Competing alone

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Milliechaz

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I am thinking about competing alone but have concerns about leaving my horse on the trailer with me not being around. No issue if dressage as you learn the test before you go but showjumping or arena eventing, how do you walk the course or do you just watch and hope you aren't 1st in the class.
 
You practice leaving your horse in the trailer alone with a hay net. Does your horse play up when left on the trailer? Loads of people compete alone without any issue including BE where the horse is often left for quite some time. Just leave your details on a big sheet of A4 in front of car so you can be phoned it there's an issue and let organiser know you're alone as well as people parked around you.
 
As NicNac said I leave my details on a piece of A4 in windscreen. I don’t mind going to dressage, SJ and arena eventing by myself but have found eventing a struggle alone. So much to do and usually further to travel to compete. I’ve only just started and didn’t do it when I was younger so it’s not second nature. The upside is that I find the organisation takes so much of my focus that I forget to be worried about the XC 😂
 
I have evented several horses on my own. Being comfortable stood on a trailer or lorry is an important life skill for a horse - what if you break down and need to wait for cover? Or are stuck in a tail back on the motorway?

My horses are always left on the lorry or trailer while I walk courses - never tied to the trailer. Once at an SJ venue I nipped to a very nearby loo without reloading Lottie and she followed me! But when reloaded they are fine.

Let the secretary know you are on your own, have your number written on the lorry/trailer and make sure all your stuff is well organised, as not having people to grab things for you can be a pain if you having got everything laid and and readily to hand.
 
I always compete alone, over the years this has included dressage, sj and eventing, make sure you are organised, write lists if necessary, and if you are not sure if your horse stands alone on the lorry/trailer, then practise. As others have said, standing quietly on the lorry is an essential life skill for a horse, so its worth teaching it even if you have company when you compete.
 
Milliechaz said:
I am thinking about competing alone but have concerns about leaving my horse on the trailer with me not being around. No issue if dressage as you learn the test before you go but showjumping or arena eventing, how do you walk the course or do you just watch and hope you aren't 1st in the class.
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I always used to compete on my own and I used to leave Bailey tied to the back of the trailer with a quick release clip and a haynet which always kept them quiet Did it with all the other horses before her. They were all fine and they were always in eyesight of the cafeteria or seating area.

I was always one of the first to arrive at the venue so was able to reverse about five foot away from the arena fence which meant she never had vehicles driving by her which helped and there was room to put the ramp down to load up at the end of the show.

These days I don't think they allow you to leave them tied up outside a lorry or trailer so you have to leave them on board.
 

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Show jumping you can generally find someone kind to hold your horse whilst you sprint round the course. On learning to stand in the trailer or lorry my ex racehorse at first had to be unloaded immediately or would kick the lorry. Gradually short periods of standing up whilst we were around to now he’ll stand happily eating whilst I do what I need to including at stay away shows whilst I get stable ready.
 
I SJ alone and there’s always usually someone to hold your horse, the warm up steward has done it a few times and even taken a video of my round.

If your horse isn’t settled on the trailer alone that needs training. I don’t think I could compete alone if my horse didn’t just stand and munch hay while I faff / course walk / get a cup of tea!
 
humblepie said:
Gradually short periods of standing up whilst we were around to now he’ll stand happily eating whilst I do what I need to including at stay away shows whilst I get stable ready.
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Stayaways often make your horse wait on the lorry while you go to the office for a passport check. And at big shows there are long queues! Another reason why a horse needs to be able to stand calmly on a box.
 
I always compete alone! Nearly always dressage but did my first event last year and had to go alone (and take the dog!). My horse isn't a great loader, so I don't have the option of reloading and leaving him on the trailer between phases. He does stand brilliantly by the trailer though, but I always ask someone parked nearby to keep an eye on him. I know some venues won't allow horses to be left tied up unsupervised understandably, but there is always someone around who is happy to watch.
 
I have generally always competed alone. I treat myself once a year to company at the local county show.
As others say, horse needs to learn to stand quietly on or off the trailer.
Start small, local venue you go to regularly and know a few other competitors at and build up from there. I do find it less stressful if it's a venue I already know though.
The hardest ones were when I went showing and hacked over. Trying to find someone to hold my 18.1 while i did my entries in the secretary's tent was always amusing!
 
Ample Prosecco said:
Stayaways often make your horse wait on the lorry while you go to the office for a passport check. And at big shows there are long queues! Another reason why a horse needs to be able to stand calmly on a box.
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Yes in his early days OH once droveby car to stay away show while I drove lorry simply to look after my horse whilst I organised things then he went back home 😁. Now you don’t hear a peep out of horse aa he stands on box. Just took a long time to realise wasn’t anything exciting he was missing
 
Yes. I think you just have to work out a plan as you go along really. Most people have horse rescue cover as part of breakdown cover.

I’ve had a few situations where I could not take horse home: I broke an ankle at a XC clinic. Paid the venue for a stable overnight. Abandoned lorry and got a lift to A&E. OH retrieved lorry and horse in morning.

Another time car broke down at an ODE. A horse transporter to take horse home and I waited for a separate truck to flat bed me plus car and trailer home.

People are generally pretty helpful. Another time my daughter came off arena Eventing and was taken to hospital by ambulance. I went with her. A friend drive my lorry and the pony home.
 
Canelloni said:
What do people do if you have a fall/injury and are alone? How to get horse home etc. Has anyone experienced this?
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There is usually someone local enough to help, we were once at a local-ish show (55 miles mostly motorway) a lady who was from near us fell off and broke her ankle, my sister happened to be with me that day, so I gave her a pep talk, and she drove the ladies truck and trailer home in convoy with me.
 
Canelloni said:
What do people do if you have a fall/injury and are alone? How to get horse home etc. Has anyone experienced this?
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Yes four times over the 17 years I competed. I used to compete once, sometimes twice a week at one point. Bailey was incredibly spooky and if she didn't like the look of something like a filler or a shaft of sunshine across the floor between a double she'd put down so fast within a millisecond and drop her shoulder, it always came as a total surprise because she'd always be on the perfect stride so it was never expected! The jumps i thought she'd look at she didn't and the ones I felt were 'safe' she disagreed with my risk assessment. 😆

Once I was on a fun ride, when i came off andcbanged my head and felt sick immediately afterwards. Now that was scary! I had to watch Bailey gleefully gallop off across two massive fields only to stop and stuff her face on the grass whilst someone kind caught her and led her back to me. Paramedic insisted i went in an ambulance to get checked out. In the end Dad was called (collected o/h enroute) and took me to A&E and some nice chap rode Bails all the way back to the start for me, I saw him come over the horizon with a big smile on his face and he said she was lovely. I said you 'wouldn't be saying that if you'd have tried to jump the straw bales like I did' 🤣🤣 all the more annoying because they were only 18" high!! Obviously too spooky for her!! My other half loaded her and towed her home.

Once I came off during the SJ phase of an Area 5 ODE when i winded myself. I'd told Mum not to watch me as i was nervous so she sat in the car only to be called in when i was asking for her lol. I was really annoyed as I'd got 25 in my dressage!!

The other two at a show centre in Warks. I'd get knocked out and I'd come to with no memory of being walked across the arena flanked by people each side of me into the cafeteria or seating area although I always remembered the fall!

I'd be in a daze like a dream and suddenly 'come to' for want of a better word and realise I'd have a paramedic sat next to me, asking me questions to assess my mental state, which was usually a mixture of frustration and annoyance with my spooky horse!

Meanwhile my horse being caught after frolicking around the arena for ten minutes holding up the class!,l I bet they loved us 😆😆

The organisers would kindly untack and put in a stable at the venue. Dad being called by paramedic. Dad arriving after collecting partner and following behind ambulance/meeting me at the hospital whilst partner with help from fellow competitors loaded horse and towed her home.

Partner then asking fellow liveries for help to unload horse from trailer at yard.

Dream team. 🤭
 
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Thank you for everybody's feedback. He is good stood on the trailer with a net but I've only ever left him for a short time ie while booking in. I can't imagine there woukd be an issue it's more about me being concerned because I'm.probably over thinking thinking things. I'll do as you all recommend leave my details and speak to those around me. Once I've done it once I'll be fine, it's just nerves I think. Really appreciate all of your replies, thank you
 
SEL said:
It's usually where you see the best in the horse community. Horses offered stables, lifts in lorries etc. Just make sure your "in case of emergency details" are accessible
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When I show jumped I used to carry an emergency contact card in my pocket in case I had an accident at a show - was at one place and realised I knew no-one and no-one would have the foggiest idea who to contact or even which vehicle was mine. I lived on my own and no one knew where I had gone that day.
 
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I jumped for years on my own. My horse then was unable to be held or led anywhere on the showground, so I would tack up in the lorry, walk the course then get him down the ramp and jump on. He was safe as soon as you were on board. At affiliated sj no one ever seemed to tie up outside, and I never did unaff with this horse.

Later horses were excellent on the ground and I bought a trailer by then as not so serious jumping wise and it was much cheaper. I always tack up and leave horse in trailer and they are perfectly fine. I mainly do dressage now but even in between classes I pop him back in the trailer if there is a break.

I love my days out with my horse on his own, and only went with others for Teamquest BD, and now only manage to drag my son and husband to bigger events like festivals.

I have probably gone on my own for 15 years and very happy on my own
 
My OH used to come with me. It seemed as soon as we arrived at the venue he was asking when we were going home!! Got so fed up with it I started going on my own about 10 years ago. I love going on my own. Horse is easy at a show. I have only done dressage in recent years but if I was arena eventing I would make an effort to walk the course the day before.
 
I dressage on my own 99% of the time. I also do unaff sj, arena eventing and hacking by myself too. I don’t have another option! He’s really good at standing on the box, usually tacked up. He’s very good at going back on in between classes as well.
 
We have brought several horses and lorries back to our yard for injured people over the years, I think thats what the horsey community do
Horses have stayed the night / several nights until the injured person can get them organised to be picked up

You'd want someone to do the same for you if they could
 
one trick i’ve found that works for mine who don’t like waiting on the box when we arrived, i just get them off and put them back on again and they’re fine with that😂

take them off, brush and get sorted, stick them back on and they’re fine! it is daunting though, i’d definitely either ask someone at the ringside to hold them or ask the person parked next to you to keep an eye on the box for 10 minutes!
 
Only think I have to add is make sure you have a pocket in your jods for your phone (or even better a discreet inside pocket in jacket) I’ve been to a few places alone recently and mainly you will have points where you mounted and will need to say take a coat on or off and the best way is to be smiley and polite and so far I’ve found everyone to be helpful!

I’ve also been a jumping groom and a show steward/warm up wrangler and never objected to holding a horse whilst someone walks the course/goes to the loo/cheesy chip run (especially if they returned with a thank you latte) and as a groom happily adjusted fences as long as it didn’t interfere with what my boss was after (and would often ask if we were leaving to go in what the next person wanted it left at 😏). The vast majority of people are helpful and happy!

The other emergency contact situation to note is the ICE setting on your phone and I put a business card in the back of case which is clear with various details on which says in event of me falling off my horse as I hack alone very early as well so I like to have details readily available!
 
I’ve competed alone a few times. Generally I’ll arrive, open the top door of the trailer so my boy can have a look about, then trundle off to get numbers/sign in/nervous wee, leaving him in for 5-10 mins alone max. I then don’t usually leave him again until we’ve competed, and that’s usually for me to go get a burger! If I hang about abit afterwards I’ll place myself in sight of the trailer so I can see/hear if he’s unsettled. He’s gotten used to standing on the box for abit before getting off as ive arrived early on a few occasions 🤣
 
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