FEI eventing newbie! HELP! :O

[GeorgieGurl]

My friends 14 year old daughter would like to start eventing ponies at the highest level but had a few questions! Please could someone answer them!
1. How high are the jumps (sj AND xc)?
2. What 'moves' are in the dressage tests?
3. What events are there? What are some names?
4. How much would a pony with a concistent JUMPING record cost? (maybe needing some work on the flat)
5.Top pony eventers at the moment?
6. What is the 'code' for them (ie BE100, CIC** ect)
7. What do you register with? Is there a FEI register or just BE?

Hope someone can help! Thanx

 

[WellyBaggins]

Not my area of expertise but as no one else has responded, this is a good place to start
http://www.britisheventing.com/page...2011+Pony+Programme+sponsored+by+Charles+Owen

 

[TableDancer]

Ummm, even if she buys an ex team pony, she will have to work her way up as they aren't allowed to go straight in at the top for safety reasons She will have to do 3x BE100 events competently before she can progress to PTs/PONs (see BE website for more detail). The Pony Trials are loaded very close to the start of the season because the Europeans are so early for ponies - the entries are already closed/ing for the first three, with only one more after that of the preliminary trials. To reach the final trials at Withington and Brand Hall you have to do well at these earlier trials.

So the bad news is she's kinda missed the boat at the highest level for this year, but that gives you plenty of time to get sorted for next year Ponies with a record at Pony Trials change hands from usually 20k to upwards of a hundred thousand, depending on how well they have done, how easy they are and how old/sound they are. It is such a small world that there is no such thing as a bargain amongst the established ponies, if they are cheap there is a reason for it, although there is nothing to stop her bringing on her own pony, lots of the kids do

If she is serious, she needs to find a suitable mount then get registered on the BE Pony Programme - she doesn't need to be qualified to ride in Pony Trials to do this, lots of younger/more inexperienced kids do. This will give her access to the superb training programme they run, and the expertise/experience of others. It is actually a very friendly set-up in the main, and anyone will give you advice if you ask. Hope that helps

 

[Grey_Eventer]

Don't know about the rest but I know one of the top ponies was sold for 200k.... and I know that that isn't uncommon for the good ponies.

 

[TableDancer]

Don't know about the rest but I know one of the top ponies was sold for 200k.... and I know that that isn't uncommon for the good ponies.

That was in the good old days Downturn has even affected the FEI Pony market - up to a point Most expensive one to change hands last summer did so for 128k...

 

[Grey_Eventer]

That was in the good old days Downturn has even affected the FEI Pony market - up to a point Most expensive one to change hands last summer did so for 128k...

Oh, how cheap!?!?!

This was probably in 2010 as I know a lot of the pony riders but even so, the top ponies are not cheap!

 

[Jesstickle]

That was in the good old days Downturn has even affected the FEI Pony market - up to a point Most expensive one to change hands last summer did so for 128k...

Holy guacamole!

 

[TheoryX1]

£128k for a pony! Holey moley.

Another one to agree with TD regarding qualification etc, which is fairly similar to the JRNs or ONu18s as they are known now. Also, it might be worthwhile joining the U18 programme in the relevant area. There is a lot of good training, for both ponies and horses as far as I know. I have to be honest I know extremely little about Pony Trials, as daughter has always competed at BE on a 15.1 horse, even when she was just 13. Its dead easy to join on line once you have completed your BE membership and free of charge. We get updates on training dates quite regularily.

 

[georgiegirl]

with regards to cost of ponies it may well be worth looking into BS ponies too? most take to xc very well indeed and I think you may well get a lot more for yor money in terms of 'jump' than buying a ready made event pony which seem to go for £££££

 

[GeorgieGurl]

How big are the jumps then?

 

[Grey_Eventer]

How big are the jumps then?

I think the teams are selected at Novice level. Correct me if i am wrong!

 

[TableDancer]

They are 1* level at the final trials - Novice height but considerably more complex questions than you'd get at Novice, as anyone who has seen the PT water at Withington will testify

So that's 1.10m max height xc, but can be pretty wide, think about 2.1m at the base (correct me of I'm wrong, can't be bothered to look it up...) and 1.15m SJ but the course builder often seems to have a chopped off measuring stick and fences of 1.20m aren't that unusual

The ponies have to be an unusual combination of very bold yet careful, to navigate these tracks with their young jockeys who obviously by definition are inexperienced at this level... Combine that with the need to produce a pretty smart dressage test (around 70%), oh yes, and te fact that the xc time is hard to get when you've only got short legs, and that's why good ones are few and far between and hence command such high prices. There are some kids who produce their own but the trouble is that quite often if they do this, by the time the two of them are at the required level, they are out of the class age-wise.

 

[teapot]

£128K

 

[Rosiefan]

I'm fascinated at the thought that any parent would want to just buy a pony and stick her 14 year old on it to do FEI pony eventing. Is the daughter a prodigy? How does she know if her daughter is a good/experienced enough rider. If she is, why doesn't the mother know the answers to the questions you've asked?
As I say, fascinating.

 

[VRIN]

My thoughts precisely rosiefan!

 

[TableDancer]

I'm fascinated at the thought that any parent would want to just buy a pony and stick her 14 year old on it to do FEI pony eventing. Is the daughter a prodigy? How does she know if her daughter is a good/experienced enough rider. If she is, why doesn't the mother know the answers to the questions you've asked?
As I say, fascinating.

Don't want to seem cliquey, though, do we?!

 

[Jesstickle]

I've found it an interesting thread if that's allowed? I had no idea what ponies were required to do. Mighty impressive really.

 

[Rosiefan]

I found the answers interesting too jesstickle (Rosie didn't do ponies - or not eventing at FEI level anyway) but I was, as I said, fascinated by the OP.
TD - didn't think of that, I'd hate to seem cliquey because I'm not. Unless there's a 'Grannies who know nothing about horses but insist on posting on horsey forums' clique.

 

[Jesstickle]

Rosiefan, I was in no way trying to imply you were being off with anyone
I just thought it was interesting and was glad people bothered to reply I certainly won't be buying a £128k pony for any of my children (if I ever have any) so I guess they'll have to get their kicks else where!

 

[Rosiefan]

Oh goodness, I didn't infer that from your post If I had I'd probably have slunk off into a corner and muttered under my breath - I don't do challenging (not on forums anyway, life's too short - lol).
I wouldn't spend that much on a pony either although it's good there are ponies out there worth that much - means we can all live in hope that our our cygnet horse will turn into a swan that lays the golden egg one day. Hang on, think I'm muddling my metaphors or something

 

[TableDancer]

Sorry, I was being a bit flippant last night - I do agree, it seems slightly peculiar, and if OP's friend is serious about this, the obvious thing to do is find a BE Coach familiar with the whole set up who can help them get started. In fairness, the system is pretty watertight so kids cannot just throw themselves in at the deep end. The very first step is to register with the BE Pony Programme, which gives access to a great training programme and access to support and advice, not to mention a great social network for the kids if T is anything to go by...

Also, on prices, the ones we have been quoting are the headline ones, the ones the very top ponies go for. It goes without saying that there are many (most) ponies competing in Trials who wouldn't fetch anything like that - often they have a weak phase (or two!), or are getting long in the tooth, or have some soundness issues etc etc, but are still capable of showing a kid the ropes and giving them experience and fun. We bought one of these very reasonably, and have been lucky that the work we have done on his weaker bits have paid off. So I shouldn't leave you the impression that all the ponies doing trials cost/are worth six figure sums because that is far from the case. It's just that the OP did use the words "at the highest level" in her question...

 

[Jesstickle]

So I shouldn't leave you the impression that all the ponies doing trials cost/are worth six figure sums because that is far from the case. It's just that the OP did use the words "at the highest level" in her question...

I expect even the one's at the 'cheaper' end of the price range would be out of the question My OH would totally not be cool with me spending more than about 5K on any horse, even if I did win the lottery. He just doesn't understand. Silly boy knows nothing! He baulked at me spending three thousand on BH, which I actually think is pretty cheap for a horse so serious money on a pony? No chance. Besides, I think he wants them to be rowers. So that'll be even more lycra onesies for me to wash when we have teenagers. Sounds like a good reason not to have children to me!

 

[TableDancer]

I expect even the one's at the 'cheaper' end of the price range would be out of the question My OH would totally not be cool with me spending more than about 5K on any horse, even if I did win the lottery. He just doesn't understand. Silly boy knows nothing! He baulked at me spending three thousand on BH, which I actually think is pretty cheap for a horse so serious money on a pony? No chance. Besides, I think he wants them to be rowers. So that'll be even more lycra onesies for me to wash when we have teenagers. Sounds like a good reason not to have children to me!

Well, to be fair, we have made a profit on every one of T's ponies along the way, and only once spent more on the next one than we got for the last one iyswim, and it wasn't much of a gap... So if you are clever, he wouldn't even notice

I quite like the rowing idea, but not keen on the notion of washing teenagers' lycra onesies - eeeewwwwwww

 

[GeorgieGurl]

I'm fascinated at the thought that any parent would want to just buy a pony and stick her 14 year old on it to do FEI pony eventing. Is the child a prodigy? How does she know if her daughter is a good/experienced enough rider. If she is, why doesn't the mother know the answers to the questions you've asked?
As I say, fascinating.

Well she is competing at 90/100 and is very talented! She has been trying out FEI ponies but my friend does not want to get ripped off by paying too much. (100k seems very steep!) As for asking questions, moving up a level is hard enough, let alone not knowing the rules! As the BE website is very confusing at the best of times! I thought saying: Is she a prodigy, was a bit harsh :L Plenty of children compete at pony trials, NOT just my friends daughter.

 

[*hic*]

I'd have thought her trainer would have been able to give your friend some idea of what was required - or the under 18 coach . . .

 

[sez1]

The jumps are at BE novice level which is up to 1.20 sj and 1.10-1.15 xc. I'm looking to pony trial, and if you go abroad you have to buy an fei passport which is 200-£300.

 

[GeorgieGurl]

Thank you There all sorted now! Pony bought, daughter registed and ready to event next year! They phoned up the BE U18 coach so luckily there all clear omn the rules now!