ODE preparation.....

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Like the rest of the country, my plans have been stuffed recently by the weather. My first ODE is on 25 March, it is a very friendly little 70cm one (Offchurch Bury)

I was planning to go XC schooling about 3 times between now and then, but I see that it is scheduled to rain all week now so not sure I’ll manage that!

What would you consider the minimum prep to compete? I ride 5-6 times a week if it hasn’t snowed, a mix of flat work and jumping, and I try to attend a clinic or show every weekend to get him out seeing things. What he won’t have done much of is dressage on grass and ‘proper’ XC on a full course :(

He is still pretty green XC - we did a few fun rides and a couple of ODEs last year
 
Yes I'm struggling to get XC practise too as ground is always frozen or soaked.

I'm going next weekend for a WH clinic to get over some natural fences.

There is an all weather cross country place about 2 hours away so if I can't get to the local XC I will go there
 
I think there are 3 things to consider..

1. Can he technically do the fences? If he did the same level last year then yes, he probaly can so I would have thought a single practice would be OK if you just have a jolly and refresh his memory.

2. Is he fit enough? TBH for a small ODE as long as he can school Dressage and SJ, and manage an hour and a half of active hacking including trotting and cantering then he should be Ok depending on...

3. Rider attitude. In 2 parts. A. Are you confident to go out and have some fun without getting too stressed? The more stressed you are likely to be then the more prep you would need as a rider to feel prepped. B. Are you OK to trot some of it if he goes a bit green or gets a bit blowey? As in treat the first run as a jolly rather than actually be competitive?
 
70cm xc is usually pretty kind so you should be absolutely if you go in with the mindset red describes.

Only other suggestion would be to pop up to Bissell Wood - the most perfect sandy soil so there is never really a dot of mud. They've done a refurbishment recently so have been closed a couple of weeks, but usually they don't shut all winter
 
Sounds like you aren't hacking much or at all from your description? That would be the most important thing for me- to get him fit enough to expect him to canter/gallop for 4 mins.
 
Thanks all that is really helpful :) I am hacking Michen but it only at the weekends due to lack of light after work.

Funny you should say about Bissell Wood DabDab, I’m eagerly awaiting their opening date :)

Red - a really good reply thank you! Yes absolutely prepared to trot some of it/retire if needs be - this is what we do for fun, the results are not important this early in the season :) that had occurred to me as an option, I think that’s what I’ll do but will also get in as much practice as possible :)
 
Me too!!! Very excited to see what they've done. I'm going to have to pick a quiet day/time with my idiot though, because for some reason he thinks that Bissell Wood is the most exciting thing to ever happen to horse kind... Strange beast
 
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