BE XC and Stopwatch wearing

Ha ha, exactly.
Both fit enough to gallop round 4 1/2 miles with about 40 jumping efforts... ish. (fewer in GN, isn't it?)
You could possibly argue that the eventer actually needs a bit more fitness because being sent on/brought back etc (between fences) is more tiring that continuing at a fairly even pace... the NH horse needs more fitness work at the top of its range of speed, i would guess.
 
Going back to original question...
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I would def wear a watch at a CCI. Because of the lower no of jumping efforts per 100m compared to a 1 day and because you have time to walk the course several times and get some minute markers (from someone else if necessary!) it is much easier to assess your speed during your round and adjust as necessary. If you are up on your minute markers all the way it is nice and relaxing, but if you are down early on, say, and there are some galloping sections with few fences late on, you can catch up a lot, it's surprising how much. But if you didn't have a watch you would have no idea how you were doing. There have been plenty of occasions when I've been down at the first minute marker and by the 3rd or 4th completely given up worrying
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but there have been others where it's been really useful to know and I've been able to do sometyhing about it. So, apologies for rambling, but I would say YES DEFINITELY WEAR A WATCH - there's nothing to stop you ignoring it
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I was going to say something similar TD, in that some minutes will be easy minutes ie. not as many technical fences, and some minutes will be more difficult minutes where you've got a lot more jumping efforts. Or, in the case of Blair, where the terrain is more taxing by either being hilly or where the course becomes more twisty.

Cullohill if you can it might be a good idea to measure (if you've got a field, or a long grass verge) the distance you will need to cover per minute, just to give you the feel of what that speed is like on Bud.

Re horses hitting a wall at 7 minutes, I'll be interested to hear more on those findings. Maybe Detective Kerilli will investigate?
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Thank you, yes i agree now like you say if i have a watch i can either ignore it completly if we are not making time or if i can and feels ok to i can push Bud in places suitable, i hadn't thought about less jumping efforst per 100m so thats great point.
Thanks again
 
Thanks, yes i am getting the idea about it all more now, some easier some harder and if i have watch can push where suitable so yes will get the watch out!!!
I am lucky as parents farm is all down to grass and can go round edge of those and also been in contact with local racing yard who have lovely sand strip gallops that they said i can use anytime
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so will get measuring and practising with Budsie.
Thanks again - i love this place it really is such an amazing help
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Re horses hitting a wall at 7 minutes, I'll be interested to hear more on those findings. Maybe Detective Kerilli will investigate?
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Hmm, have had my detective hat on overnight and had a good chat with an eventing mate (and former point-to-point rider) who isn't totally convinced by it either... or at least by the "it affects ALL horses the same" part.
We cannot see how a fast t.b. cruising, say, 2 secs under the first 4 minute markers, can be compared to a 1/2 bred being run off its legs to go 2 secs under the same minute markers on the same course...!
having ridden both a naturally very slow mare (who never really learnt to gallop properly, and had to be hustled all the way to make Novice time) and a naturally fast one (who cruises easily close to Novice time), there is an absolute world of difference! I would have had to run the legs off the first to get to my minute markers (i never even tried, fwiw!), while the other would be on them without much effort at all.

it does make me wonder whether it is a way of, umm, how can i put it nicely... scaring 1st timers (who they assume are not experienced) into not riding like nutcases early on to get well ahead of the clock, and ending up with no petrol left in the tank towards the end of the course. that makes more sense to me!

(my friend did a 2* CCI recently and wasn't told of this info, btw, so it isn't being told to everyone.)
 
Well researched K, as usual.
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I did wonder why I'd never heard it before, and it would make sense that it was deliberate scaremongering, particularly in light of the recent fatalities and the many comments on the standard of riding we're seeing.

My old boy was 3/4 bred and was slow as a boat when he was young; he then learnt to gallop when he was about 9 or 10 but it still wasn't fast yet I saved time because he was educated enough to not need so much preparation before combinations etc. I do think that rhythm and balance mean that setting up is easy therefore saving time, so maybe that should be taught rather than clock-watching?
 
Well, assuming I get in, I will ask Yogi on Tuesday - he's involved in the Coaching DT roadshows and that was where I heard this info.

Cullohill - look on http://www.coachingdt.com/ - you need to register one week at least before Weston to get the benefit of the Coaching DT stuff free, otherwise it is £20 - look on the 1* and 2* coaching link. Well worth registering for if my day was anything to go by.
 
Thanks, i didn't know you had to register just done that now!! Also will keep in mind the coaching days they look really useful, will see when my local ones are and if i can get to one.
Ooo i'm getting excited already
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Hope you get in with Yogi i would love a lesson with him, fingers crossed i may find one in the future and can take Fin and see what Yogi thinks of him as he made such nice comments about him at Futurity champs be interesting to talk to him about how he's matured etc...... good luck
 
Thank you, i am going to try and not pile pressure on myself too much - but knowing me i'll be worse than ever! it's hard when you have talented horse just don't want to let him down etc..... but i am def going with aim to enjoy it!! i am lucky boss has given me time off - and helped with entry!!
 
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