you have to watch out for horses, so it is much better to go up the night before, walk the course and get a feel for the general layout of the event. You can take pictures of each jump if this helps you remember.
- Don't worry about forgetting the course overnight, you won't! :)
- If you plan on using studs on the day, make sure you have ridden in them before, and your horse is familiar with them. That goes for numnahs, boots, bits, and all other tack, don't try anything new without having test-run it at home!
- Bath and plait the night before - the less you have to do on the day, the better!
- Get there in plenty of time - if you are pushed for time you won't have the chance to enjoy it as much as you deserve!
On The Day
Dressage
- Make sure your tack is dressage legal. This means no martingales, no whips, no boots, no bright numnahs and most importantly, a bit that is dressage legal. Most events are run under BE rules and the majority of riders use a plain eggbutt or loose ring snaffle, however if you are unsure whether your flatwork bit fits the bill then make sure to check out the BE rule book to avoid any unnecessary drama which could result in elimination.
- Be sure to check the rules on spurs, if you wish to use them.
- Wait for the judge to beep their horn before you start your test!
- Smile! :)
Show Jumping
- Wait for the buzzer before you go!
- Walk the course, preferably the night before when you walk the cross country course. But if that isn't possible, then find out when the Show Jumping course walk is, and go to it!
- Remember there might be a time limit on the show jumping before you start to pick up time penalties, so yes, take your time, but don't dilly dally!
- Be sure to go through both the start and finish lines / timing beams.
- Enjoy it :)
Cross Country
- Boot up! Even the most careful horses are liable to knock the odd jump, and unlike Show Jumps, the Cross Country jumps are much more solid, so be sure to protect your horse's legs properly!
- If you plan on using studs, make sure you have a stud girth!
- Tape up your horse's boots to stop them coming off!
- Get creative with your Cross Country colours. Cross Country is the one chance to add a bit of pazazz to your outfits and it will help any friends or family spot you on the course!
- Unplait your horse - while this is completely up to you, it is something that I always do. It gives the horse a nice break from the plaits, and also gives you something to grab onto in case you need it!
And lastly, just enjoy it. It doesn't matter where you finish, as long as you try and get round it. If you encounter any problems you can always go away, practice, and try again.
GOOD LUCK! :)
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