British Eventing (I'm a show jumper- sorry!)

Amy567

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So, I have an ex racehorse that I'm retraining, he's really coming on well. He has 2 and a half nice paces (canter is still a little speedy) and improving with every schooling session. He has a nice clean, neat jump but doesn't over jump too much, just enough for me to feel safe! He isn't the bravest and takes all his confidence from me, which really shows when I forget to ride him vs when I ride him properly. So we've had a few stops jumping - completely my fault, I drop my hands, collapse my diaphragm and so he stops (I had 3 years off - working on this!).

I took him Cross Country schooling today with a friends mum and my mum, said friend is a former 2* event rider and her mum is also very knowledgeable and encouraging. She basically told me to get my a*se in gear and ride him properly! And it worked! He did so well, with horrible ground conditions on not very well maintained ground! We had one big hiccup at the end, he didn't like the ditches though he's jumped them before - could be many reasons, I was tired as was he, something was in the distance and really distracting him and thy have running water in them.

Anyway, getting to the point, friends mum said that I should try BE on him towards the end of the season (Sept/Oct). It'll obviously be a BE90, I'm taking him to a hunter trial at Little Downham next Sunday to give us something to look forwards to - it'll be our first event including XC. I would, however, like to hire a BE course to see if we as a team can handle the BE fences. Can anyone suggest a course in Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire/Leicestershire/Northamptonshire (preferably within 40 miles of Peterborough) that has some simpler jumps and some harder ones that are up to BE standard. We've been to Aylesford a couple of times and I plan to go again - is there anywhere else?
 

Jnhuk

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I don't know about your area but a lot of the BE courses up here have training days with accredited BE trainers following on from the BE event plus usually the fences are still dressed as for the competition which you don't get when just hiring the course.

Why not try a BE80 sooner rather than waiting to the end of the season to have a go at a BE90?
 

PorkChop

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I'm not in your area, but definitely look into hiring a course after a BE event, as this will give you the best preparation and either take your own instructor or as Jnhuk has said, a BE accredited one.

With regards to schooling xc I would always tackle water, steps and ditches first, after a warm up and a couple of easy fences, before they get tired. I actually start by walking over ditches and making them as boring as possible!

It sounds like you are well on track to be ready - find some good unaffiliated events - possibly at BE venues before you tackle a BE - good luck :)
 

MegaBeast

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Have a look at the BE calendar for events running in your area as a lot will hire the course out the day after the event still fully dressed and flagged for you to have a play round. Try to choose one that runs 80 and 90 so if you have a confidence wobble you've got some smaller fences too.
 

becca1305

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Field farm XC wymeswold has a good selection of jumps but is laid out as more of a schooling set up over a couple of fields than a course like Aylesford, I find it handier if being taught by someone on foot as Aylesford is very spread out. I think it would be quite a nice one to go to :).
 

Arniebear

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More norfolk based but not a million miles away is Gt whichingham they run BE80 too also there UA is over the BE courses so u could run in an UA at half the price and still get BE standard xc fences if you just want to see what he's like :)
 

popsdosh

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More norfolk based but not a million miles away is Gt whichingham they run BE80 too also there UA is over the BE courses so u could run in an UA at half the price and still get BE standard xc fences if you just want to see what he's like :)
its 2.5hrs away from PB!
 

*hic*

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Depending on what height you're doing at LD next weekend you'll be jumping a part of their BE90 course!
 

elliebrewer98

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I was at Little Downham today schooling as I'm BSJA tomorrow and miss the xc event. I'd go and do some BE schooling there or book in for the BE training day which is in the middle of april at Little Downham (open to non-members).
A nice variety of jumps were out today from 60cm up to 1m+ with variety of fences; two water complexes, multiple ditches and steps and drops, along with all types of portable jumps. We had a lovely time!:)
 
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