BE novices for first-timers!

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Hollyhorse

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Hi,
I've posted before about this and had great feedback
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Now I've been organising my horse's competition season - he's 5 years old (this year) and this will be his first season eventing. His planned season is as follows:
July - intro at Shipton Moyne
- intro at Cheltenham
August - pre novice at West Wilts
- pre novice at Sapey
- pre novice at Urchinwood manor
Sept - pre novice/novice at west wilts
- novice at gatcombe
- novice at charlton park

What does everyone think about this? Is the novice at west wilts/ gatcombe/ charlton park good for first-timers/beginners at that level? Does this look realistic or should I be aiming to just stick at pre-novice this year?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I've never competed a horse above pre-novice before so not sure how to tell when he's ready to move up. He's a fantastic jumper and seems to have a super attitude toward it, is really careful and gets himself out of sticky situations. I was jumping him around all the 3ft 3 technical fences on his second cross country schooling session!
Many thanks
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I wouldnt even start to think of novice until you've had a couple of PN runs and know how much horse you have under you.
All 3 novices you've mentioned are fairly tricky, esp Charlton Park. Gatcombe could be ok but West Wilts also usually asks some fairly tough questions
 
Was about to say the same thing Boss.

Wouldnt want to be doing Charlton Park on an inexperience novice horse.

I would stick to PN until you both are fairly confident. I like you, would like to think of aiming my horse (same age as yours) at a novice towards the end of the season, however, im making NO Plans! it could be, even tho we had a super confident round in our first intro last week, that when we step up to PN he goes green on me... might not happen but you cant tell with horses.
 
I've answered in |Comp riders. TBH I don't agree with comments about Charlton really, it was big but it wasn't hugely technical other than the bounce and the turning treble finishing with a skinny "fan" brush. I took a very inexperienced Novice horse round there last year! I think SoE was more technical this spring.
 
I wouldnt take Moon round it as our first novice, in fact when I walked it it was one of the few novices where I thought Boss would be lovely as he'd have something to get his teeth into there!
There was a roll top to corner that needed accurate riding too.
 
LOL see! that sounds technical!

See T_E you say this, but you showed how great william is by jumping that skinny brush with no guide rails or flags.

I know some decent PN horses i wouldnt want to jump round Charlton Park!
 
I'd prob stick to Intro and Pre Novice this season and then look forward to doing some Novices next season.

Thats what I am going to be doing with my five yr old. She is a brilliant horse, but has her whole life to go up the levels, i desperatley want to do a Novice, but can't rush her into one as well (at least not until we have formed more trust).

My aim is to do Henbury Horse Trials next year, but if shes not ready then i'll just wait. Why don't you go and watch some of the novice events this year and aim to get them done next year so you know what your up against.
 
My friend went straight in at novice and neither her nor her horse had ever evented before, she got 11 points in her first season! I wonder if that happens very often....?
 
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My friend went straight in at novice and neither her nor her horse had ever evented before, she got 11 points in her first season! I wonder if that happens very often....?

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It happens....but not very often! I had failed dressage horse who went from PN to winning her first intermedite in her first season and 43 points :.I will stress however she was 8.
 
I think you have to be careful.Double clears confidently and safely with a decent dressage a few times at PN then have a go.There is a lot of really nice young horses spoilt by doing to higher level too soon.Don't make the mistake of making a plan and sticking to it when the horse isn't quite ready.
There is nothing wrong with waiting till they are 6 and they are more mature then too.
 
Don't plan too much ,see how easy he does the time around prenovice as I wouldn't want to rush a young horse.
Also ask about suitable courses as some are easier than others ,there is plenty of time and at that age two events a month is more than enough,it will take him a week to fully recover and you will need to put schooling in between as you don't want to blow his mind.
See how it goes
 
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