Time XC - how fast is too fast?

[Baileyhoss]

Ok, so time intro is 450mpm.

Currently at intro there are no penalties for coming inside the time until you exceed 520 mpm.

I just wondered why that's the case, when at novice and above, you would be penalised for coming in 15 seconds faster than the OT.

Do you think this encourages mentalist riding in some people? e.g., 13yo kid on 14hh pony galloping flat out start to finish makes it round 23 seconds under the time, which i just worked out to be in the region of 495mpm. Everyone watching (including the commentator) comments how scary/fast/dangerous/out of control it is to watch and yet no penalties (placings in fact)

Surely the time set for intro should be to encourage a bold round, but shouldn't there also be penalities to discourage inexperienced competitors from this sort of riding?

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

See im struggling to not go too fast at intro, yest I got 1.6 tp for going to fast, I dont kick my mare (apart from in front of the fence) and I try not to interfere (Im very inexperienced) and she just flies yesterday I was trying to slow down the 2nd half of the course but she seems to love galloping and jumping!!

How do I work out the correct speed to go

 

[bogpony]

Twinkle_poppy - if you got 1.6 time pens, that means you went 4 seconds too slow.

If you go too fast, you get a circled whole number, as you are penalised 1 penalty for each second you are under the too fast time. Too fast times will therefore always be a whole number, and will be circled on the prize board.

I agree, though Baileyhoss, intro too fast time should be slower than 520 - perhaps somewhere in the region of 500 to allow people to aim for the PN speed of 475.

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

I got 1.6 for going to fast it was un-aff but worked out the same way

 

[Lolo]

Too fast is when you are no longer asking for that speed, feeling confident that as soon as you say yourhorse will still listen and come back toyou. One girl I know rides a 14hh pony round Novice tracks, and they go bloody fast- however, in the time I've seen her, she's only had about 3 blips XC at that height. Looking at them they'remiles too fast- knwing them they're perfectly allright.

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

My mare seems to enjoy running and jumping and I feel in control, if I try to slow her down I get scared as she doesnt feel as safe????? we are usually 1 of the fastest x-c

 

[kerilli]

it depends so much on the horse - age, experience, breed, balance, so what would be a dangerous speed for 1 horse might be fine for another.
i think the problem can come from amateur riders seeing the best pros go fast xc and not look as if they are doing much setting up for the fences (when in fact years of training has gone into making the picture look so good etc) and trying to emulate it.
so, it depends hugely on the rider's experience too.

 

[Mickeymoo]

So, how much under time can you go without getting time penalties?

 

[Baileyhoss]

in intro you can go up to 520mpm with no time penalties, which would have been 3m36s on this course - or 32 seconds faster than the intro OT.

At novice & above you get penalties for going 15seconds or more faster than the OT.

 

[kerilli]

oh, i see what you mean now... you can go faster at Intro before you get tf time faults, than you can at Novice.
hmmm. i wonder if anyone at BE has worked that out?!

 

[connie1288]

The window of quicker than optimum but not too fast time penalties, has always been bigger at intro and PN than it has been at higher levels.
As it has been a greater penalty! I thought it was because the higher the level the more detrimental to safety the higher speed than already necessary. Not sure I have worded that to make any sense sorry.

 

[jumptoit]

Personally I think it is to do with the greater variety in horses that compete there, you have your TB types, small ponies and also cobs. Too fast for a TB is different to too fast for a small pony and as others have said it depends on the rider's experience too. Whereas at Novice level they are mainly horses and the odd talented pony, with experienced riders comepeting them.

I know from personal experience that 1 week I can be 20 secs under and then the next, going at the same steady pace, only have 2 secs lee way before the TF time pens. This shows how much measuring of the course varies. This is on a part TB, so obviously it is going to cover the ground more than a small pony.

Also the length of the course varies so much so some horses may be much fitter than they need to be for that event, also some courses are very flat with smaller more simple fences than other Intros so there is less to steady up for, so it would be easier to keep up a steady pace.

 

[ladybones]

I am really stuggling to get the time right at intro level, at my first one i got 10.4 tp for going too slow and posted on here for tips on how to cut down my time as i felt as though i could have gone faster.. my second i got no tp! and at my third i ended up getting 3 for going too fast, and it was commented on over the tannoy i think in regards as to it being dangerous.. tbh i couldn't feel too much difference in the 3 rounds apart from at the last i had had a xc clinic with Gary Parsonage and he had told me that my horse could afford to jump things on an angle if needs be to cut down time, so i walked the course looking for the quickest lines. Are you allowed to wear a watch at intro level?

 

[connie1288]

No watch until Novice, I have to say it is one of the hardest things, I find is to judge the speed required for intro and PN, where as at Novice I am always there or there abouts and have a feel for how quick I went!