Which discipline and why?? Just a chatty thread :)

SatansLittleHelper

SatansLittleHelper

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Just curious as to what people's favourite disciplines are....are you a dressage diva or showjumping fantatic...maybe a cross country nut??
Which do you prefer as a spectator sport?? :)

My personal passion is jumping (not that I'm ever going to be the next Whittakar lol) and I love it as a spectator too. I also love just being a happy hacker and chillaxing in the countryside :)
Dressage for me is somewhat boring though I do like the freestyle to music (is it the "kùr"?). :)
 
Showing is where my heart is at. Both of my ponies will hopefully go showing longer term as well as learning to be general all rounders too I hope

I also love to watch showing and will travel miles to a good show just to watch

I have found the people very kind and friendly too
 
I'm torn between Dressage and showing. Mostly cos I have recently bought a nice sec D
She is only just learning to jump. I used to love jumping too. So time will tell whether I love it like I used too
However I'm not so young anymore and with failing health may well still prefer to mostly stick to flat work
I'm hoping to be brave and well enough to do a little XC
 
I find showjumping to be my favourite personally (to watch and to compete in). It's just more exciting, and you get that immediate thrill if you a clear round.

On the other hand, I also enjoy find dressage is gorgeous to watch when done nicely, and there is underlying pleasure that comes of getting a good score for a test (especially if you don't think of yourself as a dressage rider in any way shape or form!)

As a spectator sport though, my passion lies in racing, either on the flat or NH.
 
Mounted games was my thing. Since I had to give it up when I was about 13 I've never really found anything else I'm particularly good at. I like dressage, and I like a bit of jumping if it's not too big and scary, but I never feel particularly competent at either of them. I'd love to try trec, since it looks rather like gymkhanas for grown-ups, but not having my own horse is a bit of an obstacle :(

I'm really excited for going to HOYS this year to see the Pony Club games, although I do tend to get a bit nostalgic and tearful when I watch games videos on Youtube! I know my old games pony once went to the PPC finals, before I had her, so I can't wait to see what standard she was at in her youth (she was Arab x Welsh, and we bought her aged "about 16" only to find out later that she was probably nearer 26, which made me a bit sore about the time we came last in a veteran showing class because the judge thought she didn't look old enough to really be 16!)

Apparently I look ridiculous attempting gymkhanas and open handy pony classes on a 15.2hh, but I think it's good for the 6 year old to see flapping flags and road cones and things. I was delighted recently to discover I can still balance a tennis ball on a small cone from the top of a 15.2 fatheaded cob at trot, and I WILL do the mugs on the poles at canter as soon as we sort out one-handed steering at speed!



My Mother called me childish...
 
Everything because why not!
Was always a bit anti dressage, but am starting to enjoy it more and more now as I get older. Still love my jumping though and nothing can beat a good hack. The only thing I've not done for a while is showing since I lost my old Sec D as mine doesn't have great confo and my share horse is covered in scars.My share horse did ok at a few local working hunter / hunter classes with his owner, mainly as he's such a gent that all the judges love riding him! He really is anybody's ride. He's 17hh and his owner's 7yr old rides him in the school!
 
I started off eventing - and bought a Section D with this in mind as a 14 year old... what i found was that I was always first after the dressage and then got 3 stops X country ... so I started doing pure dressage and did that ever since.

About 5 years ago I thought I'd try my hand at showing and aquired a coloured Traditional Cob... who now does a little bit of showing but more dressage! I also have aquired a baby warmblood so I guess dressage is where my heart is. I love the precision of it and the feeling of controlled power you get when the horse is moving correctly... sends shivers down my spine...
 
Never owned a horse, but had loans and had a go at a few disciplines (showing, Jumping mostly).

I found jumping hard remembering the course is not easy for me! so dressage was out of the window when i realised i couldn't remember jumps... lol (don't jump anymore due to being a big chicken!)

but i love hacking (though it's not a discipline) and want to try hunting one day...
 
I don't really compete outside of RC activities (mostly jumping) - I do love jumping though it terrifies me and I normally have to psyche myself up a bit before I jump!

Luckily the mare I ride most often (bf's horse) is pretty honest with jumping and doesn't stop, though really she is better over big, solid fences rather than the piddly little 70cms jumps I have heart failure over, she could jump 1.20 with her eyes closed and leave plenty of air between her feet and the fence.... she is also an absolute demon XC, doesn't question anything - she is so bold!

Ultimately, I love riding her on the flat, she has lovely, expressive paces but she is quite hot and sharp so she can be tricky at times. I love that feeling of harmony when I ride and we understand each other. She is a lovely little horse and I love the challenge of riding her.

I do pop her round a course from time to time for fun but it can be somewhat nerve wracking! Bf has an absolute whale of a time jumping her though because he is as bold as she is!

Spectator wise I love watching jumping, the odd dressage test too, but I do enjoy watching SJ and XC.
 
Eventing!!! Although i am yet to affilate... Hopefully next yr when my horse recovers from his injury which scarpered my eventing plans for this year!! Although i will happily take any fast sport i played polo alot at uni and it was awesome not sure my 16.3 would be good at it thou! I love xc, hunting and wouldnt mind trying my hand at team chasing but my current lad is far to precious to do that!! :D i like showjumping but im not the best at it and dressage is my worst phase but im trying hard to improve both!!
 
Driving trials- 'cos it's the best ;) And a bit of BD and unaff Jumping and showing, as I want to do everything and play ponies every weekend I can...
 
Showing. I took my first horse to the local riding club show just to go in the veterans class, she came 2nd and it spiralled from there. I have 7 ponies now and show them all, some just locally, some at county level.
 
Showing - I like pretty ponies and you need them for showing! Not a single one of my crew has a big or ugly head, all nice dainty wee things - yes even the shetlands!
 
I love Jumpcross. The thrill of riding fast over undulating terrain, but with knock down jumps that are less likely to kill you! I just wish there were more venues.
We also show jump, at the vast height of 70 cm at present. I did my first hunter trial last week, and rode round like a grinning idiot, so we'll be doing more of those.
 
I love showing and were I in a position to buy a horse of my own again, I would love something that I could show.
Other than that, I really like dressage though was always a bit useless. Used to love show jumping when I had my lad, knew him inside out so knew which buttons to press and where to point him, he did the work and as fun. Not sure if I'd been so keen to show jump on anything else though!
Recently started playing polocrosse and love it, if I had the means to keep it up, aia most definitely would!
 
I love jumping, and find it great to watch at shows :)

I like watching stressage, but only the higher levels, not so much a fan of riding stressage tests, I'm not much good at it, but my girl is :)

I think I'd be too much of a wimp to do xc, but love watching :)
 
Hacking and long distance, but I do believe it's good for horses (and people) to do a bit of everything.

Spectator wise I don't know. Something where there are opportunities to take good pics.
 
Can I make a plea for hacking ? Very underrated - but involves all sorts of obstacles and traffic, water, the odd jump, gates, all sorts.

To watch, it's show jumping every time, just love it. Hubs has to shut me up, tbh.
 
I went to my first endurance ride as a strapper in 1992, and went WOW!. Had to wait for my (luckily) part-bred Arabian mare to grow up, but that was me from 1994 until 2012. I took her and another horse to FEI3*, went to the World Cup in Dubai (again as a strapper) and was just getting horse number three (daughter of horse one) started when I realised there were other things I wanted to do. I loved that the sport was a total challenge, mental, physical and emotional, but I have to say that internationally the sport is just depressing now.

Now I am riding L2 dressage on an old endurance horse, I still competitive trail ride and also do a bit of jumping now too. I have a young horse growing away in the paddock, and I bought her specifically as a dressage horse, as that is what I am enjoying most at the moment.

And when I'm too old to ride, I'm going scurrying. As for spectating, as much as I love dressage again most of the top level stuff now leaves me cold, endurance just isn't a spectator sport, but I do marvel at anyone who rides well over really big jumps.
 
To ride: dressage - initially because I am a big 'fraidy cat who doesn't like to jump (any more - used to) . . . came to love the precision and technicality.

To watch: eventing - and I know that's cheating because it's three sports in one, but I really do love to watch all three phases - it's great to see horse and rider combinations being true all-rounders and showing precision/harmony in the dressage, being bold and brave tackling XC fences, and then being uber careful on SJ day.

P
 
To do Endurance. I love the feeling of a fit horse going around the country side. You get to ride over some beautiful places and meet some lovely people too.

To watch Eventing, well the x-country phase anyway.
 
I do everything in the most babyish way - 70cm xc and cross poles! intro and prelim dressage, pleasure rides (max 15 miles) and village 'family horse' showing class. Absolutely love all of it as in my 50s now I am doing all the stuff I longed to do as a teenager. Actually best of all is having been able to go on 3 riding safaris in Botswana - like a long pleasure ride but you get to see game and amazing scenery too. Just a shame you can't do it on your own horse!

To watch, I love cross country and dressage. Used to like SJ but now can't stand it - just seems so commercialised to me.
 
Team Chasing for me! Such a buzz and really friendly and inclusive sport. I also love the fact that my horse/self/tack/kit don't have to look pristine as how you look doesn't count for much - getting over the obstacles at speed is what really matters! There are no points for style lol! Love to watch NH racing and have huge admiration for the skill, athleticism and accuracy of show jumping
 
Eventing by far
I love training for the dressage I'm a perfectionist so I love working on things until I get the results I want :)
Showjumping is my roots I've been doing it since I was a child so I have a lot of experience with it
But xc is my favourite !! You cannot beat the thrill you get from riding across country I love teaching youngsters to go positively xc
I have worked so hard on my riding xc & I really think its starting to pay off !
 
Unaffiliated ShowJumping, because it runs quickly, can decide to go on the day and I don't have to worry about qualifiers and really high entry fees! Also you can stick some more breaks on when needed ! Also no judge bias and doesn't matter how untidy it is if you have a little slip up :o as long as you get clear and fast ! I also love hunting and hunter trials, just because they are amazing fun ! for SJ and HT I can get away with a quick clean of tack, hunting requires more preparation, luckily I love plaiting- well for the first 3 plaits maybe.
 
I have an ISH and do Dressage/SJ and XC. Now just need to get out and move up the ranks. He struggles more with his dressage, he's a jumping machine though :)

I get really flustered in dressage so have dressage lessons but let friends compete :)
 
For me, dressage because I love the feeling when it's just me and my boy and we're working in perfect sync with each other. To watch probably the scurry driving, it's so exciting to watch!
 
Dressage for me, I absolutely love it and have done for years. Though, strangely, my andalusian got me into x-country/ SJ. She's an absolute deamon x-country and will fly 1.10's with ease. We are progressing up the levels in dressage, aiming for medium by the end of summer, though I often take her SJ and x-country as we both love it too.
 
What ever the owner of the horse wants me to do, but only out of DR, SJ or eventing. Would love to have a go at team chase but no one has asked me to do that yet.
Favourite is probably XC but SJ is a very close second. DR was my least enjoyable but thats starting to change.
 
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