How many weekends in a row is it fair to compete

[Futureformerlawyer]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has a view on how many weekends in a row it is fair to compete?

My boy is 7. He hadn’t done a lot until I got him about 18 months ago. I spent last summer gently riding him away and some light competition, then winter/spring working on his flat work and jumping intensively – as well as lots of schooling and travelling to lessons we did lots of dressage competitions (lots of BD) and some combined training.

He’s now going nicely and as well as BD, I’ve done some unaffiliated ODEs and have registered him BE for the second half of the season. He’s fit, keen and I’m keen to get out as many times as I can but at the same time don’t want to sicken him.

We’re doing our first BE90 this weekend and then he will have a weekend off competitions. Then in August I would like to do 3 BE ODEs and one 3 day dressage clinic (this means he will have one weekend off travelling in August). It will take me 1.5 hours to get to the first BE90 event, 2 hours to get to the second BE90 event, 5 hours to get to the dressage clinic (but traveling the day before and of course stabling whilst there and only having one lesson a day – so 3 lessons) and 20 minutes to get to the final event (hoping to be BE100 as have schooled round that height at this venue…).

I would probably only do 2 weekends in a row BE competition wise which is all I will be doing but with the dressage clinic on the third weekend with a BE even on the 4th weekend. He’d have the following weekend off.

As I’m mixing up what we’re doing I think its probably ok – but would like this sanity checked!

He will get a day off a week.

 

[BeckyC]

Personally I dont do more than 2 BE events every month especially with the ground as hard as it is but thats just what i feel is enough for the horse, im sure others do more or less. It may be a case for you to just see how he is feeling.

 

[DabDab]

Depends on the horse - as long as you know your horse well you should be able to tell if he is going off the boil a little. You just have to be prepared to cancel one of the outings if it is a seeming a little too much for him. Good luck with all your outings - look forward to reports

 

[dafthoss]

Depends on the horse, some do better with regular outings. Mine is one of them, the more he goes out the more normal it is to him and the less likely he is to get worried about it. He can often be doing pc on a Friday and competing at the weekend for 3 weekends a month. He did a phase where he boxed to a lesson mid week as well as pc and competing at the weekend as well and was none the worse for it.

What you have planned sounds ok to me as long as the ground is ok at the events you are doing.

 

[_GG_]

We can't answer that question, but your horse can

See how he feels with it and if you get feedback from him where he is lacking energy, seeming to not enjoy things quite as much, then pull back and do a bit less.

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

Thanks for all the posts. I'll let you know how it goes.

I may be posting re events as I decide which to do!

 

[cobwithattitude]

Sounds great - good luck! In my house that title would be seen as how many weekends can you manage to get away with before someone complains that you are always out with the horses!!!

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

In the summer I'm a cricket widow!!