Historic eventing question

[stilltrying]

Just wondering if the rules were different years ago for 3 day events, whereby a horse could be ridden by more than one rider? For example if you didn't like the dressage you got someone else to ride it? Or has it always been the same, 1 horse 1 rider? Might seem like a strange question but someone I know has apparently completed a well known 4* event and got placed no less, but didn't do the dressage phase. : )

 

[cava14una]

Not that I can remember and I'm old. Best thing to do would be contact event and ask them

 

[LEC]

As far as I know its always been one person and one horse since the event was conceptualised.

No Olympic/FEI horse sport has a change of rider mid way through a competition unless you are going to be pedantic about WEG individual finals.

I think this person might be pulling your leg about their results.

 

[stilltrying]

Thanks guys - obviously as this is a public forum I wanted to be polite as possible, but I have to confess I find it a little difficult to believe said individual got placed at this particular event (which happens to be on this coming weekend!) ; )

 

[Orangehorse]

They must have been running a ringer!

 

[Vodkagirly]

Have you searched for this person on the British Eventing website? often the records seem to differ from the stories

 

[TarrSteps]

No, never.

Although people used to get in with absolutely shocking dressage tests sometimes. Lucinda Green, back in the days of Regal Realm, Village Gossip etc. was famous for coming back from the basement. There is even footage around from a test she did at, I think, the Olympics, in a GP saddle where the horse looks like a mechanical rabbit on speed and she was still in contention on the last day!

 

[HeresHoping]

Reminds me of a person who came to our yard as a sharer for a young horse. She told us she'd ridden at Burghley. We thought this a little odd, not least because we couldn't find any record on the BE site. She also was never seen on the shared horse, although by golly it got fit on the end of the lunge after three months. She brought the point up again when we were having a bit of a oneupmanship session one day and the whole room went quiet. So I piped up that I had too, at the age of 16. As a guest of the Burghley branch of the Pony Club, back in 1987. Suddenly, quite a few of us had been around Burghley...

 

[stilltrying]

Have you searched for this person on the British Eventing website? often the records seem to differ from the stories

Sadly I dont know their surname, but they've also done the puisance...apparently

 

[ihatework]

Sadly I dont know their surname, but they've also done the puisance...apparently

They have probably climbed mount everest and sailed single handedly around the world too

 

[stilltrying]

Reminds me of a person who came to our yard as a sharer for a young horse. She told us she'd ridden at Burghley. We thought this a little odd, not least because we couldn't find any record on the BE site. She also was never seen on the shared horse, although by golly it got fit on the end of the lunge after three months. She brought the point up again when we were having a bit of a oneupmanship session one day and the whole room went quiet. So I piped up that I had too, at the age of 16. As a guest of the Burghley branch of the Pony Club, back in 1987. Suddenly, quite a few of us had been around Burghley...

Well I did wonder initially whether it was a different event, as technically my dressage pal has ridden round there, on a sponsored ride!! But no apparently it was the full 3 dayer. I just smile and nod. You would think people would grow out of being toppers!

 

[*hic*]

What's their first name - there aren't THAT many people who've been placed at top level and at puissance

 

[stilltrying]

What's their first name - there aren't THAT many people who've been placed at top level and at puissance

I couldn't possibly say that wouldn't be fair. ; ) Poor chap, you never know it might be true...just i have my doubts.

 

[MiaBella]

Way back when I think for Olympic teams etc the team manager could put a different rider on a horse before the start of the event (so for example if William Fox Pitt was horseless, he could decide to put him on a good horse and leave the normal rider at home) but it has always been the same horse/rider combination.

Of course the dressage test has changed quite a lot over the years, so its not the 'same' dressage test as it used to be (never used to have flying changes etc).

Did this rider do the roads and tracks and steeplechase too? (and if they did the endurance day, did they do a section D on the roads and tracks after the xc or not?)
I know all winners are recorded, I would imagine most placings have been listed over the past few years.

Puissance - depends where that was? a lot of county shows used to run a high jump competition/chase me charlie/puissance and quite a few show centres have run a puissance (affiliate and unaffiliated)

 

[armchair_rider]

The original concept behind eventing - and we're talking 100 years ago here - was as a test for an army officer and his horse. So there has always been the requirement to complete all three phases on the same horse.

 

[stilltrying]

Perhaps I should ask more questions re: the roads and tracks etc as it would definitely be long before the current format was introduced.

As regards Puissance, it was 7ft so not any old puissance....

 

[glamourpuss]

Honestly, I wouldn't bother. It sounds very much like some rather tall tales to me. Unless they are using these fibs to gain pupils as a teacher or take on horses for schooling, just leave them to it!

 

[photo_jo]

I do remember a few years back at an event that no longer runs there were three bay tb all plaited up and tacked up and tied to the side of a lorry. The same horse did three tests!!

 

[TarrSteps]

I do remember a few years back at an event that no longer runs there were three bay tb all plaited up and tacked up and tied to the side of a lorry. The same horse did three tests!!

Didn't someone get busted for that not all that long ago?

I would not want to comment on horse substitutions but I think a rider sub might be noticed!

The only possible similar situation might be the test rider, who does the first dressage test but no other phases.

 

[Honey08]

I couldn't possibly say that wouldn't be fair. ; ) Poor chap, you never know it might be true...just i have my doubts.

How exciting having someone who sounds so unusually talented on your yard! I would be asking him a million questions about his experiences - purely because its just so interesting, of course!

 

[Dunlin]

Oh I love people like this, you can have so much fun!

Practice your best "in awe" look, goes well with your mouth wide open and eyes smiling. Then you say "can you bring in your completion medal, I'd LOVE to see it"!

Another good game is to play it yourself but in a different manner. When they are reeling off their massive achievement(s), I'll pick that well known event coming up this weekend, you say to them "what year was that?" and when they reply with "1346" or whatever bull you say "ahhh right, actually, I still have that on VHS back when they put all the rounds on tape, ohhhh you should come over for tea we'll watch your round!" Enjoy the look on their face.

The other good one is like the above, when they are getting into their story, say this weekend's event, you once again ask them what year and no matter what the reply you look confidently at them and say "crikey, that was the year they had the lake as the second fence, you're so brave to have done that". Then just wait for their response and practice hysterically laughing in your mind and not out loud.

 

[stilltrying]

Brilliant, loving all these suggestions!!!! Now feeling inspired to ask some more questions. ; )

Apparently the rider substitution was male to female, so that would have definitely not gone unnoticed! Liking the idea of the 3 bays...just need to find another enormous matching ginger beast...

 

[angelish]

its always been same horse/rider combination
there wouldn't always be a record online/BE as my friend has ridden round badminton , burghley and most of the other big events but sadly it was before they started recording everything online so although she is listed on the badminton website as someone who completed , there is very little info online about her record

i know someone who claimed to have ridden at a high level and everyone just laughs about him , he even took photos at bramham and used them as his profile pic on facebook , there is no record of him online at all , anywhere
he even claims to be a BHSAI and funnily enough theres no record of that either

i know quite a few people who have claimed there horse has been around BE novice courses but they haven't
or people claim to have been placed 1st or been double clear etc
i can't understand why people do this especially now as all results are there to look at on the internet