Eventing in less that 4 weeks...really?

[Kraft]

So then all you eventers out there....what are the chances of us starting to event the first weekend in March?

Surely the ground will just not be ready by then?

 

[Sarah_Jane]

It can dry out quite quickly particularly if some wind. However I am not that hopeful as still lots of preparation work required.Also don't know about anyone else but struggling to do any fitness significant fitness work!

 

[Kelpie]

I am not even going to stress myself by trying! It's the canter work that's the problem for me as its just too deep out there.... So I am just going to aim for an end of March start!

 

[kirstyhen]

Mine is fit and ready to roll, Oasby is our first run and I think the ground there is usually good. We ran there in October no problems. So I am hopeful! I'd just like to not have our first Novice run cancelled again!

 

[lex2501]

We are entered up for Tweseldown, which actually benefits from being slightly on the wet side as it can get very deep being sand. In terms of fitness, I am very glad that I kept mine going all winter, so a week off with the snow actually did them the world of good, and didn't impact our preparation too much at all.

If I was planning anywhere other than Tweseldown then I may be a little concerned. I remember Moreton last year was a bit of a wash out. But then again remember how hot/dry it got at the end of March/April!! It verged on being too hard!!

 

[Maesfen]

As a fencing company we have been stopped since before Christmas and still have no sign of being able to get on any land to work due to waterlogging; if sites are as wet as us in Cheshire then they'll have had no chance of getting on the land to even start preparation.

 

[stencilface]

I was shocked when I realised I was wanted for grooming duties for the 8 March!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Not a chance unless the ground is very sandy, well drained and we don't have any more rain for a month.

We need a drought in deepest Worcestershire to get a tractor on the ground.

 

[Gamebird]

I've got two entered at the EMDG unaff event at Osberton on the 24th. Of FEB! I live 5mins away and the ground's probably good enough to run it now, let alone with the help of the drying (that's a euphimism for 'gale force' ) wind that we'rte experiencing this week.

 

[kirstyhen]

In terms of fitness, I am very glad that I kept mine going all winter, so a week off with the snow actually did them the world of good, and didn't impact our preparation too much

Ditto. Plus Mally has been hunting through bottomless ground over winter, so will be more than prepared for the bogs out eventing!

Did anyone see Countryfile last night? The weatherman was saying how the air stream that brings our weather has changed, meaning that we are likely to get more prolonged periods of extreme weather. So I think this year will probably see rock hard ground or bottomless bogs once again

 

[Gamebird]

*euphemism, obviously

 

[kirstyhen]

I've got two entered at the EMDG unaff event at Osberton on the 24th. Of FEB! I live 5mins away and the ground's probably good enough to run it now, let alone with the help of the drying (that's a euphimism for 'gale force' ) wind that we'rte experiencing this week.

And that weird orangey-yellow thing in the sky!

 

[MillionDollar]

As long as it stops raining/the rain stays away it's always surprising how quickly it can dry up. Yes, it's going to take longer than usual but ours has dried up a lot over the weekend (still v. wet, but def drier than Friday). If it didn't rain for the next 2 weeks and this wind keeps up I can guarantee we'll be rolling and harrowing fields by the end of Feb, if not sooner.

 

[jess_asterix]

I'm entered for Somerford on 10th march and I'm struggling to et any proper canter work in other than interval training in the arena. I think the ground should be ok though hopefully as Somerford is normally pretty good.

 

[Deefa]

We are entered at Aston at the start of march, I am sure the ground can't be as bad as last year lol!

 

[star]

Fit and ready to go. Been out xc schooling on Saturday. Just need a few more canters and we're good to go. Tweseldown and Munstead should be fine ground wise - sand drains so quickly.

 

[Lynds]

I'm hopeful that Isleham will run, the ground there is very good. I'm really lucky - I have no arena so school in my field - which is actually perfect going at the moment!

 

[Fiona]

Our fields are so wet the two horses haven't been out for about three weeks now, but to be fair their fitness hasn't been affected so we should be good to go whenever.....

The first 2 events here are on sand, so it has to be really bad for them to cancel......

Fiona

 

[Gamebird]

Lynds you are rather lucky. Pretty much all of my prep has been on a surface or on tarmac. I can't wait for feet to touch grass for the first time at the first event of the season when I'm sitting in a dressage saddle. Must pack a neckstrap!

 

[Javabb94]

I'm worrying with 8 weeks until my first event with my 5 year old! 4 seems very close considering its only the beginning of February.

Luckily have an event clinic on 17th of this month so hopefully should help prepare us!

 

[Lynds]

Lynds you are rather lucky. Pretty much all of my prep has been on a surface or on tarmac. I can't wait for feet to touch grass for the first time at the first event of the season when I'm sitting in a dressage saddle. Must pack a neckstrap!

I know... I am very lucky.

It's not so great in the summer though as suffers in the drought, but not too sandy, just well draining. I have looked at livery closer to home, but am so lucky where I am (horse live out 24/7 too) that I'll endure the slightly out of the way drive for our perfect fields.

David Merrett - BE coach owns the land and he teaches on his land without a menage all year round.

 

[Jane_Lou]

We had intended running at Aston at the start of March. The horse is fit but as jockey is recovering from a badly broken ankle we have decided to wait until April as we have not been out anywhere all winter and really need to get schooling at least once first and preferably a bit of SJ practice - to test the leg as much as anything! Lorry has now decided to die on me and I can't get it looked at for 2 weeks so that was the final straw really!

 

[rotters13]

I have decided that optimism is the way forward and that in a truly British way that "Keep Calm and Carry On" will naturally ensure that everything will be fine. Head in the sand? Me? Never.

 

[eventing_2012]

I kept mine going over the winter and managing some canter work out hacking and interval training in the school. Not sure if ill get anywhere Xc schooling though. My first run is Isleham novice, going is flat and he is fit enough to run there now fingers crossed for a few less cancellations this season!!! Cannot wait!!!

 

[Rosiefan]

Ever the optimist, Rosie has 4 entered at Isleham on 2nd March. They will all be fit enough but she's not been able to do any XC schooling yet. Last year, she XCd in a blizzard before it was abandoned - well 'ard that girl .

 

[charlimouse]

I've kept mine ticking over during the winter, so not hugely worried fitness wise. We have lots of training planned over the next 4 weeks and will hopefully have a couple of XC schooling sessions, so by the time Oasby comes round we should be raring to go. I did, however, decide to enter Oasby as opposed to Somerford (they are the same distance from me), as the XC is much shorter and alot flatter at Oasby, so gives the horses a slightly easier run on the fitness side for early season.

 

[Polos Mum]

I'm only about 5 miles from Oasby and with all this wind the ground is drying out very quickly and we're forecast more gales but not much more rain in the next week - fingers crossed for everyone entered there you should get a nice run!

 

[Missypp]

Polos mum - that's good news we are heading down from scotland provided we don't get balloted. Its still soggy here after all the snow melted.

My horse definately counting down to oasby he's needing the run, he is normally placid but getting grumpy.

 

[Gamebird]

Charliemouse - it may not be quite what you're expecting. The start/finish has been totally relocated and it will run over some new ground. The last field has been ploughed so that, and the quarry at the end, are out. I believe it will be a teeny bit more hilly, although that part of Lincs will never be the foothills of the Himalayas.

 

[SamuelWhiskers]

I think sandy ground events are going to be very popular! Running at Osberton & Oasby & judging by the way our sandy fields have dried in the wind this week, a lot can happen in 4 weeks! Our ground is perfect, considering getting the jumps back out on grass! Different story last week!