Do you struggle to get people to come to events with you??

I'm quite lucky as I'm only 18 so my dad still drives the box and I usually always have a friend with me anyway. My dads not very keen on my horse so if my friend cant come, I drag my mom along as shes happy to hold her and help tack up. My dad does work away alot though and I feel mean taking up his time off, so I'm going to get insured on the box. If you have room on your box, why not advertise for other people in the area to share lifts etc? There might be alot of people who have wanted to start eventing but havent had any transport.
 
You could always try the BE buddy system on their forum. It may work, although its never used that much. Perhaps a suggestion to H&H to have a Comp riders buddy system forum as a sticky so its always at the top of the page??!!
 
Luce 1 you are right to be concerned re breaking down - if you and horse got stuck on a motorway it would be an utter nightmare. I have breakdown for the car and a separate rescue service for horse and trailer. Then if it all goes wrong, you can call them and sit tight.

Interesting that people have made friends at events and on here that they meet up with at events.... I've never really managed it, though it was one of the reasons I joined HHO. Will have to try harder to network when I go out competing!
 
I must add that Star who's written a post above has been an absolute legend this season and been all over the place with me!

I think I've gone from someone whos struggled with a complete idiot of a horse to someones whos got it under control. I wouldn't not go to an event because I was on my own but its nice to have company. Also, if you fall off and can't drive home it could be a bit of a nightmare.

re breaking down... I am obsessive about checking my car has tyres pumped up properly, full fuel tank, oil levels etc etc just right to minimise risk but you can never garuntee. I actually have a tube of sedalin in my glove box all the time just in case something awful happened and I was stuck on the motorway I'd give some to win. He's so impatient he really throws himself about if the trailer is stood for too long!
 
squiz22 said:
I actually have a tube of sedalin in my glove box all the time just in case something awful happened and I was stuck on the motorway I'd give some to win. He's so impatient he really throws himself about if the trailer is stood for too long!
Click to expand...

Thats a great idea, do you just ask the vet for some?
I do all the checks above on the car, I have never checked it as much as now I use it for towing my precious horse.
 
Wow!!! Thank u sooo much for all your really positive replies. I had no idea so many people travelled solo . I am not an unconfident driver or rider. It is the little things that play on my mind, like getting down to the start box and realising you have forgotten your number or not having someone to do the practice jump ect ect.

I have breakdown cover and i always keep feed in my lorry just in case he wont load or we are qaway longer then planned. I love the idea of keeping sedaline in the lorrry - will get some from the vet next time he is out. If I do breakdown or fell off and coupled drive home, i do know that my husband would drop whatever it is he was doing and be there as quick as he could to help so that is reassuring.


Thank you to everyone who has offered to help and be around on the day of Askern Bryan. I am actually on last in the 90cm class so the chances are many of you would've gone home by then. It would certainly be lovely to meet some new people. My lorry is a red and yellow layland daf, w reg. Please come and say hello if u see me!


It would be brilliant if we could organise HHO course walk. I'll start another thread!! Thanks Charlimoouse for suggesting it!


I'm feeling much more inspired now!!! thank you!!


I'm writing this on my phone so I can't quite individual posts. again, thank you all x

p.s whats the betting my husband will now suddenly decide to come and support me this sunday now - he did coment this morning that it is the most local event i have done!
 
Local stuff I dont mind being on my own, but as not the most confident of towers would like company if i get to further afield, horse lame at the moment so not sure if that will happen, think if i had a small lorry would not mind so much. You can suit yourself on your own, what time to leave etc. only thing is I show and its nice to have someone to help you groom and get on after you have stripped. Used to have a lovely little lorry and didnt make enough use of it, and now its gone, I miss it! Use to love going out with me and my pony although at one dressage i was in the lorry changing and pony got loose and wandered off and I saw him through the window but could not do anything as i was in my knickers!! would have been handy to have someone with me then!!
 
I usually go on my own. Mum will come and watch if it's local, and she can hold horse, do boots and girth, and take photos! She quite likes coming in the truck.
I'm in NZ, and just about all of our Horse Trials are over two days, so when I go eventing, I go it alone as the truck just has one bed. I've made heaps of friends, and have acquired several *mothers* who want to feed me, and who have seats in their trucks and invite me in for coffee (My truck JUST has a bed). I know lots of people now, and usually there is someone around to help me warm up and walk courses with. It helps I have the world's easiest horse to take away, and he loves it.
I have been in the situation where I broke my arm 3 and a half hours from home, but a friend's partner was able to drive my truck home thankfully, while another friend took the horse and someone else took me to a&e! Not my finest hour...
So definitely have a back up plan now!!!
 
I'm based in the north west and will happily come and help anyone competing in the area if I'm free. I already do this for BSJA comps for one HHOer after answering a plea from her on here. I'm sure there must be others out there willing to do the same in other areas! 😃
 
another onethat tends to go to "parties" on her own. I was lucky enough to have a companion for a while, but then that created another set of problems as the two horses ended up being very clingy. It would be lovely to have a ground crew/ moral support, but I have very few I could ask.
 
After years of meeting parents there or dragging unwilling other half I mentioned to a totally un-horsey collegue that I was eventing on my own a few weeks ago as all my usual help was unavailable. Amazingly she offered to come, didn't object to the 5am start, was enthusiastic, interested and actually very useful, I got my best result in years (think she was a little disappointed not to get a prize after waiting 5 hours for results)!
Following trip out took horsey parents instead, yes I get grooming and studs done for me but "helpful" tips on how the course is riding etc. always seem to make me go wrong, after my first fall in years father is now banned from walking course with me, in fact if mother gets her way he's never coming again;)
Next trip out I'm taking my trainer for the first time...now that makes me nervous!
 
Have to say I've really enjoyed going to events as groom for Squizz and lex last half of this season since horse been injured. Soooo much more relaxing than competing - will happily keep doing it next year once mine is back in work as long as I'm free. Hoping I'm due some good karma from all my helping out and some nice people will help me into that start box too!
 
i really enjoy going on my own....music on full blast in the wagon on the way there, and back....mum, when she comes to help, bless her, puts on the hoof oil before ive got the studs in, and can be more of a hindrance than a help....."mum, put me up a quick cross pole" turns into lots of dropped poles, and "darling whats that"....me: "its like an X" ......u see what I mean!!
Also ive got noone but myself to let down when i ****** up!!! and she feeds me banana sandwiches when all i really need is Haribos!!!

Ive evented two on my own.....no time to think or worry, but just be a bit more organised...and let the stewards know you are on your own and they are usually very accommodating

Try it once on you own....youll be surprised how NOT scary it really is!!!
 
Well I survived! And I certainly didn’t feel alone. I spent the whole day bumping into new friends and old and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am especially proud of my horse. I didn’t really appreciate until after yesterday just how easy he is to do, we coped absolutely fine just the two of us! No more events for me this season but I certainly wont talk myself out of going to any events next year because I haven’t got a buddy to come with me.

A massive thank you to everyone who commented on this post with their words of wisdom! You are all very inspiring!
 
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