Who competes with no facilities?

[LEC]

Compete at Novice/1*, produce a lot of youngsters and have no arena.
I do a lot of work out hacking. I am very disciplined hacking. I borrow arenas from friends, ride on the beach, do RC lessons, see a local trainer at night as they have floodlights and organise clinics to suit me.
In the spring I have a lovely field which I tend with care and as soon as suitable then get my jumps out so everything is then done in the field. I keep the grass purposely longer in case ground gets hard and make sure it’s harrowed well and rolled in spring so it’s even. I don’t think it really holds me back, I probably spend slightly more on lessons than other people but that’s the pay off with no livery costs….

 

[fredflop]

If you can ride during the day, if you have areas out hacking you can use to school in, and if the yard layout is suitable, then yes it is doable.

If the answer is no to any/all the above, your life will become an endless round of mud and darkness in the winter

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I will be we have no facilities at my yard and I just do arena hires or lessons and plenty of hacking in between to keep him fit.

Next year will be our real test but I’m pretty sure we can achieve our small comp goals

 

[dottylottie]

honestly i barely use our arena, it’s a bit naff but id rather go to a clinic etc and hack! i’ve backed the baby and reschooled the other one with minimal use of the arena

 

[Lucky Snowball]

You win!

Many years ago!

 

[KC31]

We own our own yard, it's fantastic, all the mod cons, solarium, hot water, heated tackroom, but no school yet. I do BD with mine. Producing my now 7yo since i imported him as 3yo. Yes we are behind in terms of what others do, but he is happy, he is not drilled nor sick to death of going round in circles. I have had to adapt as previously always had access to a school. I don't tend to ride November until January as hate the winter and think they need a rest. When he comes back into work i do arena hires, go to the gallops, farm rides etc. Have a grass arena in the paddock and a large field to canter round. We have become so reliant on schools, when i was growing up mum used to shine the car headlights into a paddock so could ride.

 

[QuantockHills]

I do riding club dressage and will be doing BD next year. Also compete at TREC. only have my field to ride in and no school. I go to a monthly club lesson at a local arena. cant school at all in the field in the winter so I use my hacking to school, leg yielding etc. I was a bit worried when I started with my horse as he was 3 and unbacked, but we've done ok without a school.

 

[maya2008]

If your hacking is decent, you will have to hire arenas to practise circles/jumping but progress still happens, just is a little slower. If your hacking becomes impassable/boggy etc then you either end up with unfit horses or wired ones.

Our hacking has always been good and we have hired arenas 1-2x a week on top. That worked fine - slightly slower progress but still progress and we were happy with it. Then various other countryside users all descended on this area at once. Tracks became damaged by vehicles and off road bikes, areas (incl bridleways) are now regularly shut off for shooting and the hunt has moved to use the estate opposite our yard and the local woods twice a week.

As a result, we can hack early morning (if not frozen) or not at all, and there is little left that isn’t an endless bog or hardcore track. So the feistier ones that need regular work have been relocated to a yard with an arena for the winter.

 

[canteron]

Put a note up asking if there are local people who will hire their arena out, be an arena tart and rotate between them. You get the bonus that your horse will get used to all sorts of new situations!

 

[Velcrobum]

Had no arena so did all my schooling out hacking. Was a member of a riding club so did their training sessions and as we progressed then had private flatwork lessons. We qualified for Dressage Regionals and did well. XC was done at various schooling courses. SJ in the paddock having built jump stands and painted poles from local sawmill. Made some fillers out of old pallets and created a dressage arena using white plastic guttering as boards.

 

[sarcasm_queen]

Yep, but just fairly low level unaff. Sadly no arenas in rideable distance here.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Yes. I have some hacking to keep them fit. I have a grass paddock which is well draining which I can use for a lot of the year, with portable lights when necessary. I have a box and several very good indoor arenas within 15 mins drive.
I think without hacking or transport it would be a lot harder.