Early BE dates...are you going to run?

Bubblegum

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With all the bad weather, and not being able to prepare as much as we would like, we are seriously considering pulling out.
Our horse finished last season with a CIC * and to be safe we have only entered in a PN to get him started... but our menage is still frozen, and even the roads / tracks round here are like an ice rink and we can't get him out much. :(
What is everyone else doing?
 
We have been so lucky and have been able to carry on through the weather with only our jumping being limited so we're on for Tweseldown then Gatcombe (WWOOOOOPP!!).

I do really feel for everyone who has not been able to get going yet as it can effect your whole season.

Good luck - hope you get out soon :)
 
i'm entered for somerford but only at BE90 so will run....haven't had a much work as i would like (certainly not done anywhere near as much galloping as i would like) but have been lucky enough to borrow a friend's indoor so have been able to do some schooling and jumping....i'll just take it steady if i need to....
 
It's thawing this week so you will still have time to get going - they don't need to be that fit for pre-novice and you can always go a little steadier if you are not sure.
 
We are ok here at the moment. Mini TX is entered for Moreton Novice and then onto Aldon ONu18(Q).

Bless her, her head is in a much better place, and even more so that she managed to go clear at a JAS today, it was only an unaff, but its an improvement on our pole basher.
 
It's thawing this week so you will still have time to get going - they don't need to be that fit for pre-novice and you can always go a little steadier if you are not sure.

I was hoping someone would say that! haha... yes I'm think he will find it well within his comfort zone, and he is full TB so fairly fit...just have to keep fingers crossed that lack of work doesn't mean he bucks like stink all day.:eek:
 
I'm not planning on doing BE until the second half of the year, if at all, this season, after a long time of being off injured (me). When I was, I never was able to do the early ones - we live in the hills in the Pennines with no school (access to friend's nearby but can't get to it if ice or snow..) I've always had to write it off until May events! I would love to start with the early Stafford, but theres no chance!
 
I was hoping someone would say that! haha... yes I'm think he will find it well within his comfort zone, and he is full TB so fairly fit...just have to keep fingers crossed that lack of work doesn't mean he bucks like stink all day.:eek:

For a TB pre-novice distance is nothing. You have time to get his back down - work him twice a day for a few days - and if not he won't be the only one showing his delight at the season starting!!!
 
i was debating if we were going to be ready but i think we'll enter tweseldown even if we just go for a safe clear instead of chasing the time. He is reasonably fit having hunted on and off so as long as we get going now we should be ok. It's more my confidence that is lacking having not jumped a SJ course since Oct!
 
i was debating if we were going to be ready but i think we'll enter tweseldown even if we just go for a safe clear instead of chasing the time. He is reasonably fit having hunted on and off so as long as we get going now we should be ok. It's more my confidence that is lacking having not jumped a SJ course since Oct!

I haven't jumped a fence sj or xc since err august at my last event :eek: Should perhaps cobble together a few showjumps in the arena in a few weeks!!
 
I'm entered for ALW unaff 80, first weekend of march. I had real problems keeping going last winter but luckily so far I've been pretty lucky this winter and have managed to get out SJing quite a lot (joining bsja was such a good plan!), we've done a couple of dressage tests and I'm hoping to fit in a couple of xc schooling sessions by the end of feb.

He's fairly fit and it should be a nice first run so I'm hopefully going ahead if all goes to plan!! :)

TX1- was that the PC JAS at west wilts? :)
 
I'm entered for Aston Pre-Intro, with one of them, who did I think three of them there last year and Munstead BE90 [but didn't get to go XC]. He'll go no matter what, he's been doing a lot of dressage with Mum and is super-fit and raring to go!

My other horse hasn't been ridden for nearly 2 weeks though because of a bad back and snow, and in all honesty, has been ridden very sporadically since october, because of me having exams. Planning to get on her tomorrow, and get her going again, as she's entered for a BE90 3rd week in march, which she'll go to, even if she just Drsg and SJ's.
 
I have entered the JAS at Merrist Wood this sat but that doesn't really count.

I entered Tweseldown in a fit of keen ness before the snow then worried but I think we'll be fine. I thought it was supposed to be warming up a bit now and mine have done little bits.


I can't wait to get started.
 
You're all making me feel horrifically guilty. I'm in the Nov at Isleham and I've done zero specific fitness work! I've done indoor BS 'til I'm blue in the face, though, and a few XC schooling sessions.
 
I most definitely wrote my early season plans in sand! Just as well because there is no way my boy would be ready to do Isleham or Poplar.
New plans are now to enjoy a couple of unaff hunter trials in March & then the BE90 at Great Witchingham.
 
I generally drop mine down a level to start and run them 3 or 4 times close together then back off a bit, so it doesn't matter if they're not 100% as they 'improve for the run' to use a racing phrase.

As it happens they were both up and running before the snow/ice so a few days on the walker hasn't made much difference. One has been hunting a bit and BSJAing, the other's been BDing and they've both had a decent canter on the beach (can go 3 miles each way if you need to) once a fortnight or so.

I have hit a wall with the XC schooling - nothing open anywhere - but am hoping that they've both got enough experience under their belts and have done enough hunting/arena XC type stuff that they should manage an easy PN run at Oasby without too much trouble without XC schooling.
 
Thanks everyone for all the replies. :)
It's made us feel a whole lot betterknowing we are not the only ones. As our horse will find the XC fairly straightforward (we hope) we will just see how it goes ... hopefully it will be the easing in that we need, and not too much bucking in the dressage!
oldvic - have suggested to my daughter we exercise him twice a day leading into the event, it's not something we have done before. A really useful tip. Thank you.
Thistle - glad you will be out and about still. Sounds like you will be as busy as usual:)
Everyone else...let's hope the icy weather is done and dusted and we can all crack on. Hope you all have a fun first run :)
 
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