BE warm ups

[rachaelcatton]

I have been doing BE for a few years now. Although i throughly enjoy it and cannot fault it, there is one problem that the SJ warm up is getting so crowded. I feel people go in hours before they need to and just walk around. i feel they should have a limit of people and a certian time limit before your round, say for example 30mins or so?
This year so far i have seen one horse rear up on another kicking the rider in the process. A horse bucking then kicking the horse behind it. Im sure we all know what its like, but i personally dread going in the warm ups now as people cant stick to the old fashioned left to left

!

 

[TableDancer]

Sorry, if, I voted no - I haven't experienced particular problems BE and generally find BSJA far more hairy! Can't see the times thing working as many riders rarely go at/near their published time, especially if they have several horses to ride. You may have been particularly unlucky - it's a nightmare when the SJ is running very late for some reason and/or the steward is a bit incompetent (were you at Draycott?

) - but in general I haven't found it a particular problem. Sorry

 

[milliepops]

Hmm, I think part of the problem is that different venues run the SJ differently, so it can be hard to predict when you will actually end up jumping.

The only times I have had a real problem has been when events have been running well behind (have been waiting over 30 mins after my time at a couple of events in the last few years). It would help if they announced it over the loud speakers to stop people turning up ready for their correct times when this happens.

 

[Joss]

Errr - warm up arenas at BE are a million times better than at BSJA. There is often room for 3 fences - a X poles, an upright & a spread & at least at BE nobody makes the jump 2 foot bigger than whats in the ring.

I do agree that the collecting ring can be a bit dodgy & people try to queue jump & you get some crazy stewards that dont use a white/blackboard & try to make you go in time order regardless of who is there but I am not really with you that the warm ups are dangerous.

 

[SpottedCat]

No from me too - the only one which I've ever been in BE which was dangerous was the warm up for the Novice at Powderham last year - and that was only because they'd made it too small by a long way for the ground conditions, the stewards did the best they could given the circumstances and only let 4 horses in at a time.

 

[rachaelcatton]

Maybe dangerous was a bit of an exaggeration, maybe a lack of organisation on some. I am sympathetic with the steward as it must be a very hard task, but i just think a bit of curiosity of people riding in the warm ups would help
I bet the poor man who got kicked in the ankle doesn’t think so though!

 

[rachaelcatton]

exactly thats what they should do. Every event i have been to this season has been jam packed. With people walking infront of the jumps on your approach.

 

[only_me]

umm its not always possible to stick to left hand to left hand rule

and sometimes a bit of common sense is needed, such as it may be a good idea to avoid the bucking bronco in the corner

But generally here we have massive warm ups with plenty of room for "expressions"

 

[Binkybex]

Yes the warm ups at BE are much better than other disciplines but I think that’s mostly due to the fact that they are generally much bigger spaces. This works well for my mare as she has personal space issues, which rules out BSJA and BD for us

But the people riding are getting worse at obeying the rules and sometimes I think people don't even realise what a red ribbon means. The come cantering within inches of my mare and wonder why she attempts to savage them on the way past and I end up having to apologise!

 

[Kentisheventer]

Thereis peraps a problem... but a time limit is no way forward... my horse takes a LONG time to warm up and i feel it would be unfair!

 

[jumptoit]

Not a problem at the events I have been to - I don't agree with a time limit - my horse is occasionally a bit difficult warming up so go in over an hour beforehand warm up for however long I need to then chill him out walking round outside the warm up until 10 mins before hand.

I really like Richmond's system it has 3 warm ups! 1 indoor with jumps in, an indoor with no jumps purely for walking an outdoor with two jumps then the outdoor arena! Works seamlessly as all are connected and stewarded.

 

[AutumnRose]

The key to BE sj warm ups are the stewards, they make it or break it!!!

Generally find they are much better that BSJA though due to more space

 

[Thistle]

I do agree there is a problem, generally find some pros monopolise the jumps, shout at you if you lower them from 1.20m (for a PN class) and at one event I noticed a pro deliberately building 'illegal' jumps, the upright with a groundline behind and the oxer with the front bar higher. He had 3 pupils in the ring and proceeded to train them over these jumps.

I did complain to the steward who did nothing (was a young girl who was doing her best)

 

[vik100]

I agree that in comparison to BSJA, BE SJ warm up is fine and personally I find the dressage warm up far more scary, especially on a fresh young horse, and particularly when it isn't very big (Burnham Market last week) with some horses lunging, others endlessly circling their trainers, and, worst of all, families wandering through the middle with buggies, dogs etc. Not a problem if your horse is cool about it all, but my youngster reacts to everything and I find it impossible to "warm up" in these circumstances. From an "elf and safety" point of view, I wish pedestrians could be kept out the way because I fear for them!!!

 

[kerilli]

totally agree with vik, i find dr warm up even worse sometimes, some people take over a certain area and will not move, and glare at you if you dare to trespass in "their" area! ditto kids, prams, people driving through the middle of the warm-up, etc etc.
bsja is far worse, especially the "only warm up on 1 rein" brigade, this drove me crackers. you could always tell the eventers at Kingswood, they'd be the only ones occasionally brave enough to try to warm up on the other rein, like swimming against the tide!
i think the secret, if you can, is to try to limit your own warm-up, maybe warm up without jumping, elsewhere if pos, and then just stay in sj warm-up, if it really bothers you that much, for enough time to jump 4-10 fences (however many you need) and that's it!

 

[Joss]

If you ever have a problem the person to speak to is the BE steward (just ask in the secretary's who this is if you dont know) It is the BE steward who will deal with anyone mis-using the SJ practise fence & will also sort out the collecting ring steward if they are getting in a muddle. Dont ever give the collecting ring steward any hassle they are unpaid & purely there out of the goodness of their hearts.........

 

[Saratoga]

Compared to BSJA warm ups...i find BE warm ups absolute bliss!!!

 

[Thistle]

[ QUOTE ]
If you ever have a problem the person to speak to is the BE steward (just ask in the secretary's who this is if you dont know) It is the BE steward who will deal with anyone mis-using the SJ practise fence & will also sort out the collecting ring steward if they are getting in a muddle. Dont ever give the collecting ring steward any hassle they are unpaid & purely there out of the goodness of their hearts.........

[/ QUOTE ]

I never hassle the stewards unnecessarily as I have done the job myself!

Didn't feel I could kick up a fuss as we are involved with the sponsorship of that event. That said the pro and the parents of his pupils did deserve a telling off.

My message to everyone is PLEASE do you training at home and remember the warm up is just that. At same event there were also young horses being ridden in the SJ warm up 'for experience'

 

[Chloe_GHE]

Only 2 events deep so far this season and only 1 bad experience where a french rider at Tdown insisted on sticking the fences right up beyond the tapes. Came to the spread not knowing it had gone up, now about 3'6'' (for intro) and Soap took a deep breath and we xc-ied it! not exactly how I was planning on warming up for my sj! Said rider was very rude to the fence judge and monopolized the warm up fences with his entourage.

This is naughty especially when he was clearly a pro who should have known better.

Larkhill warm up was lovely only 3 of us in there

 

[MagicMelon]

I voted yes, I find SOME BE SJ warm ups awful and some are ok. I found Kirriemuir last weekend always has way too small a SJ warm up considering how many people are in there at any one time, yet the XC warm up was lovely and big! I do think they should definately limit the numbers warming up OR make the arena far bigger. Theres usually plenty of room for the dressage warm up...

What annoys me most in the SJ warm ups is people who put fences right up to max height and then go away leaving it at that, meaning people like me who dont have "grooms" have to find someone to put them down to warm up. But then I find this even worse at BSJA!