Any TRECers out there???

Amye

Amye

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Just wondering if anyone could give me a bit of information of what to expect at a level 1 TREC competition.

I've had J around 18 months now and a few people at the yard are entering a level 1 and I've been offered transport so am considering it!!

I did a practice arena session last year and have another one booked at the end of the month, he's pretty good at doing the obstacles and is brilliant in the arena. I think it would be a load of fun but my only worry is it is all outdoors!!

So long as the obstacles aren't too far apart I think he'd be find in a field tackling them, but the 'hack' (orienteering?) part of it is what I'm having a bit of a wobble with. He used to be nappy and would plant when he saw something he didn't like out on a hack, he's got over this mostly (or doesn't take much encouragement to move on now) but this is on hacking routes he knows and i have NO idea what he'd be like doing one by himself in an new place! I've taken him to a couple of local shows before and done inhand but not anything like TREC.

I really want to get him out and about more as with not having my own transport we don't have many opportunities so it's tempting

Any experiences/stories welcome :) I think it would be great fun but my nerves at J having a tantrum while we're there are making me wobble about signing up! If he behaves I think he'd be brilliant but i'm worried I might have the old nappy warmblood back...
 
Is he okay in company? I have to do full trecs as a pair with a more reliable horse as mine doesn't hack well alone. You could ask your local trec group if someone would pair with you, there is usually someone wanting a pair.
 
Definitely pick up a pair if you can. I only do TRECs in pairs as my TREC pony is a bit unreliable on PORs by himself. We've met some odd and potentially alarming things on TREC PORs and he just isn't confident enough to tackle a 20km+ route safely alone (level 2). A pair with some navigation skills helps too as you can get one person to keep time while the other deals with route.

That said, if your chap just plants, and you can get him past stuff, it's not the end of the world (mine's a bit more of a drama llama!). The routes for L1 are usually pretty simple to navigate if you're used to basic map reading (no bearings or anything). It isn't generally hard, or scary - it is more fun with a buddy though.
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

Yeah he's great in company, i asked on the yard for any pairs but people are already paired up or doing it individually. I'll see if I can get any info from the TREC group themselves.

J hacks out by himself (or with a walker) OK now but with it being a new place i'm not sure how he'd be! Yeah he does mainly just plant, will reverse and perhaps try and turn around but he generally isn't too silly with it and doesn't do anything too quickly to unbalance/unseat his rider. We could have 10 mins of 'go forward' 'no, i'll reverse' 'go on, go forward' 'no, i don't think so' before he goes past though :D

Definitely very tempted! I guess I'll never know unless i do it haha

Annoyingly they're having a mounted training session next weekend for POR at the venue but that's the one weekend I can't do!
 
For a first one try and find someone who has done one before, preferably. Or if they haven't any previous experience go out on a training day together. Dress in what you need to take - map case, compass, headcollar, high vis, etc. etc. as a dress rehersal. Plan a route on the map, even if you know the route, and do it following the map. Try to include a couple of bridlepaths and in a circular route. Note how the compass works, look at the contour lines, where roads join, when you go past a church, over a stream etc.

That is what Trec is about, observing the countryside and matching it to what you see on the map.

For a first Trec forget about speeds, which some people get hung up about. The vital bit is copying the route accurately and then following the route. You can practice the canter and walk sections at home, and also practice the obstacles at home.

And I was quite shocked to find that experienced Trec competitors Google the venue before they go and sus out the terrain and which way is north and what landscape features there are.

Have fun.
 
Orangehorse said:
And I was quite shocked to find that experienced Trec competitors Google the venue before they go and sus out the terrain and which way is north and what landscape features there are.

Have fun.
Click to expand...

I thought everyone did this - I'm not hugely experienced at full trecs (I've done about 4, won a L1, and come nearly last in most L2s since- although not always because of my scores :p ). I have a wee look on earth and OS maps and try to guess the possible routes (more for fun than for competitiveness!).

Mind you, I google earth most places I go to so I know what I'm heading into even if I'm not TRECing. I like to know what to expect. I am a bit of a control freak...
 
Haha I'll have to have a googl beforehand then!!

No one seems to be looking for pairs so I've signed up to the individual one! Hopefully J will behave himself but if not I'll take it as a learning experience :D

It was booking up quite fast so thought I'd better sign up. If I find someone wanting to do pairs then I can cancel and rebook if there's room!

Thanks for the advice, decided we'll take it as experience of going out and about and see whAt happens - we might end up scoring zero for everything haha
 
Make sure you have the compulsory equipment
Hat that meets correct standards
Headcollar & lead rope or combination bridle
Medical armband
Horse ID
Equine & human 1st aid kit
Torch
Whistle
Fluorescent hi viz

Also
Hoof pick
Waterproofs
Mobile phone
Compass
Map marking pens

The TREC rule book can be downloaded on the TREC GB website , there are quite a lot of rules so it is worth having a look through

For L1 the POR route should be on identifiable paths and tracks and not to difficult to follow

The MA and PTV are usually in a field for summer comps , the PTV will have 16 obstacles on it

Great that you've entered , just think of it as a nice hack out

I found TREC very addictive and it has allowed me to ride in some beautiful parts of the country
 
Good luck :) I'm sure it'll be fine. If you do get stuck on the POR, you may find yourself getting a lead from another competitor anyway as they should only be 5 minutes behind. I've met people like this before ;)

You won't score straight 0s. That's almost impossible. I've dragged loads of rookies along with me to various types of trec events (mostly indoor / versatile TREC type events) and they've always done surprisingly well. It'll be fiiiine - and you'll love it :)
 
Thanks guys :D

I'm working on gathering all the relevant equipment! There's quite alot. Would you recommend getting saddle bags or would a bumbag/small rucksack do the same job?

Someone at the yard joked that if we set off one after the other and we got lost we'd just have to hang about for the other to catch up or something :D :D

It says on the event that it's suitable for first timers and on the local TREC group website that lots of people go to events with 0 experience so that makes me feel slightly better :) I can just imagine everyone elses perfectly behaved horses trotting and cantering around and my big beast planting somewhere and getting in everyone's way :p

Thanks JFTD - we have a trainer coming to the yard on 19th to do some arena TREC with us (i'm having a group lesson) so i'm sure he'll get some marks for some of the obstacles! He's pretty good at some of them already, it might just be the field setting that throws him off. I hope they stick low branches in as he even ducks his little head to help you out with those!

ETA: And for the Medical armband - would an armband that runners use to hold their phone work if I put all my details inside it? Or does it have to be a specific type?
 
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