Hornby
Well-Known Member
This is a report on my Trec competition on Saturday with Kangaroo (my grey mare, L154's May's mother - if you follow) which I did with my friend Vicky and her horse, Dan. We have never done Trec before, but have been to a training day and practised the obstacles in the school at home. Not sure what to expect, so not too nervous.
Control of paces was first - I went on horseback to chat to the judges and show K that the flags marking it and the people were ok. She then did a lovely collected canter away (best marks are for slowest canter - but must not break) and then good walk back; however, for some reason I was thinking slow walk back - but it should be fast - however she didn't break here either and walks well anyway. Good start. I ended up with best marks of all of this 35 out of 40. Vicky broke in the canter but walk looked good.
Obstacles (called PTV in Trec language) I made sure that the 2 horses warmed up far apart as they would have to do this separately and didn't want her distracted.
1. Corridor of poles 0.5m apart - ideally to trot or canter through - I thought, no prob, have practised this at home - result duck out at flags marking start! Represent and ok at trot but knocking poles (not allowed)
2 S bend on ground through poles in walk - good
3 Footbridge in walk - good (K knows this as we show at this ground)
4 Rein back between poles 0.8m apart, go back 4.5m - nice try but knocking again (rather tight between poles!)
5 Trot between bending poles - good
6 Walk up slope - good
7 Walk down slope - good
8 Steep slope down with sloping sides to water splash - K thought I was mad to ask her to do this, tried then her courage failed but she didn't pee off, after a few more attempts (position of flags were reducing options) she eventually followed the fence judge down - no marks but she did get down in the end
9 Dismount and lead up steepish slope -good
10 Lead down slope - good little jog at end
11 Immobility in circle for 10 secs on her own - good
12 Remount without leaving small circle - good - lost points for having stirrups down on entering the circle
13 open and close small gate - she was not sure about this so I had to approach in such a way that I let go of gate once open and then she knocked one side over with her bum! No points!
14 Brush fence - not a jumping pair so we missed this out but you can in Trec - no elimination, just lose marks for this element
15 Ditch with plastic at bottom - good
16 Low branches - actually bamboo poles 8 inches higher than her wither, you have to duck under three of them - we haven't practised this as I can't think how to make one but again she thought I was potty - she tried but didn't have the nerve, I led her through on foot in the end to show it was ok.
Overall, I was pleased that she had tried to do things and hadn't reacted too drastically when she hadn't understood.
Lunch break then POR (Orienteering part)
I was chief map reader and speed setter (have to travel at specified kilometres per hour till you reach a checkpoint - which you are not told the location of...), Vicky was in charge of being lead file and going past scarey things - I can't ride horse and read map at same time! Actually, I enjoyed the challenge of this, and the hack was in lovely country but at a slow pace - we actually had to stop a number of times to not go too fast - penalties if too early as well as late. Lots of gates, footbridge, motorway bridge, ford, rain but the horses were good - route was 26km (~17 miles) glad K is fit! Anyway, we came 5th and I'm hooked!
Control of paces was first - I went on horseback to chat to the judges and show K that the flags marking it and the people were ok. She then did a lovely collected canter away (best marks are for slowest canter - but must not break) and then good walk back; however, for some reason I was thinking slow walk back - but it should be fast - however she didn't break here either and walks well anyway. Good start. I ended up with best marks of all of this 35 out of 40. Vicky broke in the canter but walk looked good.
Obstacles (called PTV in Trec language) I made sure that the 2 horses warmed up far apart as they would have to do this separately and didn't want her distracted.
1. Corridor of poles 0.5m apart - ideally to trot or canter through - I thought, no prob, have practised this at home - result duck out at flags marking start! Represent and ok at trot but knocking poles (not allowed)
2 S bend on ground through poles in walk - good
3 Footbridge in walk - good (K knows this as we show at this ground)
4 Rein back between poles 0.8m apart, go back 4.5m - nice try but knocking again (rather tight between poles!)
5 Trot between bending poles - good
6 Walk up slope - good
7 Walk down slope - good
8 Steep slope down with sloping sides to water splash - K thought I was mad to ask her to do this, tried then her courage failed but she didn't pee off, after a few more attempts (position of flags were reducing options) she eventually followed the fence judge down - no marks but she did get down in the end
9 Dismount and lead up steepish slope -good
10 Lead down slope - good little jog at end
11 Immobility in circle for 10 secs on her own - good
12 Remount without leaving small circle - good - lost points for having stirrups down on entering the circle
13 open and close small gate - she was not sure about this so I had to approach in such a way that I let go of gate once open and then she knocked one side over with her bum! No points!
14 Brush fence - not a jumping pair so we missed this out but you can in Trec - no elimination, just lose marks for this element
15 Ditch with plastic at bottom - good
16 Low branches - actually bamboo poles 8 inches higher than her wither, you have to duck under three of them - we haven't practised this as I can't think how to make one but again she thought I was potty - she tried but didn't have the nerve, I led her through on foot in the end to show it was ok.
Overall, I was pleased that she had tried to do things and hadn't reacted too drastically when she hadn't understood.
Lunch break then POR (Orienteering part)
I was chief map reader and speed setter (have to travel at specified kilometres per hour till you reach a checkpoint - which you are not told the location of...), Vicky was in charge of being lead file and going past scarey things - I can't ride horse and read map at same time! Actually, I enjoyed the challenge of this, and the hack was in lovely country but at a slow pace - we actually had to stop a number of times to not go too fast - penalties if too early as well as late. Lots of gates, footbridge, motorway bridge, ford, rain but the horses were good - route was 26km (~17 miles) glad K is fit! Anyway, we came 5th and I'm hooked!
