70 or 80? WWYD?

[Starbucks]

I’m doing the hunter trial at eland next weekend with my 5yo. It will be her first one. She’s green but fairly established with her jumping. I’ve schooled at eland and she’s done most of the 80 jumps (banks, water etc.). She’s not been to anything like a HT though so not sure how she will find it all bit she’s normally quite chilled.

I was going to do the 70 but I’ve had a look at the course pics and some of it looks a bit small. I’ve entered both as was going to take my other horse (not now), so not sure if I should do the 80 or stick with the 70? She’s for sale and I’d quite like some decent pics!

Other thing is I don’t like the corner on either class (we’ve not practiced any of that stuff yet) do you think it would be ok to just miss it? Not like I’m being competitive.

WWYD?

 

[[59668]]

I would do the 70. You might find she goes green, and the atmosphere gets to her. If not, then great, but you will have had a good confidence building day out.
Does the corner have an alternative? Quite often fences like that do. If not, then maybe check with the organisers that they won't try and pull you up if you miss it.

 

[Starbucks]

No it doesn’t. I think it’s a bit mean to put a corner in a 70!

I’m not sure it’s a bit ‘up and down’ the 70, so the first few fences are mainly the same as the 80 and then they go tiny for a while. Then a corner!

 

[ihatework]

I would want the horse to stand a high chance of jumping around clear.

So, given you are selling, personally I’d want to see a horse of that age, type and duration under saddle with a clear round at 80. But if you aren’t convinced she is established enough for that then do 70.

I’m not on your wavelength with the corner. Why put a horse on the market with its one and only competition showing an E?

If it’s next weekend you have more than enough time to a) school over the corner and b) practice that type of question at home and if you can’t confidently jump a diddy corner then she really isn’t ready to compete.

Well you did ask WWYD 😜

 

[Starbucks]

I have a bit of a problem with time IHW so don’t actually have ‘more than enough time’ unfortunately. Bit of a problem I have in general! I could hire a school next week and build something. I’m shit at riding them TBH, thought she could just do that bit of training with someone else!?

 

[Starbucks]

Maybe I should do some corner practice next week, see how that goes and make a decision after that.

 

[Leo Walker]

Maybe I should do some corner practice next week, see how that goes and make a decision after that.

Sounds like a sensible plan. Good luck!

 

[Rowreach]

I have a bit of a problem with time IHW so don’t actually have ‘more than enough time’ unfortunately. Bit of a problem I have in general! I could hire a school next week and build something. I’m shit at riding them TBH, thought she could just do that bit of training with someone else!?

Therefore the corner is your problem, not hers 😀

A corner at that height is like a misshapen spread, just bisect the triangle with an imaginary line, get straight and jump it.

Set up a pretend one with poles and blocks in the school and pop it a few times. And don't come back here next week and tell us you went round it 😃

 

[be positive]

Corners are usually a rider issue, rarely a horse one unless the rider makes it into one, at the lower heights most horses will happily jump nearer to the middle and treat it as an oxer, you only create a problem if you try to jump too close to the end and have them going past because they haven't understood the question, a reasonably scopey horse should have no issue with one at 70 or 80 if brought in correctly by the rider.
Practice jumping over an angled rail coming in straight to the middle, then try a bit closer to the end without going too near and if she understands that you should be fine, popping a straight rail on an angled approach is also useful, both are something I do with any I am involved with to prepare them for xc.

 

[Starbucks]

Thanks. Yes defo my issue!

So do you think 70 or 80? I’m not concerned by any of the other fences.

 

[Rowreach]

Thanks. Yes defo my issue!

So do you think 70 or 80? I’m not concerned by any of the other fences.

First one? I'd do 70.

ets and do some corner practising before the next one 😀

 

[Chippers1]

Do the 80....only because i'm in the 70 and want less competition
Seriously though, do what you feel comfortable doing and will be confidence building for her, the corner actually jumps really nicely. I did a 'confidence building' xc clinic there last year when I was absolutely terrified and it was the only jump we did first time with no issues! We're both a bit braver now.

 

[Starbucks]

Might see you there chipper!

I feel like we should be doing the 80 really, if it wasn’t for the corner I would definitely do the 80!

I’m hoping she will be sold before the next one! here’s hoping.

 

[Chippers1]

If you do the 70 you will probably catch up to us with Buzz refusing to go in the water ha ha. I'm schooling there tomorrow for a practice! If she jumps most of the 80 fine i'm sure the corner will be easy for her. I want to try the 80 at some point but the drop fence scares me!

 

[Starbucks]

The one where the whale is for the 70 or the one off the bridge?

 

[Chippers1]

Where the whale is - I don't think there's a drop on a bridge in the 80? It's only because we've never done them before so I don't know how he will react, knowing Buzz it will be super dramatic! I will have to have a go tomorrow.

 

[Starbucks]

Maybe not, the bridge isn’t in it this year anyway but there’s another water instead!

The drop is absolutely fine. TBH I’d rather jump that than the whale!!😂 🐳

 

[DressageCob]

I'll see you both there too! I'm in the 70 since it's my first one.

 

[Chippers1]

Oh no another water!! that won't go down well...hopefully the sun will dry it up

This was our first ever attempt at the whale...we can jump normally, honest

 

[Chippers1]

I'll see you both there too! I'm in the 70 since it's my first one.

Mini HHO meet up!

 

[Starbucks]

It’s near the end Chipper so at least on the way home! Have fun at your schooling. Love the whale pic! I think Coco might think that one is scary.

 

[VRIN]

According to the website their classes are full.

 

[Starbucks]

I’ve already entered both classes. I was going to take my other horse as well but she’s too much of an idiot to go on an outing with her friend!

 

[splashgirl45]

i am a wuss so would do the 70 and feel more confident to push on...rather a clear round at 70 than a stop at 80

 

[paddi22]

for a first one i'd always do 70s. They have so much to process with warmups etc that you'd always want the jumps to be nearly boring for them. I have a green one and will stick at 70s for her first few. You;d always want their first few rounds to be confidence giving, with nothing they could scare or get a knock at, and if you feel them back off you can trot safely and without them having to cat-leap or get a clatter off them. I never care about the heights at the first few, what's more important is to get them used to running on grass, balancing themselves up and down hills etc, checking your gears and brakes are working and just letting them have fun. I think they have enough questions to be figuring out for their first one, I'd never add jump stress on top of it. 70 to 80 is no difference for the rider, but it can be a massive difference to a green horse who is in a new environment.

 

[AdorableAlice]

for a first one i'd always do 70s. They have so much to process with warmups etc that you'd always want the jumps to be nearly boring for them. I have a green one and will stick at 70s for her first few. You;d always want their first few rounds to be confidence giving, with nothing they could scare or get a knock at, and if you feel them back off you can trot safely and without them having to cat-leap or get a clatter off them. I never care about the heights at the first few, what's more important is to get them used to running on grass, balancing themselves up and down hills etc, checking your gears and brakes are working and just letting them have fun. I think they have enough questions to be figuring out for their first one, I'd never add jump stress on top of it. 70 to 80 is no difference for the rider, but it can be a massive difference to a green horse who is in a new environment.

This is such good advice and makes such good sense.

I have a mare who is way behind in her education due to losing most of her 5th and 6th years due to illness. We took her to her first indoor show jumping recently. At home she is bold and forward, schooling at 90 and jumping for fun. She totally froze as she went into the arena and struggled at 60cm. I couldn't believe what I was watching, she looked like a newly broken 4 year old. Eyes on stalks, stiff legs and no forward momentum at all. She learnt a lot and the following week jumped the 70 and 80 with one stop. She tackles her first low level ODE next weekend at 70cm and her schooling XC at home is fabulous but I bet she goes green as grass again.

It is so important that they have fun, not fear in the first few outings.

 

[Starbucks]

Yeah it does make sense. There are a couple of bigger solid looking fences in the 80. She could still happily trot round the 80 though. I don’t think she’ll be green at the actual fences but I think people / cars etc on the course might be a bit scary for her.

 

[Starbucks]

So I withdrew from the 70! Not sure why because I've just been out with her and fell off!!! Cheeky spook at a filler. Now my bottom hurts a lot!!

Anyway, practiced a corner I made and she was fine, also did some biggish XC fences and she was also fine so I'm just going to go for it. I'll just take it steady with her.

 

[Chippers1]

So you're doing the 80? I did a couple of the 80 jumps out schooling on Friday and they jump nicely 😊

 

[rara007]

Drats I was hoping for a picture already!

Good luck