Am I a bad friend..?

squiz22

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I had my event diary all planned for the start of the season; T/down BE90 and then straight onto BE100 at Munstead. I like Munstead, we've had a great event there before and horse is going this sunday for the 100 combined training. I think it would be a great place to take him up to the next level.
The only problem is my friend is having a quickie wedding and has booked it for the 25th March...!! Its at 3pm at Quendon House in Essex (I live in Surrey) and according to routefinder it will take about 1.5 hours to get to which could be more because of the road works on the M25! So I could leave at 1.15 ish which gives me the morning.

Would you enter Munstead and ask for seriously early times or to go first? I called Munstead and they said dressage starts at 8.30 so its possible. I REALLY want to do it but I can't be late..! I want a good solid BE100 under my belt and then onto the 100 at Larkhill.

What would you guys do.. this is the type of question you can only ask horsey people.

Also, I could do Somerley Park on the Tuesday as his first 100 but then he hasn't been there before and Munstead is so nice..?

I also can't do the BE90 the day before at Munstead because I have a marriage matters course at my local church in prep for my wedding this summer. I just can't lie to a vicar on this one.. ;)
 
I once swapped my (extremely early!) times for someone who had a funeral to go to. That said, it makes no difference if dressage starts at 8.30 if SJ doesn't start till 10 and XC till 11 or whatever.

I don't think I could handle the stress personally, and I'd pick another event.....
 
You have to do a course to get married in church?? I'd check with Munstead if you can be first out in all three phases and if the xc time would give you sufficient to ride and get to the wedding then that's what I would do. Could someone take your horse home and get him washed off for you so that you could go straight to the wedding and shower if there is a reception venue? Or you could just go in your xc colours and pass them off as the latest fashion? :D
 
Are they doing day before dressage - if yes and you can be first on for SJ/XC at 9 ish then I'd go for it, if not head to Somerley!
 
I would see what time they where starting the cross country and if it's early enough can you pay someone to take your horse home and go straight to the wedding.
I hope your lorry has a shower don't what that XC hat smell following you round the wedding !!!
 
Yes!! We are getting married in our local church and are required to attend a marriage matters course beforehand - 10am - 4pm! God knows what we will do and the OH is really not keen about it.. not that I'm chopping at the bit to go. My friend had to have a meeting with the vicar for hers and made them sit a test to check their compatibility!!

Good point from spotted cat. Perhaps if I can be sure that I will be first in everything and have fairly short gaps in between we could do it. I am super quick and can run in and be out the door in 20 mins usually.. make up can be done in the car etc..

Any thoughts on Somerley as a first 100? Is it kind? Winnie is quite bold but he's been so awesome I just want a nice venue for him to gain confidence.
 
I would see what time they where starting the cross country and if it's early enough can you pay someone to take your horse home and go straight to the wedding.
I hope your lorry has a shower don't what that XC hat smell following you round the wedding !!!

Its a trailer.. I would need to get back to the yard sort winnie, fly home (3miles from the yard) hop in shower and get back out again.
 
Personally I would go to the wedding and forget about the event. Its one event out of many if your life, whats the big deal! However, that's age speaking and 10yrs ago or so I might have contemplated what you're trying to do.

Spinning the coin, how would you feel at your wedding if your friend didn't turn up because she squeezed in some event and then got held up/fell off etc etc.
 
If it was me I would pick another event. You want to give him a nice confidence giving run but is that likely to happen if your feeling stressed and rushed and passing vibes on to him.
I am flabbergasted by the marriage course! What do they do if you fail the test?
 
Do both - ask for super early times and then race to the wedding. If you're a little bit late I'd say it's acceptable as you were only given short notice; different if she had asked you a year before!
 
If it was me I would pick another event. You want to give him a nice confidence giving run but is that likely to happen if your feeling stressed and rushed and passing vibes on to him.
I am flabbergasted by the marriage course! What do they do if you fail the test?

Interesting though..? Maybe he wouldn't marry you! That would be awkward!
 
I dint think you will have enough time to get back to the yard sort horse out and get home, ready, drive to wedding? Sounds a lot to do within such a short space of time. Sounds far too stressful- I would enjoy the wedding. When your rushing and in a stress horses pick up in it, and something always delays you further when you don't need it (traffic, burst tyre etc!)

Failing that you could always as friend to rearrange? :) lol surely she would if she was a good friend! :)
 
I doubt it but I could check although it would mean taking the monday off to go and pick him uyp.

Just looking at Somerley park - it looks amazing but is it too much for a first 100? The only pics on EWW are from 2009! Has anyone got any please?
 
I'd go to the event and then make a mad dash to the wedding.

I bet your friend who is getting married will understand.

But then again I'm the mad person who got up at 4am one Saturday last summer, drove from Kent to Lancashire for an 11.30am service, left the evening celebrations (sober) at 10.30pm, crashed out in a local B&B for a few hours then got up again at 3am to drive back to Kent to go to dressage on a Sunday...
 
I'd go to the event and then make a mad dash to the wedding.

I bet your friend who is getting married will understand.

But then again I'm the mad person who got up at 4am one Saturday last summer, drove from Kent to Lancashire for an 11.30am service, left the evening celebrations (sober) at 10.30pm, crashed out in a local B&B for a few hours then got up again at 3am to drive back to Kent to go to dressage on a Sunday...

Mental :D
 
I did this at borde hill last year! I took car, mum took horse/ lorry. Had first slot in all 3 phases! Mum took horse home I leisurely drove home- I live 2 miles away..... To find boyf still in bed and not ready so it ended up a mad rush!! Ha ha! I'd do it again - you only live once!
 
I'd go to the event and then make a mad dash to the wedding.

I bet your friend who is getting married will understand.

But then again I'm the mad person who got up at 4am one Saturday last summer, drove from Kent to Lancashire for an 11.30am service, left the evening celebrations (sober) at 10.30pm, crashed out in a local B&B for a few hours then got up again at 3am to drive back to Kent to go to dressage on a Sunday...

haha thats serious dedication! I'm very proud of you!

I'm def thinking Somerley now... people keep telling em good things about it and it would mean I'm not rushing. Things do have habit of going wrong when I rush! :(
 
I did this at borde hill last year! I took car, mum took horse/ lorry. Had first slot in all 3 phases! Mum took horse home I leisurely drove home- I live 2 miles away..... To find boyf still in bed and not ready so it ended up a mad rush!! Ha ha! I'd do it again - you only live once!

I just don't have anyone to do that. I could easily get everything ready the day before for wedding stuff etc - outfit out/shoes ready (actually that would take all of 5 secs). I could have the car packed, feeds/haynets etc all sorted and winnie washed and half platted the night before and then just muck out and go in the morning.

I've been discussing this at length with Lex and I'm going to see how Winnie goes at the combined training on Sunday and then decide. If it was a local wedding then it would be a no brainer but last year I got side tracked down the yard, left late and then missed the ceremony for my friends wedding and had to wait outside the church and subtly join the crowd as people came out..! Its the same group of friends! Doh!
 
I'd skip the event too. What if your horse picks up an injury and you have to delay to see vet or just generally keep an eye on her? I would hate to be rushing the aftercare of my horse following an event just because I tried to squeeze two things in.
 
I think that my mind is made up! I am officially subsituting Munstead for Somerley Park.

Thanks everyone.. I don't want to rush him and have a problem.

I just need to find some course picks from Somerley!
 
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