How much is too much?

[Roxylola]

I'm very conscious of not wanting to overdo it with clinics and comps, but I'm also conscious that we are playing about at 80s so hardly doing badminton.
Supercob is pretty fit works at least 5 days out of 7 with a mix of slow and fast hacks - 1 hour plus or schooling - usually around 40 minutes.
I only jump if theres a reason - clinic/comp etc or if hes not jumped in weeks and we've none planned.
At the moment all our jumping is on surfaces - somerford 80 acres obviously is grass, but the landings etc are surfaced. We do have a 1 day at eland at the end of the month on grass and we trained there a couple of weeks ago.
So for instance this weekend we've a jump comp (80) on sunday and I've toyed with entering a dressage the day before but didnt mainly to give me a break!
In a couple of weeks we've eland on monday and theres an unaffiliated SJ on the saturday. I'm tempted to enter but I dont want to overdo it.
He enjoys his work, and I don't work in hard ever - 20 mins and I'm bored lol.
Would you consider dressage the day before jumping, or jumping twice over 3 days?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

3 weeks ago I had a busy 3 days on the trot (no pun intended).
V active 2 hr hack early on the Friday, boxed there and back.
Saturday had a 2 hour xc schooling at Munsted and then early on the Sunday had a sj training session with rattling good coach at his big arena.
B Fuzzy was v much alive on the Fri and Sat, then super responsive but much more obedient than usual on the Sunday.

I think if you are both fit and you can read the signs if either of you are tiring, then go for it.
Bank holiday weekend I currently have all 3 days planned out in the box, though ground conditions will be very much inspected 1st on 2 of the days before taking part.

 

[milliepops]

the main things that stop me doing loads of outings are funds and needing time for training in between.
I do have spells where we'll be out twice a week, unless they are training sessions .like arena hire then any more than that starts to frustrate me because I can't get enough done in between.

Agree with TFF, it's about knowing your horse I think. Kira wouldn't do 2 days of anything back to back because she just doesn't bounce back fast enough. Whereas it'd probably improve Darcy's behaviour!

 

[Roxylola]

Yeah, I'm more likely to compete twice than two lessons as I'm under my own discretion competing and I'll back off as needed. Lessons wise one a fortnight is plenty to allow me to practice etc.
I sort of swing between god we arent doing formal fitness work to for God's sake hes fit already this is hardly a big ask! I would like to get more fast work in but facilities and time just dont allow.
MP lack of funds is why I dont have my own. I could keep one but no way could I get out a fraction as much as I do this way. I pay my own entries and training and my owner does the rest but shes loving being an owner and improving as a rider in her own right as well as enjoying riding a much better educated cobble

 

[milliepops]

yeah - sorry - wasn't meant as a criticism in any way! paying the bills sucks !

i think the way I'd look at it is, probably not something you'd be doing every weekend, but now and then isn't going to do any harm.
I knew a person a while back who took her horse anywhere and everywhere, it was like a whirlwind (and I'm someone who likes to get out and about ) the horse got sick and tired of it. there's a happy medium to be found

 

[SusieT]

once a week is fine - doing two in a row is hard on them - rememebr they have to travel, take in new sights etc- no point in making him sour.

 

[Roxylola]

once a week is fine - doing two in a row is hard on them - rememebr they have to travel, take in new sights etc- no point in making him sour.

Yeah, the travelling concerns me a bit. It's rare we go more than about 45 minutes from home, certainly multiple long journeys would put me off. Hes usually fresher than I am though lol

 

[LEC]

It wouldn't even cross my mind not to jump 3 days before. This is what I would do before any competition. One horse needs a jump 2 days before as spooky and needs the confidence. Whether its a course school or some gymnastic exercises to have them ready for the day.

If your horse is fit then it will be fine.

 

[Roxylola]

We barely ever jump at home anyway, our field isnt amazing it's ok for a little easy course but that would be neither here nor there in terms of competition prep. I might consider a bit of gymnastic stuff if necessary

 

[Marigold4]

I used to work for a Swedish showjumper in the 80s who was adamant that horses should not be jumped more than once a week, otherwise you were asking for tendon trouble. But then again, he was jumping big courses and surfaces weren't as common then.

 

[Orangehorse]

I have done two days running in the past. Actually the horse went miles better the second day and actually won his class.

I would give him time off afterwards. Occasionally it is OK, but you don't want to over do it.

 

[BBP]

In the states they run show circuits, weeks on weeks of shows back to back (HITS Indio and HITS Ocala are two examples). The hunter horses might do 4 -5 classes in a day, 3 jumping (Approx 8 jumps per class) and two flat. And then the same the next day. Maybe for 3/4 days of the week. Then start again the next week. Not saying it’s ideal (partly cos some of it is mind numbingly boring) but it’s perfectly normal to them. That said, some stables aren’t adverse to medicating away in the stables overnight when no one is looking.

 

[Roxylola]

That's a good point BBP, when I think about my showing days we'd think nothing of entering one or more workers classes - assuming eligibility, ridden classes and showjumping. Now even at dressage I dont enter multiple classes - I dont see any point going a level down and we just arent ready to move up.
I might run either clear round and a height class, or 2 height classes but that's rare I usually only do one

 

[P.forpony]

I work my winter dressage around hunting.
Pony is by nature a lazy sod!
Good days hunting on Saturday and then she’s full of it and we’ve got the oomph for a Sunday test.
Obviously she’s pretty fit, and it probably wouldn’t be the right thing for a lot of them but works for her ?

 

[MagicMelon]

I think as long as you're not jumping much at home then I dont see why you cant do what you're suggesting. People often jump several days in a row at BS 3 day shows etc. I personally very rarely would compete two days running (unless at a BE event held over two days for example) but thats just my choice as I like my horse to have a day off after a competition to chill out. You'll soon know if the horse starts getting a bit bored with it, then you could cut back a bit. I find mine always jump best when they aren't jumped very often. I very very rarely jump at home and would normally only compete (SJ / XC) 2/3 times a month roughly.