Some thoughts - XC, frangible pins etc

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teapot

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Had a very indepth discussion with my dad (who I'd like to point out has never sat on a horse) over the whole issue of Eventing and how it's not been a good year accident wise.

He went off on one (as he does frequently) about how if it was any other sport, it would have been banned by now.

Now see I don't agree with this as I immediately think of how many accidents there are each year for people riding on the roads. Plus, you could be killed schooling at home for example.

He then went on about bringing in safer fences etc, I'm guessing the whole frangible(sp) pin situation or what about making fences plastic.

I tried explaining to him that jumping wooden obstacles is a tiny bit different to cantering towards a plastic corner for example (got one at my RS, but yet also have a mini mini xc course) and he said "well, atleast that way it'll fall or will minimise risk when it's hit".

But I'm kind of with the school of thought that riding xc is a skill in itself, undaluating ground, approaching various obstacles etc so if everything was made into plastic, knowing that the risks were lower - surely we'd see "less" skill as such. Eventers, well some atleast learn their trade in the hunting field both rider and horse wise which over some country (having seen what Rosiee for example jumps
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) is one of the best ways to learn.

Take Supreme Rock for example - he was hunted regularly in all conditions and over all grounds; hence why in the year Badminton was peeing it down and was a total mud bath, he looked right at home and won.

I just can't see what good it would do to the sport if plastic xc fences were brought in. We all approach plastic fences slightly differently to wooden as we know what the difference is (and how it feels sometimes). Could possibly the introduction of "softer" fences actually cause more problems as riders would be willing to take some more chancey strides & jumps, primarily knowing that with the slight nudge, the fence will move and the horse will stay on all 4s?

Just some ramblings - be interested to see what you guys think
 
I can see where your Dad is coming from. He doesn't want his daughter hurt does he?

But half of the point of any sport is that it's challenging, exciting, adrenalin filled. That's what eventing is to me along with the poise of dressage (I wish!) and the art of getting round the SJ clear.

But imagine if racing drivers weren't allowed to go faster than 30mph for safety reasons, no slalom skiing, motor boat racing, boxing etc etc. People do all these things for the reasons above.

If the H&S Executive had its way we'd all be doing walking and sitting around competitions. But that's not real life is it?

Plastic jumps could be dangerous on a XC course. Imagine jumping a 3ft 6" filled in-corner and coming down in the middle of it. It would likely smash to bits, severing every tendon in yours and the horses body, whereas the horse just slithers over the wooden fence because of the strength and nature of wood.

More people are killed and injured in many other sports other than ours. Tell them to please leave it be.
 
Actually that's a good point - after my first ever fall he was all "you're never riding again"

HAHA 9 years on
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Totally agree with you regarding the plastic etc - it would splinter, snap etc (like the flag accident at Badminton this year) so wood is safer in some ways.

I mentioned the F1 situation to him and he said "well it's actually quite safe" How exactly? MEN
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Having plastic showjumps would take the whole 'principle' out of cross country, in my opinion. During investigations, (which later led to the development of the pins,) in Holland they dug out the middle of timber poles to make them hollow so they could snap. The idea was dropped because although the fence could break, it may not 'lower' in the way that would prevent a rotational fall.
 
I think i mentioned it in the New Lounge the other day, but the mother was talking to the Willis bros the other day, and according to them all a fence would have to do would be to drop a matter of 5/10cms on impact and it would prevent rotational falls?

I know it sounds too simple and surely they would have been doing it for years if it was? but they were really adament that the theory was correct?
 
i don't believe that about rotational falls being totally preventable if all fences would drop 5-10" on impact. perhaps in a slow fall, where the horse has tried to stop and then toppled over, but not in a fall at speed where the rider simply misses or the horse simply doesn't get high enough.
we all know the risks. we all know that if we miss, our horse may not be able to save us, and our luck might run out. those of us that still willingly take that risk do so in full awareness.
you can compare eventing to the Isle of Man TT races. that is very very dangerous, there are fatalities every year and some of the best of the best have died there, but it is very popular, and people choose to do it. or not.
personally, i think the worst thing for rider safety has been the extreme emphasis on the defensive position, ironically. look at team chasing. bigger fences in a lot of cases (okay, not as technical, but some are huge and very upright!), emphasis on speed, but no faults for falls. and, thank the lord, no fatalities afaik. they mostly ride in a more forward seat and get thrown clear if they fall. this "i must NOT fall off, no matter what happens" is what kills people imho. i don't mind falling off, as long as i'm thrown clear. falling off is not the end of the world, even if it means i might not get a rosette that day. getting landed on can be the end of the world, quite literally.
i also think that the extreme emphasis on obedience is detrimental to the horse thinking for himself. for e.g. i watched Toddy for years, and i only saw him miss twice. once was at Gatcombe, i can't remember where the other one was. both times, the horse went almost through the fence, so used to being on the perfect stride that it had no idea what to do when things weren't perfect.
so, i think there's a lot to be said for either loose schooling, or occasionally just letting a horse come to a fence and sort it out for himself, so his grey matter stays useable!
 
A lot of people don't hunt eventers. I know plenty of people and also myself who has never hunted yet I believe my horse is very careful yet bold enough on the XC.

Im not sure how XC can be made safer because the whole point is the obstacles are solid and are sort of what you'd find in the countryside. Like you say cantering towards something plastic would be a little odd! I think its more down to the design - less upright type fences and more rounder types would be better IMO. Or of the uprights, they must have frangiable pins.

I wonder if there's been an increase in horse falls over the years as XC has got far more technical than it used to be. Maybe its getting overly technical.

I make sure my horse is able to think for himself. He does help me out a lot which is the way I think it should be - we help each other. Some horses seem to be machines and only do as asked and riders do make errors.

I love XC, but even though I know the risks I know that if my horse ever flipped or hurt himself badly on a XC course then I likely would never do it again.
 
The XC phase of eventing has become tougher over the years, not that i know but i walked a PN course last season with a friend of mine and her mother who used to event. She thought that the PN was a Novice course of her time, this may be why there are more accidents at XC stages.
My mum worries about me XC she says she doesnt breathe as I go round but she sees me cross the finish beaming and says she could never ask me to stop.

XC tests the rider as much as the horse. I welcome the idea of anything that makes the courses safer but there is an element of risk to riding in itself.

The last few seasons has alerted us all up to the perils of the XC but i hope that we are inspired to learn more and ride better to minimise the chances. Those that we have lost would not want anyone to give up because of them, they were all dedicated and skilled competitors.
 
Agree huskimo12. TBH it is a sport, and just like other sports - there ARE fatalities. But accidents happen no matter what you're doing when riding. Im sure more people are sadly killed out hacking than in XC accidents. It's simply that we hear about the XC ones.
 
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