Help me decide which class to enter at ODE?

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wench

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Found a ode that I'd like to enter, up to 60 cm and up to 80cm. Not sure what the dressage tests are, but that and the sj won't be a problem. My horse tends to be weaker on the xc.

However;
60cm, nice small jumps, if horse gets sticky/backwards easy to get over. However she tends to think small fences are all snakes and is very suspicious of them. Also likely to have to leave very early in the morning to get there, but then I'd hope my horse would be in with a reasonable chance of doing well.

80cm. Horse jumps better over bigger fences, and would hopefully mean setting off a bit later. However most of the xc fences (from previous course photos) look really nice, but one or two look very large. There is also a drop into water, which my horse doesn't like; it has an "l" alternative previously for 20 penalty points, and a massive looking ditch which may not suit my horse.

I'm really undecided which class to enter, as both have their pros and cons!
 
A drop into water seems very harsh for an 80! I'd probably still go for that if he jumps better and have a crack at the ditch. Good luck!
 
It might help to post the course name as others may know it well and can advise. A drop into water wouldn't surprise me at an 80. XC is pretty much about safety. If you have concerns about a fence go for the lower class.
 
i'd be inclined to go for the 80 as if he jumps better with slightly bigger fences it will help with his confidence doing round rather than worrying about snakey little fences! Agree that a drop into water at an 80 is a bit mean, with BE they don't come in until Novice! Is he usually sticky with water?
 
I'd do the 80 and take the step at a walk? Encourage him through it.

He might surprise once both of your adrenalin is running. Still time to go practise before the competition too. Take a lunge line and lunge him through it or a horse to follow.

I had issues with steps. Had a lesson and it turned out to be me! I didn't believe we could do it. So my horse wouldn't do it.
 
Walk won't make any difference if she doesn't want to go down it. I haven't got time between now and the date of competition to lunge over a step down into water.
 
Agree with mrsh - go for the 80 and try and get a lesson in before hand so you can go armed with some tools for the fences you think may cause a problem
 
80 - the 60 will be too low, and when they start looking down to the fence that's when they're more likely to spook.
Re: the drop into water - just go steady into it, at a HT recently we had one into black water (youngsters first time out although has schooled into water); he literally went off the step a foot at a time but that was fine.
Also in the 60, what we've seen is that because they can't make the fences big enough to make them different enough they seem to make them skinny - i.e. at the HT the 60 1st fence was 3 telegraph poles cut to about 4'6" wide, at the top of a hill... I was glad it wasn't in the 80!
 
Well it sounds to me as though you don't want to do the 80 because of the water so I'm not sure why you are asking the question. However I agree with the others that it does sound as though this would suit your horse better. Why not take the alternative and get the 20 penalties if you are that worried about the drop into water? Sounds as though you will have a nicer ride round the rest of the course.
 
eggs said:
Well it sounds to me as though you don't want to do the 80 because of the water so I'm not sure why you are asking the question. However I agree with the others that it does sound as though this would suit your horse better. Why not take the alternative and get the 20 penalties if you are that worried about the drop into water? Sounds as though you will have a nicer ride round the rest of the course.
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I really don't know which one I want to do, as they both have their pros and cons!
 
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