Show Jumper Friends..... Looking for your view on Pre-Loading in the ring.

[BunnyDog]

Its very common in Ireland but I've never heard the term 'preloading' so thats new!

Its terrifying if ask me, at Cavan or some of the bigger shows, there can be 3 horses in the ring! Its bonkers! I've asked at the gate not to allow other horses in on my round as my horse will deck me (not quite true but still!) and its been fine. And if I'm asked to go in while another horse is jumping, I decline - its never been an issue. A friend of mine does have a horse that will have a complete meltdown with other horses in the ring and loses his focus, so she asks for no other horses in the ring and again, no issues but I dont really see how it speeds things us. The 'preloaded' horse usually still has a trot & canter before the bell & has 45 seconds to approach the first fence, doesnt seem to be saving any time if you ask me!

I think it can save time. Our poor gate person had an empty ring a lot of times during this 3 day show and it was obvious that the riders and trainers were prepping as they wanted and were in no hurry to help the ring move along at all.

So it can save time if you have horses ready to go rather than having to harangue the folks to get into the ring.

Em

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Here in South Africa the next rider is always in the ring with current rider when showjumping. But you can't just trot around through the center of the ring, that's insanity! You walk around the very outside, ALWAYS with your eyes on the current rider.

When I competed in SA, in CT specifically I had numerous rounds where the rider was in front of a fence I was heading towards. I have videos of me shouting at people to get out the way. I always found that riders in CT had zero respect for the rider finishing their round when coming into the arena as next to go.

Now in the UK at all the shows I have been to, I have never had a pre-loader. The gates are shut until the rider before has been over the last fence.

 

[humblepie]

It wasn’t a thing back in my jumping days and I was confused first time I saw it on TV. Don’t jump now so not useful comments other than people need to behave sensibly and look where others are.

 

[ester]

There's a post on the BS fb page about an incident in a jump off at hickstead today.

Please can someone explain to me how what happened today is fair
I rode a round at hickstead where the next rider was allowed into the ring and stood right in a turn / my way in the jump off because of this I had to change plan and there for lost the class by 1 second
The judges agreed that they had seen the rider cause me problems as had called her in and spoke to her and said there was no more that could be
The rider even came up to me and said she was sorry for being in my way
However my time wasn’t adjusted and I had to settle for £40 less and no win. Because of 1 second, but I had to pretty much stop and re start so no way did this only take me 1 second more
How can this be possibly fair and how can this rule apply what if it was a grand prix with thousands at stake

 

[BunnyDog]

There's a post on the BS fb page about an incident in a jump off at hickstead today.

Yep I saw it and knew exactly how she felt. Though messing up a round at Hickstead....UGH. I mean really bad.

Em

 

[JustMe22]

We always have one in the ring while the other is jumping, and no rules about at what stage of the course they can go in the gate. They're usually in before the bell starts to be honest.

But it is generally understood and accepted that you stay out of the jumping rider's way, stick mainly to the outside of the ring, and watch make sure you don't interfere with their round

 

[BunnyDog]

We always have one in the ring while the other is jumping, and no rules about at what stage of the course they can go in the gate. They're usually in before the bell starts to be honest.

But it is generally understood and accepted that you stay out of the jumping rider's way, stick mainly to the outside of the ring, and watch make sure you don't interfere with their round

And sadly more often that's not been the case. Both in the case of my ride, the Hickstead rider, and many others when I polled folks in a larger US based showing facebook group.

It only works when you have your wits about you with regard to where to be and where not to be.

Not everyone can think that well under show pressures.

Em

BTW... from a token American, God Save the Queen. She's forever an icon of all the best qualities in a person, a horseman and a fierce believer in the best possibilities in life. Rip your majesty.

 

[Orangehorse]

I'm not familiar with the term "pre-loading" but watching your video I think that in the UK you would hear some very bad language if that happened.

I was a steward on the show jumping at a one day event for a few years, so not pure SJ. I always aimed to have the jumping run to time which meant having the next competitor walking into the ring as the previous one was at the end of their round. This was helped by the course builder designing the course so this could be done easily.

There was never any attempt at "gamesmanship" i.e. deliberately trying to put off the previous rider, although I
could, regrettably, imagine that some competitors might consider it.

If I suffered interference like that I think I would have had a word or two with the organisers to tell the steward to prevent that.

 

[ester]

We always have one in the ring while the other is jumping, and no rules about at what stage of the course they can go in the gate. They're usually in before the bell starts to be honest.

But it is generally understood and accepted that you stay out of the jumping rider's way, stick mainly to the outside of the ring, and watch make sure you don't interfere with their round

I wonder if you’re all better at it because it does happen all the time