Green horses to eventing

[kick_On]

i've a draft question and I don't which way to go:
i have a gg who's rising 8 and i have for nearly 3years. My original aim was to buy as a project then to sell six months later making a profit...
First took him hunting and wasn't really suited as blow his brain cell!! but still could jump hedges etc.., was keen at sj but very green, so decided to stick to dressage and he has turned into a little super star so therefore, i hope never will be up for sale. Also is the most easy sweet horse to do and look after in everyway
But my problem is that couple weekend ago went for some schooling at local BE and he total shocked me as he jumped his little heart out for me, a little green over technical stuff ie over skinnies and 'bries'. And also just decided to have a go back at sj with him and again total shock as not the same horse when i last jumped him.
So now i very keen to take him BE, BUT here's my problem
do i either give rider to semi-proffessional for first outing or do i do first riding myself???

 

[Sarah_Jane]

If you can do it yourself, it is you he has the relationship and trust with.

 

[kick_On]

i just worried that i wouldn't do him justice for first run out and BE isn't a cheap thing ... if you know what i mean

 

[Thistle]

Take him out unaff first and see if you can do it.

 

[evsj]

do it yourself!
if you can tackle all three disciplines on him seperately, you can do it in a day BE. Don't go hoping to be placed, just go for the fun+challenge. It is expensive, I agree, and every year I say that's it, I can't afford to do it next year. Well, I'm still doing it 3 years later and everytime I've been I've thought to myself it is the best 100 quid (incl. entry fees, diesel, training etc) I've spent.
echo sarahjane - eventing is all about the trust you and your horse build together - why let someone else have the fun??! (it will end up costing you more anyway)

 

[BBs]

Personally i think if you can i would do it yourself. After all its you and him that have the partnership established.

Go take him to do so some individual HT and SJing as obviously the dressage is established then find a venue running a good standard *intro* affiliated event and then see how you run there before entering a BE event?

Tweseldown are running an unaffilated ODE in April (21) Intro and PN if thats not too soon why not enter?

 

[kick_On]

I've competed him a little last year a local stuff...
Mainly i do feel that he has the potiental to do very well at lower levels................
so that's why i ask about putting semi-professional on board

 

[BBs]

If youre already doing the local stuff and he feels confident then go and do it together

he may get a bit upset being given to someone else?

 

[kick_On]

dressage is well establish currently doing BD and now picking up points and working at elem at home and will hopefully be competeting soon at BD -fingers crossed

sj-defo needs works but have a plan

and

xc-just need prastice at BE courses

really looking at end of may which is 8 week to compete???

 

[kick_On]

nar... he's sweetie he has a huge heart but green. Currently i have trainer competeting him at higher dressage that me, just to see where i'm going wrong if you know what i mean

 

[BBs]

Please brief me where you are going and i will make a note not to be in your section lol
Elementary dressage, snoopy would struggle with getting 8% atm in Prelim

if it doesnt have medium trot in it, then its no good lol

 

[kick_On]

NO

can you see where i'm coming from ...... if i get semi pro on board i think he could do very well...
but with me...
not aswell
thats my problem

 

[BBs]

Oh yes I can see your dilema. I guess I just like competing my own horse rather than handing them over to someone else.

 

[kick_On]

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

round in circles it's going in my head.................

me thinks i've had my nose in eventing mag all day

to

much

brain

overload

............................................................... BANG!!

 

[ElleJS]

I have a talented youngster and as I have no time at the moment he will start eventing with a pro on board, he just goes so well with this person on board and most importantly gets the results.

 

[SillyMare]

All depends on what really motivates you.

For me it is about doing it myeslf - Lex and I will never set the world alight, but everything we achieve we have done together. Horses don't have ambitions - Lex isn't standing in her box saying 'if only I had a decent rider, I could do so much better'. I pay the bills, I do the hard bit, I don't want to hand over the fun part to anyone else.

I'm sure Lex could get better results with a pro on board, but for me it wouldn't be half as satisfying.

 

[Rosiefan]

When my son in law was riding in point to points people kept telling him to 'put a decent rider' up but he decided that as he was doing all the hard work, he would ride and b*****r the critics. I've seen that special relationship between horse and rider in action, so go for it. If you get fed up, you can get someone else to ride next year. Good luck!

 

[ElleJS]

I agree with you, I have taken my horse to 3star, and we have learnt together- making mistakes along the way, but I don't intend on selling this horse, and would NEVER want anyone else to ride it!
where as my younger one was bought to sell on, he could be quite valuable so I don't want to make to many more mistakes with him! So i guess i feel he gets a head start with a pro, (it is blatent how much better they are treated in the dressage arena!) and a few good results make him worth alot more.

 

[summertoots]

Ride the horse yourself. Im a big believer in bonds and it sounds like this horse has grown to trust you. Im not the best rider in our yard by a long way, but I get better work out of my horse (who is also green) than any of the others do. He hates jumping his brains just fall out, but with me on him he will do it, even if it doesnt look pretty, with another rider he stops, even though they are the better rider.
If you get a pro on him you will be pleased if he does well, but a little bit will be disapointed it wasnt you on board, so my advice would be take a little bit longer and do it yourself.

 

[morgan4eva]

You could try PC Senior ODEs - much cheaper than BE and have 3 sections; novice intermediate and open - open is same as BE novice, intermediate is same as BE PN and novice is like intro. They always run a section for non PC members in all classes - you could give him a good easy run for first few times out

 

[henryhorn]

Read your post, "he jumped his little heart out for me"
Take him yourself, he obviously trusts you and enjoys his jumping now, and Intro is not that hard. (we jump much bigger courses in Ht round here!)

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I still say take him yourself but if you are having self doubts you could have problems. If you do go then do it with a positive if not arragont attitude. If you know you are to be filled with self doubt then this will transfer to the horse, in this case get someone else.

If you decide to ride yourself put away any self doubt be positive and enjoy.

 

[Judie]

What are you like - going round in circles woman

get on with it

Why don't you just do an intro on a ticket? See how you get on before you commit to the BE membership?

 

[kick_On]

thanks for all you comments

i think i'm going to see how training goes and work on my cr*ppist phase (sj) over next couple of weeks and see were we go for there.
SJ is the 'dark side' for me but hay live and learn
i'm sure you'll all read about it soon on here

which way i go

 

[SpruceRI]

If you don't like SJ, don't do it. Just stick to Dressage and Hunter Trials. If you're still intending to sell this horse for a big profit, I could see why you might want to put a professional rider up, or if you think this horse might make the Olympics, but as he hasn't even done an Intro/PN yet, I think that's being a bit over ambitious.

If you like the idea of being an 'owner' and would take pride in seeing your horse go further without you on board, then go for it, but if you think BE's expensive, think again on paying a professional to compete your ned because you'll have to pay the BE entries plus the training and competing for the professional

Just because your horse likes jumping doesn't mean you have to go out competing. Popping stuff at home in between your dressage schooling comps would do. As someone else on here said, the horse doesn't have the ambition.

 

[kick_On]

sorry going to have to answer this one
I know horses have no ambitions, there're happy in their routines, both mine love work and love chilling in field, but as a rider i do have ambitions.
I know we aren't going to make Bejing next year but........ with the right rider on board he could do very, very well at low levels of eventing. It's whether i give first rider to pro to see how it goes and work it with in me eventing him straight after, or do more training myself and a few more local stuff and take him out myself later in season.......
Or if we do at first event keep with pro for season with me training him etc..............
I'm very protective about my horses BUT i love to seeing both of them ridden and going well, as i realise that as a 'part-time rider' i'm not going to be as good as a pro, or i will be but in many years time.........
That's my dilema (sp) so many ifs and ands..........