How often do you jump at "different" or "new" venues

[MegaBeast]

Sunday night musing brought on by a large Glenmorangie!

How often do you SJ at different or totally new venues and how do you find it affects your horse? Do you tend to have one or two local centres that you always go to or do you like to ring the changes and do you find if going somewhere new you have to step down a level, particularly if indoors?

Discuss!

And have a sip of the whiskey... but you'd better be quick!

 

[BYR]

We regularly go to 2/3 venues but recently jumped at a new venue and dropped down a height for the first class to use it as a warm up, although he didn't really need it in the end I don't think. We are jumping indoors for the first time ever at a local venue on sat and I'm going to go in at his normal heights and see what happens, fingers crossed he will be ok !

 

[LEC]

Just in case you are in despair we all agreed the courses were horrible today. They are never normally that horrible as the distances in the doubles were rubbish!

They never really flowed and the turns were very tight. Paul Urch or Sam Pepperells courses are much nicer.

Horses normally jump well at Badgworth as you can keep riding forwards. I did see a lot more stops than normal today and horses losing confidence which is not normal. I was planning on doing 1m but after 90cm decided to pack up and leave.

 

[applestroodle]

I will watch this with interest, my guy has only really been to my nearest indoor arena for jumping competitions & lessons. He has always found the place very very scary, so much so at the riding club team dressage the other week I only managed doing my test in one half of the arena, gremlins lurking at letter A end!! Yesterday I went to BS there and I felt we had turned a corner & grown up as he felt much more focused on jumping still looking but much more rideable!! So I was wondering what he would be like somewhere else now..
I'm fairness I don't have huge amount of choice of venues in my area but will be interested in other people replies!

 

[MegaBeast]

Just in case you are in despair we all agreed the courses were horrible today.

Thanks, you've cheered me up a lot! Had a lovely round on Thursday at the West Wilts combined training (clear 90cm) then it all went tits up today! Some of the turns were really horrible, but then again I'm not that used to jumping indoors although WW was indoors but not as tight.

 

[dieseldog]

I've never really found it affected my horse - but they do jump as some better than others. My last mare liked West Wilts the best, she used to spring along on the old surface, she always jumped nice at Badgworth too, and could get excited at The Hand, but she got placed a lot at the Hand, so didn't really bother her that much. I think the Hand got to me more with its rubbish warm up ( I know thats changed now).

I would go to centres for qualifiers that I had never jumped at before, and in the summer go to shows that you only jump at once a year, and at Wales you could jump in a different ring everyday.

I think its more about how your horse is feeling on the day rather than the centre, and some courses do suit some horses better than others.

 

[measles]

We try to support all of the venues within travelling distance of us and Saffy jumps as well at any venue. Parker is at the opposite end of the experience spectrum and after DC's in BN and Disc at his "local" was daunted the following weekend somewhere new.

Much depends on the horses age and experience I think but we make sure to take ours out and educate them everywhere o we time.

 

[jess_asterix]

We go to Field House, Kingswood and Rodbaston most often as they are local with the best surfaces.

We then may go to Aintree, Arena UK, Prescott, Markfield, Tushingham, Hartpury, Solihull, Eland Lodge for qualifiers or if nothing else is on.

We jump them at the same height they normally jump, the old boys are old enough to know their job and the young ones need to learn to get on with it!!

 

[TableDancer]

We jump them at the same height they normally jump, the old boys are old enough to know their job and the young ones need to learn to get on with it!!

I'll go wherever the dates and classes suit, within practical travelling distances and taking some account of facilities and surface. So for me, being not too far from you, that's Sunnybank, Pencoed, Broomes, Hand, Bromyard, Allens Hill, Summerhouse, Hartpury, WW, Badgworth and Rockhampton.

I agree with Jess, though, I'd choose classes based on stage of schooling and experience, and not change them according to vemue. It is true, though, that they can react differently at differect places, some seem to be far spookier than others. I'm with Jess that they need to bloomin' well get on with it, and I just have to work harder to make it happen - otherwise you're stuck if you get to an event somewhere when you've paid £80 to enter and if they decide they don't like the SJ

LEC's comments are useful input, so if your horse was a bit sticky sounds like it was in good company - however, again, if the fences are small (90cm or so) my view is unless they are INCREDIBLY green they should get on with it and cope even with funny distances - I copy trainers I've watched/been taught by who have put up fences and not walked the distance so horse just has to adjust and manage. Makes it easier when we c*ck it up when the fences are a bit bigger!

 

[Llanali]

I go wherever I fancy, and don't think about whether we have jumped there before- only about the directions and how to find it if I haven't!

We jump at BCA every time as it is a 15 min journey, so seems a waste. Tend to jump well there I auppose, even including the fact a 1m there is nearly 1.10m usually

Jump regularly at Patchetts, Addington, Bury Farm, Vicarage Farm in summer, Pachesham and Snowball. Will go to blewbury for qualifiers and if we need an outing, and will trek to gracelands, manor farm, Weston lawns, royal leisure, Pyecombe and regularly to Onley and Keysoe for specific classes. Will also travel to Longwood and Norton Heath as required.

Gosh looking at that, I didn't realise I was so spoilt for choice!

I don't think it makes much difference- the surfaces can, but the jumps are fairly standard, and I honestly feel when they have seen the inside of 5 arenas, the next 5 won't seem too different.

 

[MegaBeast]

I'll go wherever the dates and classes suit, within practical travelling distances and taking some account of facilities and surface. So for me, being not too far from you, that's Sunnybank, Pencoed, Broomes, Hand, Bromyard, Allens Hill, Summerhouse, Hartpury, WW, Badgworth and Rockhampton.

Hadn't thought of Bromyard, Allens Hill or Rockhampton... thanks!

LEC's comments are useful input, so if your horse was a bit sticky sounds like it was in good company - however, again, if the fences are small (90cm or so) my view is unless they are INCREDIBLY green they should get on with it and cope even with funny distances - I copy trainers I've watched/been taught by who have put up fences and not walked the distance so horse just has to adjust and manage. Makes it easier when we c*ck it up when the fences are a bit bigger!

Totally agree with this!

 

[opinionuk]

Sunday night musing brought on by a large Glenmorangie!

How often do you SJ at different or totally new venues and how do you find it affects your horse? Do you tend to have one or two local centres that you always go to or do you like to ring the changes and do you find if going somewhere new you have to step down a level, particularly if indoors?

Discuss!


Am I the only person that gets nervous going to new places, Im going to Summerhouse Equestrian at the weekend and really nervous with what to expect, my horse is only 5 and gets excited at shows I usually stick to 2 local ones but if I don't get her out and about we will never progress, anyone think thats the wrong thing to do??

 

[TableDancer]

Am I the only person that gets nervous going to new places, Im going to Summerhouse Equestrian at the weekend and really nervous with what to expect, my horse is only 5 and gets excited at shows I usually stick to 2 local ones but if I don't get her out and about we will never progress, anyone think thats the wrong thing to do??

Don't be nervous, Summerhouse is lovely - we were there this morning doing clear round jumping in the sunshine It is a lovely big arena with a great surface, and there is nothing horrendously spooky. The jumps will probably still be positioned as they were today, in which case it is a lovely, encouraging, flowing track - have fun

 

[SpottedCat]

Ditto TD - Summerhouse is without a doubt my favourite venue. I stable in hacking distance from another big SJ centre and box up and drive the hour to Summerhouse in preference. Their courses are always flowing and fair, they have a decent sized warmup, they steward well, the people are nice - there is nothing not to like about it!

 

[Firewell]

Different or new venues don't make a difference to my horse really. He's still fairly green but he loves jumping so he tends to tune everything else out and focus once we are in the ring. Inside or out doesn't bother him, neither do tight turns or trade stands or whatever, he can go a bit gangly and it might feel as if I have a million legs to control but hes always felt very keen and willing, like he's done it all in a past life when we are jumping which is nice!

The only thing that does make me wary of new or different venues is the warm up. My horse has been known to throw a few shapes on the dance floor in jump warm ups, he finds them very exciting so I prefer showjumping at places that have lots of warm up space or places where I know they won't be too busy .

 

[MandyMoo]

i say i regularly go to 2 or 3 main venues near me. but every now and then venture further to 4 others in my area

 

[sassybebe]

They never really flowed and the turns were very tight. Paul Urch or Sam Pepperells courses are much nicer.

Have to say that sounds pretty standard for a SP course to me, i actively avoid her courses. Horses for courses eyy (sorry, had to be done.)

I don't tend to worry about different venues really. my older horse always acts like he's never been in the ring anyway until he starts jumping and the young horses are going to be green anywhere.

 

[opinionuk]

Don't be nervous, Summerhouse is lovely - we were there this morning doing clear round jumping in the sunshine It is a lovely big arena with a great surface, and there is nothing horrendously spooky. The jumps will probably still be positioned as they were today, in which case it is a lovely, encouraging, flowing track - have fun

Ditto TD - Summerhouse is without a doubt my favourite venue. I stable in hacking distance from another big SJ centre and box up and drive the hour to Summerhouse in preference. Their courses are always flowing and fair, they have a decent sized warmup, they steward well, the people are nice - there is nothing not to like about it!

You were absolutely right about Summerhouse its a really nice place and I will definitely be going back there that's why I love these forums so much somebody has always had an experience of whatever concerns I have