3DE - Tips for the 10 minute box

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Horsemad12

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Hi,

I have a friend doing the Un Aff 3DE at Milton Keynes next week. She has someone to help her but they have not evented, so I was going to prepare them some "tips" for the 10 minute box.

Can I tap into your vast knowledge and get any tips I can add to the list?

Horse events barefoot so stud tips are not so useful!

Thanks
 
Here's the tips from the MK site -

10 min box tips

From memory, they only allow 3 helpers so when you do you list, make sure that you split the tasks by 3.

Oh, and take one of those lightweight folding chairs for the rider to sit and insist they don't do anything with the horse until it's time to get back on, make sure they sit, rest and take a drink (and/or ciggie if appropriate
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Definitely take a couple of buckets down with you, which you can fill with water (presumably there will be a tap nearby?) and a sponge and sweat scraper, cos as soon as they get in and the rider jumps off, she can help whip off the tack and wash him down which will help cool him down too.
Does the jockey have a pair of cool boots or ice boots or anything?
Taking the headcollar with you is a good idea too, cos the horse will have to be walked about til it gets its breath back, etc etc.

And wish her the best of luck!!
 
I saw a very organised team at the BRC Champs. Two ladies, two chairs, ice box full of drinks for riders, grooming box, buckets sponges etc.

When a horse came in one would lead it round/deal with the horse, and one would sit the rider down, give them a drink and talk over the course.

You can also take a spare set of shoes pre-studded just in case a horse loses one. Have to say my 10 min box at the BRC horse trials was me walking my horse round trying to stop him neighing and calm him down so he passed the vets (which he failed the first time!)
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Good luck!
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I think Ginbins is refering more to after the XC here. Dont whatever you do start taking off all the tack in the 10 min box. 10 mins is not a very long time & you need to be back on a good few mins before your off time. You only really have 5 mins of 'off' time. Dont try to do too much.

Gin this a long format unaff 3DE they are talking about
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Remember a towel to dry off reins after you have sponged neck etc off & spares of things that could easily break.
 
There's usually a huge trough of water to fill buckets with. Personally I don't take tack off as 10mins is such a short time and if your horse is that hot after the R&Ts it probably isn't fit enough or wasn't gradually brought down the gears coming off the end of phase C. Ditto boots - check and adjust but don't worry about taking them off and putting cool boots on. There simply isn't time and in 4mins or so they'll be finished the XC and can have the cool boots put on for real then.

My usual plan is:
Rider off, sat down on chair with a drink and ignored for 7 mins or so
Check shoes/studs (you won't need this bit)
Stirrups run up, girth loosened, headcollar on top of bridle (or lead by reins)
Wash down neck, between hindlegs etc. if necessary
DRY REINS WITH TOWEL after washing neck!!!
Throw cooler over horse
(most of the above can be done by one groom whilst the other keeps the horse walking. Keeping a fit horse that is anticipating the XC still during all this is unneccessary and possibly dangerous!)
HAVE SOMEONE DESIGNATED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIME!

About 3 minutes to go tighten the girth, run down the stirrups and leg the jockey up. Apply grease as necessary. Jockey walks horse around until starter takes them, then check girth one last time.

This is how people I've worked for (and subsequently myself) have wanted it doing, but there are probably lots of other valid suggestions.
 
I'm interested in this as doing MK3DE too, but will just be me and mumsey dearest going! will we be ok just the 2 of us? I think I will be doing the washing off etc while she hols him, then I will have a drink whilst she walks him then get back on when it's time, bit concerned now that we need more help but have noone else to ask!
 
I know people are recommending not to take the tack off but at the May 3DE the vet was asking everyone to take the saddle off because it was so hot and to literally pour buckets of water over the horses.

I'm going again in September and in case I have to do this again I am taking a clean saddle cloth because it wasn't nice putting a wet sweaty one back on him
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Other than that, drinks for rider, 2 buckets to give drink for horse and a wash down, spanner to tighten up studs if required, sponges, mints
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, sweat scraper, purple spray in case there are any little nicks and vaseline just in case a boot rub has started
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Check your watch is working and away you go !
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whoever does the grease is not allowed to touch the reins, this might sound obvious but apparently not always...! happened to someone i know...
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folding chair, water bottles, xc notes for rider to check over.
buckets, sponges, scrapers, towels.
spare boots, spare bridle, change of bit if likely to be required, spare stirrup and leather, etc etc. if you take them you won't need any of them!
reports on how course is riding, any bogey fences etc, if possible.
as long as the horse is good you can easily manage with just 1 imho.
loosen girth, wash down, scrape off, check boots etc, walk round (with cooler on if necessary), 3 - 4 mins before xc start time, re-set saddle if necessary, tighten girth, dry off reins, rider up, helper does grease, and off you go.
if horse is the sort that gets over-excited and might start flinging itself around, you might need to co-opt someone else!
 
Hi Horsemad - as above but with one thing to add: if ground is wet/muddy make sure that someone wipes off the stirrups and rider's boots after she remounts. I'd also carry spare gloves/whip etc. if possible.
 
All good advice - really wouldn't recommend the untacking bit though, definitely not enough time.

Also at the end of the first R&T's she'll have (assuming she's timed it properly) a minute or 2 before she goes off on the steeplechase. Make sure the helpers are at the end of phase A to give the rider a drink, help adjust stirrups/tack if she needs to, etc.
 
LOts of good tips above
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All I'd add is 1) Tell friend to try to come in a couple of minutes early from Phase C - it's easily done as the speed is so slow, and an extra 2 mins is invaluable, seems like far more
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And 2) THings it's easy to forget are headcollar (sounds straightforward but because it's the last thing to come off the horse at the stables it's easy to forget), rainsheet (useful to put on the ground to put everything on if it's not actually raining and you don't need it for the horse), spare whip (if you've dropped it on the chase you'll be desperate for one for the XC!) and rider drinks. We usually take everything we can down very early in a wheelbarrow and nab a good spot (close to the water and loo, far from the start/finish so horsey not too wound up
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Groom/helper can take the few extras down in a bucket after rider is on board. Best of luck - have a ball
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BTW, Chloe, you and Mum will be fine - on the whole, the less you do to disturb Soap the better, after he's had a quick drink and wash down of neck just let him chill walking slowly round and you sit and have a break.
 
In May at mk3de it was very hot so the vet was instructing some riders to untack their horses, but only the ones which were too hot. 10 minutes isn't very long at all but hopefully you will have gained an extra couple of minutes on phase c. Gamebirds plan was the one I was advised to follow by the pro who came to help me.
 
Slightly off the point, but someone gave me a great tip for working out pace on the roads and tracks. Work out your mile markers and what time you should be at each. Push on until you reach each next mile marker, then walk until the time catches up. Does that make sense?

Oh, and remember to write on your card 'real' times as well as stopwatch times. That way if you stuff up your timer, you still know what time you should be finsihing (sounds obvious but I messed that one up).

Agree with the point about finishing phase C a couple of minutes early.

Also make sure you have adequate brakes - my boy was a lot more forward on the XC as a result of the steeplechase (it did him the world of good). Apparently quite a common problem is horses becoming stronger and bolder than usual (mine is normally pretty chicken so a bit more turbo power was perfect for us).

Have fun - long format is brilliant.
 
ditto whats said above, may was so hot nearly everything had its saddle off, it was sweltering (im still bearing the tan lines now from burning walking the course!!)

there are a few large bowsers of water to wash down with.

i loved it at MK in may, i want to go again next year if poss.
 
Thanks for all of the comments.

I have did a 2DE a few years ago and had a list then which I have lost. Some of these points I remembered and others I had forgotten.

I will compile a list of instuctions for her!

Again a BIG thanks

She is on a super charged cob so I will let you all know how she gets on!
 
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