Minor BE panic!

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marion95

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So, I have my first ever BE Intro on Saturday and I am starting to panic about things I may not know! I have done lots of unaffiliated events, but I keep thinking there may be different rules/things I need to know that I don't.

I've read the rule book, but is there anything I need to watch out for? There are sometimes silly things that people wouldn't know. For example what is compulsory retirement? can't find that in the rule book...

Thanks
 
CR means you have to retire because you have had too many fences down in the sjing or horse falls or something in the SJing.
TE is tech eliminated ie you missed a fence!
if you have a CR you cannot go xc, but if youre TE in the sjing they usually let you go forward to the xc.

Dont forget to get your hat tagged at the secretaries. Take £10 start fee and have your horses passport to hand.

You must fill out a medical card and wear it for the xc.

DROP YOUR WHIP before entering the dressage arena.

You can have 3 refusal before youre eliminated in sjing and xc - or 4 stops at different fences on the xc.

If someone catches you up you must give way to them.

If you wear tweed jacket wear a coloured stock or a blue/black jacket with white stock or you can just wear a shirt and tie.

Breath and enjoy!
 
If its your first one write a list of everything you need and check it off when you laod into lorry. remember to take all the hats you plan to use to the secretary for them to be tagged before you ride, remember your medical arm band, number bid and your horses passport incase they ask to see it. Watch how other are riding the XC course especially the speed they go, try and watch a few all the way round and then look at the score board to see if they were inside the time/ had time faults, this will help to to judge what speed to go. Make sure you report to the stewards at each stage and check its running to time before you start to warm up. Relax have fun and enjoy it, Good luck!
 
Right, the most important things are horse, saddle , bridle, a number bib (though if you don't have one there will probably be a saddlery there you can buy one from, or borrow from another competitor), medical armband (you will not be allowed xc without it), and to get your hat(s) tagged when you pick your numbers up, which you need to do before your dressage, and which is when you hand over your starting fee! When you go to warm-up for dr find the steward wearing the letter of the section you are in and they will let you know if ahead/behind time, and remember to drop your whip before you go in to test.

CR is usually for having too many faults in the show-jumping. I can't remember exactly how many it is, but they will tell you and you won't be allowed xc. You may also be CR on the xc for a horse fall or breaking a frangible pin I believe. But don't worry about that!

Have lots of fun!
 
Thanks guys.

So there is a limit to the number of fences you can have down in the sj is there? Not that I hope to find out! Do they just ring the bell at you when you need to retire?

I thought someone on here said the other day she was CR 'cos her horse was catleaping over everything.

I only have one hat, so no probs there!

Think I will definitely write a list - good idea.
 
LOl you do not get CR for catleaping. I think its if you get 6 fences down or more! which is 24 faults. You can have 4 faults and 28 time penalties but you will be able to go forward to the xc.
 
if you worried sj, MAKE sure you walk course. I've learnt hard way but if you go down day early to walk course find out when the WILL HAVE SJ as they are VERY limited, just add note to list to sort - good luck at least it been raining ti help ground
 
I did think that would have been a very strange rule! But you never know....my horse does like to take her fences big so best to be prepared!

All sounds pretty straightforward - am getting excited now!
 
So no white stock with a green tweed jacket then?

Good job this came up, looks like I'll be going shopping at the weekend!
 
Yeah, Id make sure to ask when you get your number about when you can walk the SJ course as I have had quite a few problems in the past with this!!

I wear a white stock with small navy spots on it with my tweed jacket - I assume this is allowed as I always have done so far!

I always mentally picture what I (and the horse) look like before the dressage, SJ and XC so you can work out exactly what stuff to take since these are the most important things!

Make sure you arrive in plenty of time so you dont have any panics. And enjoy.
 
I wear a white stock with small blue spots on too MM! this is allowed and comes under as *coloured* but you do have to wear a coloured/patterned stock wtih a tweed jacket - say so in da rules
 
Thanks, I glanced over the dress code and remember seeing that you can wear long brown boots up to Novice level but must have missed the bit about the stock.

Thanks again!
 
No worries.
Good luck everyone
smile.gif
 
ARGH ! I brought a new stock at badders which is white with a large check print on, I wear a navy jacket - is this going to be ok?
Another thing - remember to take martingale stops off your reins for the dressage - didnt know about this till the other day but you can get eliminated if the judge is feeling extra mean !
 
Ive been eventing 5 years and have NEVER been asked to remove my martingale stops!
If you have leather ones on the reins they cannot be removed!

I really wouldnt worry.

As long as the check isnt very obviously i am sure it will be fine.
 
I've NEVER been asked to remove my martingale stops off my reins in the Dressage.

If that's the rule - I think it's stupid!

Also, I wear a white stock with a tweed jacket. Didn't know that was wrong and have been doing so for 3 seasons! What's the reasoning behind that then?
 
pssst........ Dont forget the picnic either!!

Having a list of things to remember is such a good idea as the things we have forgotten in the past include:
Girth
Haynets
Water buckets
Saddlecloths
Stock Pin

I now too have a list we tick off!!!!

Have fun - where are you heading off for your first one BTW??

Good Luck!
 
Yep am working through my list right now.

And nearly forgot the picnic.

Am going to Stockland Lovell, been there a few times, so at least the horsey is used to it.

Thanks everyone.

Oh and I have leather martingale stops on my reins that don't some off, so will have to wear them.
 
In addition to everyone's good advice, remember to allow yourself plenty of time. Add an extra 15 minutes in everywhere - ie getting to the yard time, loading time, journey time, course walking time, getting ready time etc etc - and then you shouldn't end up in a panic and forgetting something silly.

Good luck!
 
As BBs has mentioned TE then I will point out that as of this year there is no longer such as thing as TE, apparently (according to BE), lots of riders were abusing this and so they've dropped it....but thats an aside.

One big tip, which doesn't occur at many unaffiliated events, is that if you are riding xc and a fence judge is standing in front of a fence waving a flag (should be red, but in panic they may grab any colour) at knee-height then it means you must stop, but don't stop straight away, you need to continue galloping towards the fence, because you don't know here their time check point is, but basically make sure you stop before the fence.

Again, I've never come across the martingale stops issue, I ride with them all the time on mine. So don't worry about this.
 
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