Eventers - going it alone

[LEC]

No rule it just says you must check in with Secretary if alone and tell them.

I am useless as cannot drive a box so have a driver. It would not bother me if I did not as usually know a couple of people when I am eventing who could help out if the worst struck.

 

[Nic]

With Dubh yes with DA not yet.

Can't leave DA alone for 5 minutes or he tries to top himself!

 

[LEC]

Well I think our schedules pretty much match next year so you know I am more than happy to help you out and my driver being of an age to drive 7.5 tonne lorries is pretty useful!! Where we tend to go anyway you are either driving past mine or I am driving past yours so it would be no hassle if worst came to worst as B could come back with me or be dropped off at yours.

 

[KatB]

I travel on my own almost all the time. However I am lucky that in a majority of cases I have had some lovely friends to help when I get there, and Mum and Dad appear to give there two penneth worth on occasions! Prefer it when there is a crowd though

 

[Bossanova]

I went out on my own a few time this year but dont feel that comfortable doing it. I'd rather poach LEC or Holly for the day!!

 

[LEC]

It helps that I am a much better groom than Holly as well!

 

[Bossanova]

[ QUOTE ]
It helps that I am a much better groom than Holly as well!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, but Holly provides cupcakes. Tbh that makes it a close run thing!!

 

[MagicMelon]

Yes, I would go it alone. I do Novice. But TBH Id always try to have someone with me and so have never had to go it alone yet (although I regularily go alone to BSJA etc.). It's just more hasstle at an ODE as there's so much to be done etc. It is a bit worrying with regard to if I fell off - who'd drive my horse home. But normally Id always know someone at the event who Id hope would help out.

 

[trundle]

I love the look of eventing - nowhere near competent enough to do it myself - but if anyone in the Beds/Bucks area needs an event groom / horse holder /boot remover/bacon sarnie fetcher, I'd willingly help out some time.

 

[sar1]

Did PN this season. I will go by myself, but very rarely have to. I've never gone more than an hour from home by myself.

The people who come with me aren't always horsey (ie my mum sometimes comes), but it's good to just have someone there who could cope if something happened - which she could.

If I'm by myself, or in fact even if I'm not, there usually someone there who lives very close to me so would, I'd hope, sort my horse out!

The worst thing about being by myself is changing tack in the less than 40 mins that they always seem to give me between SJ and XC!!!

 

[disco]

At 39yrs old I still take my Mum!!

 

[kilster1]

I envy all those that have mother's and OH's who provide such support! I do PN level and have to go eventing on my own otherwise it wouldn't happen. Used to go with an eventing mate and took it in turns to take lorries and had a fab time like that but I've since moved. If anyone in the Bedford/MK area wants to do that let me know!

 

[huskimo12]

I wouldnt wanto be going on my own for a few reasons. The help on the ground with poles and last details for the horses. Even if you can organise everything on your own then what would you do if you sprained your ankle/ wrist etc which can happen on the ground.
It isnt so bad if you are competing well within you comfort zone and have lots of people you know attending the competition as well.

It is always best to take someone with you even if they arent horsey.

 

[WFL]

I go alone. Who else is going to go with me?

 

[SpruceRI]

Yes I go to everything alone. My family aren't interested and none of my friends (horsey or otherwise) want to waste their precious weekends coming to a comp with me.

Having said that, my new friend Pru (met on this forum) and I attend many of the same events now so we'll sort each others horses out should we be injured.

I've also got an arrangement with a couple of close friends whose details are in my trailer and will come and fetch Rosie if I can't drive.

It's not ideal, but if I don't go it alone I don't go out.

 

[Vix1978]

If I didn't go alone, I wouldn't go at all. I have to leave the girls to run the yard at home, so it would be unfair to take one of them with me. Sometimes the odd livery will come with, but when it is a 4am set-off, the offers dry up!!

Realised how inconvenient it is going alone this year when broke collar bone and ankle at Solihull. the people there were fab to get the horse sorted, but had to put an SOS call out to friends to come and pick me and the nag up....

 

[Baggybreeches]

It would really depend on which or how many horses I was taking. I have been to events on my own before at PN level, but I almost always take my mum. The biggest problem is getting a jump in the SJ warm up at the right time.
I dont think I would like to go it alone all the time, but as a one off then its ok.

 

[Merlotmonster]

I have been on my own once. Its not the same and I would rather not go if it happened again. I love the whole day out with my sister and OH...we have a good laugh, take a picnic etc and I was all sad and lonely without them there!!
Also, at one event, I had to be taken to hospital after a fall and OH and sister had to take horse home. I would have been stuffed without them.

 

[Maloo]

Well ... as a Mum I always try to go with Beth as I really enjoy the comps (especially when they are over!!) This was really forced home at Gatcombe when Beth took a purler and both her and Song ended up in their respective ambulances! I didnt know which one to run too! It was the drive home that was the worst bit - concussed daughter and sedated Song - I did borrowed a fellow competitor (daughter of friend) who was also competing to travel home with me to keep an eye on both patients on the journey!
From my point of view its not ideal to go alone, but following B's accident you reallise how supportive everyone is in the world of eventing - I dont think anyone would leave you stranded if anything did happen.
BTW if anyone wants a hand up in our neck of the woods am alway happy to lend a hand! Perhaps we should keep a list of who is at what competition (along with numbers) so we know if we have a 'virtual friend' on site to help!!

 

[ChestnutMonty]

I compete at PN (hoping to go novice next season) and I have just passed my trailer test (as im 22) so I will be going alone, will always try and have someone there at least for the XC phase, so at least they wont have to hang around all day long!! But as for this winter's BSJA & dressage I will be quite happy to go alone (I will alwyas tell the organiser though)

 

[dieseldog]

I nearly always go by myself, and I evented up to Novice. I didn't realise I was supposed to tell someone I was alone

. I always go jumping by myself.

It doesn't really worry me as my lorry is insured for anyone to drive and as long as someone took the horses tack off for me if I had an accident it won't kill her to stand on the lorry until someone turned up to drive her home.

The one time I did have an accident - I broke my collar bone, the OH was actually with me as were my sisters, so he drove me home in sisters trailer and they took my lorry home - not entirley sure why we did that.

 

[duckpond]

I used to event alone, I would always tell the secretary or stable manager (depending on event). However after a nasty fall at *** and ending up being taken to hospital, I wouldn't recommend going alone. Fortunatly my horse was ok.

 

[SpruceRI]

But I do go on my own because I absolutely have to!

When I was younger I didn't go anywhere or do anything on my own because I didn't like being on my own. So I wished my life away, wishing I could do this and that if only someone would come with me, or take me.

Then I bought my own box, and plucked up the courage to go out on my own. Wow - I was living the life I'd always wanted.

Tis all very well saying you shoudn't go out on your own, but then you live a staid life unless you're lucky enough to have people who follow your every move. I don't.

I've met some fab people along the way: Prudunce and MagicMagoo from here, tons of people from my Riding Club, a few people from SEWPCA, from work and general shows etc. Many of which I know I could rely on if I was in trouble, and they know they can rely on me too.

I don't GO with them, but they are often there.

As someones strapline goes: One life, live it.

 

[SpruceRI]

Trundle - I wish you were in Kent!

I wouldn't ask you to do anything, just be there!!

 

[SpruceRI]

Have to say that I didn't realise I was supposed the tell the Sec at the event that I'm alone because I fill those details in on my entry form??