Eventing slang/sayings...?

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FionaW

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Can anyone help me out with phrases/sayings used in the eventing world, like 'lost the knitting', 'rider frightener', 'hailing a cab' etc. Also anything different from country to country (like in America the trot up is the 'jog'), or specific to certain events (particularly the four stars and championships)?

Would really appreciate all help. Thanks!
 
Lost the knitting - lost a contact - loose rein - drop reins!
Rider frightener - a fence that is often of a friendly profile to a horse but terrifies riders
Hailing a cab - when one slips their reins and raises a hand when jumping hedges/drops
 
"He wore that one round his neck" = hit it very very hard
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Stressage - self-explanatory. "Point and shoot" or "A Machine" = descriptions of very very good cross country horses
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I'm sure I'll think of hundreds but my husband's favourite one (as used ad nauseum by the commentator for the BBC at Badminton) is 'it's a bit ditchy' ie. a horse who can't be trusted 100% to jump ditches, has a good look and over-jumps suspiciously or stops.
 
"clouted that" - hit it hard with its legs
"pecked" - tripped a little so head came down in a pecking motion
"bold" - keen and ready to go, jumping well & bravely over scary / spooky fences
"looky" - spooking, cautious
 
Things in commentaries that confuse non-horsey people:

Nappy - not going forward when asked

Not 'quality' enough - Not full TB!

Hacking round - going for a slow clear

Novice class - not really for 'novices' in terms of any other sport!!!

Young Rider - anyone up to the age of 25 (who in any other sport would be getting ready to hang up their boots!)

loads more - but can't think of them at the mo!!
 
Ha, Novice term not just confusing for non horsey people.
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I came back to riding after a 15 year break and to me a novice class in unaffiliated was pretty small so imagine my shock to find out what size the bloody novice affiliated class is !
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No wonder people used to look at me like I was mad when I said I just wanted something that I could have fun with going round novice eventing tracks. Oh the shame
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[ QUOTE ]
Ha, Novice term not just confusing for non horsey people.
crazy.gif

I came back to riding after a 15 year break and to me a novice class in unaffiliated was pretty small so imagine my shock to find out what size the bloody novice affiliated class is !
shocked.gif

No wonder people used to look at me like I was mad when I said I just wanted something that I could have fun with going round novice eventing tracks. Oh the shame
blush.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Ha ha, that's right! I called my Mum to tell her I'd jumped some of the Novice BE fences on a training day (very exciting for me!) and she replied "oh, that's a shame, what was wrong?"!
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Once I explained the fact that this was a good thing and meant they were bigger than I planned to be jumping, she decided I "need to be careful remember"!
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Rider is a bit 'hooky' - rider using the bit and contact a bit too much into the fences and causing the horse to break forward rhythm

'In the drink' or 'getting a ducking' - rider falling off in the water jump and being submerged!

'Took a flyer' - Horse took off from the ground to jump a fence a long way off, making the jump much more of a stretch
 
overcooked it - overfaced the horse so it has lost confidence

hardy - not an eventing term but one to watch out for in Ireland - if the dealer says its a hardy horse he does not mean tough and sound - he means completely mad!
 
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