Decisions, decisions - green horse, first show, WWYD?

milliepops

Wears headscarf aggressively
Joined
26 July 2008
Messages
27,531
Visit site
It's a trivial thing, but I just can't decide! So over to the HHO hive mind...

Millie is off games, so it's all eyes on Kira. For those who don't know, I bought Kira out of the field last year while Millie was off games (again :( ). She's a 14.2hh section D, 10yo and green as grass. Her previous owners bought her from her stud, I believe, and I think they thought she had done a bit of everything but she really hadn't. She spent the last few years turned away.

She's a funny bunny and it's taken a while to suss her out, though is now making progress :D She has started jumping and schools quite nicely.

I've had numerous plans to get her out to a little local show, but life keeps intervening and it's been totally impossible. There are tedious complications about having no transport. The local unaff riding club don't have anything for months now, so I'm toying with a dressage show. So, here's the thing - unaffiliated dressage on grass, OR BD prelim at Summerhouse??

Cons of the unaff show: potential slippy grass as she's not the most balanced, slight concern about chaotic warm up, also running SJ so will be fairly busy, wiggly route in the lorry and pony not the best traveller

Cons of BD show: more expensive, i think the venue is nice but some horses disagree! I would ask for early times to avoid a crush in the warm up.

Have no idea how she will react as I think it will be her first show, however, I have no pride so won't be embarrassed if we have to pack up and go home. What do others think?
 
From what you say I would think the BD if you don't mind the extra expense. I think the more positive the first outing can be the better, so less to deal with in the warm up and a non slip surface would tip the balance for me.
 
I'm leaning that way too Kinnygirl, for those reasons. Just worried in case she plants in the warm up or gets stage fright!
I'm a BD member so would also be nice to get a bit out of my membership this year, now Millie is off ;)

Only planning to do one test so the additional £ is not too bad. Been a long time since I had to take anything to its first show, seems more choice this time around.
 
For me it would be going to any type of competition, without actually competing. Otherwise you may be stuck with her having a bad experience in the arena (with no chance to correct anything) which can stick in her memory for the rest of her career.
Once she will go along and cope with the atmosphere and relax then I would enter.
 
well that's pretty much going to be my approach, but I can't really turn up and use the warm up without paying to enter ;) she's been to different arenas, but not with other horses that she doesn't know. If it looks like it's going to go wrong, then as in my OP I'm happy to pull out, go home or retire to the warm up arena :)
 
From the way you describe it, BD might be a bit more low key for her at the moment and therefore a better option.Are you still riding Armas?
 
Top