Getting into eventing

[bootsandmud]

As the title suggests, I need some advice/tips on how to get into eventing.

I have a 5yo at the moment who I originally bought to produce for showjumping (for myself), but now I'm considering eventing instead. However it all seems so confusing to me. I know about showjumping but absolutely nothing about dressage. My 5yo is honest and willing showjumping and cross country wise, but his flatwork still needs lots of work so it would take a while to get going with dressage. Also, do you have to go to one day events or do you do all three disciplines at different venues on different days, etc? Sorry if this doesn't make any sense!

I've been thinking I could get an older second horse to run alongside my baby so that I can get the grasp of eventing while I train my 5yo, but as I'm still in school (my last year) I don't know where I will be in one/two years university/job wise, so this doesn't seem like a very good idea at the moment

Didn't mean to ramble so much, but basically just need as much advice as possible!

Also if anyone knows anything about team chasing and hunter trials/pairs I would really appreciate it

 

[TGM]

Are you a member of a local riding club or Pony Club? If not it would be worth joining one so you can go to some of their clinics to help you with the dressage side of things. You could also offer to help out at one of their One Day Events so you get a much better idea of what is involved. The majority of events are run as One Day Events, doing all three phases on one day - dressage first, then showjumping, then cross-country.

There is also some useful information on the British Eventing site:

https://www.britisheventing.com/asp-net/page.aspx?section=1153&itemTitle=Getting+Started

 

[paddi22]

if you think your dressage is weak then it's worth making a concentrated effort to get that up to a level you are happy with. I waiting till i was getting 65+ at affiliated dressage before properly trying eventing. Before then i was just doing riding club events to get into the swing of it. The riding club ones are low pressure ones to learn at. it sounds a bit mad to buy another horse to figure out how to event as it's not that difficult. Go to a few as a volunteer and you will get into the swing of it in no time!

 

[LeannePip]

The best way to learn is to read up as much as you can, there will be tonnes of threads and blogs and reports on this forum from people already out doing it, this will be a great way for you to get an idea of the sport.

Definitely start focusing on your dressage, get some lessons and maybe attend a few clinics with pony club or riding club?

I've just started my 5yo eventing its both of our first year, although i've been an event groom so knew how it all worked first etc i've just kept her at unaffiliated 80's for this year for the experience before doing a couple of 90's at the end of the season and may affiliate her next season if all goes well.

 

[Starbucks]

I don't think you need to buy another horse. You will be fine, you can always muddle through the dressage to start with, it's not like you are going to put your horse off, or put yourself in danger or anything like if you tried to do SJ/XC unprepared.

With the dressage, get lessons, as many as you can afford. They will help you with what to work on at home too.

Then try enter some local unaffiliated events so you can get in the swing of things. You do everything on the same day, dressage first then SJ then XC. There is usually about an hour in between each thing.

Everyone is really good at dressage affiliated eventing so if you want to be competitive it's worth getting your dressagw up to scratch first.