Riding club...some observations

diggerbez

diggerbez

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went down to local RC today to see what was going on at the show/ cheer on some girls from our yard. was shocked to see in the open sjing (so the biggest class) the SAME people who had been doing this class 4 years ago on the SAME horses...was shocked that nobody seems to have moved on in the last four years...
now i'm all for Riding Club, i think its great but surely there comes a point when you need to move on? i.e. if you are winning everything without even trying?
 
yes
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easily
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Move on to what? Higher entry fees, higher membership fees, further transport costs, going by yourself as your mates horses aren't progressing at the same speed, more training, etc, etc...

I understand some people are driven to keep trying to just get a bit further, I'm one of them, but I think people content with staying at the same level must be happier.
 
A lot of people go to RC for socialising as well as for experience. However, it does mean that it is hard to get into the rosettes with younger or less experienced horses. Still it is all learning for horse and rider.
 
DB, I know what you mean. At the annual award time, it's always the same people in the trophies. If want can't go further afield (bearing in mind that some of them turn up in lovely lorries), then fine, but on the whole they seem to just treat it as easy prizes.
 
yeah i guess i hadn't thought of it like that...i just don't see the point of forking out money for lessons etc if you are never going to aim any higher i guess....don't get me wrong i think its different if you get a new horse or have an accident or whatever....
 
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DB, I know what you mean. At the annual award time, it's always the same people in the trophies. If want can't go further afield (bearing in mind that some of them turn up in lovely lorries), then fine, but on the whole they seem to just treat it as easy prizes.

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thats what it always smacks of to be honest- why do you need a 40k 4 horse wagon for local RC?!!
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Hmm, I think one can see this various ways...I've only done RC since January, and only competed dressage, but I did wonder at some of the horses in Prelim, especially when I learned that some of them had been doing Prelim for several years now.

On the other hand, you never know the full story! For example, I know someone who took her be-pointed eventer in a 60cm SJ class. One might find that strange, if one didn't know she had avoided jumping for ages due to a serious injury, she wasn't the one who had evented him, and in any case, he hadn't jumped for ages, either.

That being said, the spooky pony is moving up to Novice when I think we're ready, regardless of how he's doing ribbon-wise.
 
You're lucky you saw people in the biggest class. I did the biggest class at a RC show last weekend. It was a whole 3ft high - not exactly huge. There were 2 of us in it, me, on my Novice eventer (whom I was competing for the first time since last year and whom I have only had back for a month or so after he was on loan for 6 months, and who had severe gastric ulcers last year and would not even jump a x-pole), and a girl on a nice mare who she'd moved up onto from ponies, so a new combination.

They only ran the class because a HHO member was stewarding it and knew I was desperate to jump.

I won, the girl had 2 stops. I felt a complete fraud TBH, but I needed the milage in a small class for my confidence and it was an open class so I had every right to be there.

All the people who whinge in Competition Riders about people doing aff comps before they are ready and they should stick to unaff until they are better clearly haven't been unaff for a while. The course was v good, but it was a small 3ft (as it should be for RC IMO), and there was nothing bigger. Not the RCs fault as I suspect if they'd run a 3'3" I would have been the only one in it. There is nowhere at RC level to gain the milage in my area, due to lack of support.
 
nope and we only had 4 in the 2'9 SC. Hence if I ride the pone at these heights I am usually well placed.- I am going to have to fight to include a 3' next year and all the ones I did last year at shows were only 3 or 4 competitors (more indoors unaff in winter) hence round here you are lucky to have anything above a 2'9 unaff.

Frank and I have moved up from 2'3s a few years ago but have reached our height limit and he won't affiliate because he struggles with both the spreads and the distances at seniors being are short arse!

So I hope to still be doing and still doing well in the same classes in 4 years time. He is 16 now so think that'll do for the both of us, with perhaps me learning to see strides a bit better even though he likes to decide for himself. But I do think you have to consider the age of the horses too.
On purpose I have done less RC stuff than I normally do with him as he does everything he can quickly rack up the points, but I can't help him being so good
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dr is different I try not to do prelims on him anymore but it depends what is on offer. I also hope we can keep improving this side but think we have reached comfortable limit SJ.

I do know a few who could go further ie they are still jumping 2'6 and have more scope but as long as they are enjoying their hobby thats fine, it is actually easier to get placed at the higher heights as the jump offs aren't so mad but if you've reached the top of whats of offer that is all you can do.
 
at our local RC biggest class is 3ft6- surely these people could mostly be jumping BSJA?! there were more than 10 people in the class...it just confuddles me!
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RC opens (ie team comps) I think is 1m10? off top of my head. so there are still opportunity for RC competitors to be doing this sort of height for there RC and do BSJA at the same time. and hence if the show provide a class of that height and you want to be considered for teams......... just a thought

Work on the theory I do in these situs- (not you personally) just have to work harder to beat them. Nothing like a bit of decent competition to get you to raise your game
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oh i don't compete there...TBH i would rather go affiliated- can be more sure that the people i'm competing against are in the right class!!
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no I assumed you didn't that was just more aimed at others!

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yeah i guess its good advice. would still bug me if i was beaten by someone with years more experience than me who shouldn't really be in the class...but hey ho!
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I get more annoyed at the people who stay in novice year after year at RC. They win second place time after time, on horses that are clearly not novice and even have the gall to ente rthe open as well, on the same day!
We also get pot hunter in the equitation classes, even the mature rider class, I ask you.
These are usually the same people who find it impossible to put a pole away at the end of the day, and very very rarely help to set up, and in fact only hang about at the beginning in the hope of getting a better idea of the course and to offer 'helpful' suggestions as to how the course could be better built. ( that means the way they want it to be!) I feel better for that
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i am one of those people who do the same top height classes. My reasons? Basically, I don't have the time, money, talent or inclination to affiliate. I don't win a lot as my boy is built for comfort not speed, but we have fun and know that that is our limit.
 
its not ppl like you i'm having a go at really- its the super competitive people who have 15k horses for Riding club so they can win all the prizes!
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Ohhhh, you'd hate me! I've been doing 70cm, then either the novelty 75cm or the 85cm if I fancy a bit of a scare for nearly 4 years! We usually win, regardless of other entries, but no way am I moving up! My horse is 25, and has a long and unusual history, and I am very nervy although on him I feel a lot safer and will have a bas at most things if I grit my teeth and close my eyes. Last time we went we won one class (70cm) by 3 seconds and the 75cm by 8secs. Unfair? No- we are jumping too small for it to be worth affiliating, and moving up would be too much for my old man and my nerves. So sometimes, before you say things about people who don't move on, think about the reasoning- you don't know the histpory at all and could be making some very unfair remarks.

I hope you said nothing at the event- I overheard someone bitching about me and my horse last year (we only win because my mum's the secretary, you know) and saying we were pothunters. Ruined my day completely.
 
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Ohhhh, you'd hate me! I've been doing 70cm, then either the novelty 75cm or the 85cm if I fancy a bit of a scare for nearly 4 years! We usually win, regardless of other entries, but no way am I moving up! My horse is 25, and has a long and unusual history, and I am very nervy although on him I feel a lot safer and will have a bas at most things if I grit my teeth and close my eyes. Last time we went we won one class (70cm) by 3 seconds and the 75cm by 8secs. Unfair? No- we are jumping too small for it to be worth affiliating, and moving up would be too much for my old man and my nerves. So sometimes, before you say things about people who don't move on, think about the reasoning- you don't know the histpory at all and could be making some very unfair remarks.

I hope you said nothing at the event- I overheard someone bitching about me and my horse last year (we only win because my mum's the secretary, you know) and saying we were pothunters. Ruined my day completely.

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ahem...i think if you read my comments i did say that i realise there are extenuating circumstances...
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injuries, loss of nerve etc etc (clearly an older horse would be one of those) The people i am talking about are people that i KNOW for a fact spend lots on training and horses and wagons and go around telling everyone how great they are that they are winning at RC when its really not difficult for them
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apologies if i have offended you
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and no i said nothing at the show, never do
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and rope and wings and numbers and cups and stakes and the gazebo and pick up all the rubbish lovely people have left
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If there were that many still doing it, only one of them was going to win.

Chances are that their horses wouldn't go the next step up or they themselves don't feel comfortable going on. Not entirely sure what is the problem. If you want to stop them entering, then stop calling it an open class and state that it is not for people who win it too many times. that ought to sort it out.

And 3'6 riding club is generally nowhere NEAR as difficult as 3'6 affiliated - longer courses, more difficult fences and much wider spreads. And, of course, the added costs.

It really does wind me up that because someone has a nice lorry they suddenly are not allowed to compete locally. To me it sounds like jealousy - wouldn't you all have nice lorries if you could - I know I would!
 
not jealousy at all. i just guess you need to know the people concerned to realise why i was a bit shocked more than anything else to still see them there! doesn't really annoy me but is a reason why i don't bother with RC anymore
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not jealousy at all. i just guess you need to know the people concerned to realise why i was a bit shocked more than anything else to still see them there! doesn't really annoy me but is a reason why i don't bother with RC anymore
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The usual suspects are still turning out then
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no change there then...
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not jealousy at all. i just guess you need to know the people concerned to realise why i was a bit shocked more than anything else to still see them there! doesn't really annoy me but is a reason why i don't bother with RC anymore
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The usual suspects are still turning out then
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no change there then...
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glad its not just me that thinks this! but yes the same old suspects
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QR
Every riding club has them, and yes ester, but even one pole each would be nice!
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Mind you if you have the last class at a points show, as the chase me charlie they all put the others away so they can get on!
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YG I went to a different RC than the OP club due to same old same old....and the new club adopted a working day which you had to do... you had to accrue 6 points over the season you got 6 points for a full day ODE helping and 2 Points for a morning or afternoon show day help...it was also a great time to meet fellow RC members...I always said that I thought it was the way to go rather than RC members just expecting the day to run itself
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