Wannabe future eventer...(a couple of questions)

[doddlebot]

Hi!

So I'm currently a university student and I don't have the time or money to have a horse of my own. When I finally (finally!) graduate my medical degree in three years one of my top priorities is to finally get another horse and start the track towards affiliated eventing.

I've learnt loads on this forum about the sport (having only ever done the odd ODE in the past) and I figure the best thing I can do at the moment is set myself up as as good a rider as possible through lessons. I currently have regular dressage lessons during term time and in September I'm hoping to start alternating with jumping lessons because thats where I'm weaker.

So to the question! (sorry, I'm a little rambly this evening!) I'd love to do a bit of cross country training at some point as I've only ever really ridden one course but I'm struggling to work out how without a horse.

IS there anywhere in the midlands that do horse hire and cross country lessons? I'd happily go for lessons beforehand to get to know the horse etc, but most places I've seen only do course hire/lessons for those with horses. Reading all your event reports have me hungry to have a go!

Oh and a quick eventing question I know horses get points but do you only get points for winning/placing? Or is it more to do with clears/double clears etc?

Thanks!

 

[VRIN]

Have you thought about going hunting - you can hirea horse for the day.. Not quite the same but not a bad introduction

 

[TableDancer]

There must be equitation centres/riding schools with their own xc courses which could help you - for instance, Summerhouse, Gloucestershire (google it) - this is probably out of your area but there must be some like that. Try the British Horse Society Approved Riding Centres and look for places with xc courses.

Points: you get points for places at evey level from Novice up, but you also get points for double clears (one at N, 2 at Int, 4 at Advanced). The points belong to the horse not the rider.

Good luck with your ambition - although we all moan like h*ll sometimes it's a great sport!

 

[henryhorn]

I'd save up and go for a week's holiday in Ireland, they will teach you more in a week than dozens of lessons in a riding school..
The technique there is to take you round a course following others, and you soon adapt, they also do "proper" lessons if you want.
You will possibly be at a disadvantage if you are a novice adult starting out , I would guess the average event rider has come up via the Pony Club and unaffilliated hunter trialling, and has tackled lots of small courses first, but there is no reason you shouldn't succeed by doing un-aff first.
Some of our best fun has been un-aff, with Pairs Classes the most fun, seeing my husband and daughter argueing as they go round and then watching them become virtually unbeatable over several seasons shows you don't have to do "proper" eventing to be successful!

 

[doddlebot]

Thanks for the hints, the hunting is a good call, I think theres somewhere fairly local that does that!

Tabledancer - thanks for that! I was trying the BE website but all I could find was what points you needed for each grade! I'll google that place you mentioned, got to be worth a try!

henryhorn, I should mention though I'm horseless I'm not that novice, I had my own horse and did the pony club thing including area show jumping and dressage, and open WH. I did a few hunter trials (a couple a season for five or so years) but they were always over the same course. Sadly no one else in my family rides so we were in no position to keep my horse when I went to uni! I am hoping for a riding holiday next summer though its a little fund dependent at the minute! Maybe I should start saving now!

Thanks!

 

[SillyMare]

Another good way to get involved is to volunteer to help at a local BE event - they are always looking for stewards / jump judges etc and it is a great way to learn.

You can get e-mail addresses for event secretaries from the schedules.

 

[doddlebot]

Sillymare; thats a good idea, I'll have a look next season and see what there is local to me.

 

[kerilli]

i'd contact someone like Nigel Taylor who has a lot of xc schooling facilities and who might have a horse you could have lessons on, perhaps you could go for a 3-day course or something?
best of luck, it really is totally addictive, there's no better feeling in the world than riding a good horse xc!