Hunter trials v BE Intro.....????

[FestiveSpirit]

I took Bob to Sapey today for a quick bit of XC schooling. I really wasnt intending to do much since he has Broadway on Saturday, just wanted to have a little practice over a corner and skinny fences.

He was absolutely awful

The fences were obviously not dressed but had the flags and stringing up; right from the start he was being erratic. Whether it was that he had more open space than he is used to I am not sure, but he was being bl**dy ignorant and charging towards the fences, then ducking out at the last minute.... when he jumped he would then stick his nose out, put his head to the ground and charge off. Fine if it was a single fence, no chance of steering over a combination

I am now not going to ride him at Broadway on Saturday but my more experienced friend (who is used to green horses) is going to compete him for me

We are also going to be changing his bit to stop the "running away after the fence" business

But is there really so much difference between a hunter trial and Intro schooling

I didnt expect him to be perfect today by any means, and I realise that I wasnt as focussed/positive/mentally prepared as I need to be, but he was ducking out at the simplest fences and (for example) jumping through the quarry fine

I chose Sapey as it is the easiest BE course I know

Any thoughts please? I just find it odd he can be so great at a hunter trial one weekend and so incredibly green less than a week later

 

[BroadfordQueen]

If it is any help, when I took my horse xc schooling before my first event, she was AWFUL. I was totally gutted, she stopped/ran out at the simplest fences, and I was totally disheartened. My friend's horse who was there with me flew everything.
However, my horse just obviously doesn't perform when schooling, as she hasn't had a single problem at an event! Whereas my friends horse has gotten eliminated every time (but thats a whole different story!!!).
Some horses just don't like xc schooling. My horse doesn't like the stop/start, and obviously I don't ride as well in cold blood as I do when I am competing.

Don't be too disheartened, especially if your horse went well at a hunter trial, he may just perform better in an event environment!

 

[jules89]

Seen your FB status, don't panic, XC schooling is horrible, I hate it (having had a near fatal accident once...!)

I would go for it at Broadway, by the time he will have done Dr and SJ, he will be less excited at the XC and hopefully more manageable!

Go for it!

 

[FigJam]

[ QUOTE ]
If it is any help, when I took my horse xc schooling before my first event, she was AWFUL. I was totally gutted, she stopped/ran out at the simplest fences, and I was totally disheartened. My friend's horse who was there with me flew everything.

Some horses just don't like xc schooling. My horse doesn't like the stop/start, and obviously I don't ride as well in cold blood as I do when I am competing.

Don't be too disheartened, especially if your horse went well at a hunter trial, he may just perform better in an event environment!

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly what she said! My mare is waaay better at competitions than she is schooling, feels like a different horse sometimes! I'm sure part of this is me not being "fired up" enough in training. If you're at all unsure though, you're doing the right thing getting your more experience friend to ride. She'll at least be able to give feedback and tips after for your next run.

 

[wench]

my horse generally better at comps; i think generally at comps you go at a pace round the couse whereas schooling you tend to potter around.

Last time I went out schooling horse had two or three good hidings before he decidied to behave

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Thanks SO much for the feedback guys, I have now changed from 'definitely not riding' to 'dithering'

Will chat to my instructor/friend (who was with me today) tomorrow morning and make my final decision

Points for YES (me to ride) - (a) I am 1000% better when <u>I</u> have walked an XC course and planned exactly how I am going to ride each fence (obv this didnt happen today!), (b) he will have had the edge taken off by DR and SJ first (c) he IS much more focussed at a competition

Points for NO (my friend to ride) - (a) not sure how much is Bob being truly green and not taking the p*ss because it was schooling etc... if it goes wrong then would one bad experience sour him for a while???

Dithering.....