Schooling/competing ratios

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Agent XXX999

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I have always been taught that when competing, you go for the class underneath what you are schooling at until you are out of that class, which is when you move up both with your schooling and with your competing class.

For instance I school Bruce at the moment over about 1.20m-30 courses in my lessons, and compete in British Novice and Discovery, which is below the height I school at.

My friend is a dressage bod and she schools at Medium but competes at elementary.

Is this normal?
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What level do you school/compete at?
 
umm, i compete at the level i'm working at at home, i think. i'll try to introduce thing a little bit early, for instance i'll teach rein-back well before i will do a test with it in, and i do a lot of lateral work with the babies, even though it's not needed until Intermediate BE tests. i'll also jump a few bigger fences at home than i'm going to be jumping in competitions, on an experienced horse to open him/her up and build confidence.
 
Hmmm, guess it depends when you reach the top of your horse's scope? Jumping-wise I compete 90cm/1m, but school about the same as being a 15hh arab I don't think he will ever go much above that, the striding etc becomes to tricky for him. Dressage, yes, we school at novice with some elementary movements, but compete prelim/novice until I sort my stupid dressage nerves out that make me ride like an idiot in a test! I'd like to get him up to elementary by this time next year tho, dressage instructor reckons he'll be up to it. Again tho, being a good RC horse but not a superstar, he'll probably not go muh further than that!
So think it depends really!
 
Its not a bad idea to do as you are doing, as it gives the horse and the rider confidence. Generally the difference between classes is not just the height (e.g tricky upright planks), but the spreads and different fillers (e.g water jumps, etc) and combination fences that catch people out, so its also good to practice the wider spreads (big oxers etc) at home before you move up a level.
 
Well through the winter I'm strickly hunting only, so he jumps as big at home as I would expect him to jump out on the field, which doesnt leave much room for thought. In the summertime I would say I school upto and slightly above what I jump, however in my SJ lessons I often jump tiny, technical fences.
 
I dont school much over what I do in comps TBH. With my Welshie our lessons are at newcomer level, and he only does BN so I guess thats right. Whereas with my other horse we have just begun doing foxhunter and just pop foxhunter /1.25 max in lessons.
 
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