Haven't ridden in a month and I went an Event

[Rescue_Rider9]

And now I am totally paying for it. I am sooo sore from yesterday, but I couldn't have asked for a better ride from my baby girl. We got a 40 in dressage which was lowering our faults 2 points from last event then we had a flawless XC run and even elected to jump to of the higher jumps. We came in with no faults which was better than last time because I pulled her up at a jump because she refused and I didnt want her to jump over it anyway like she normally does. Then stadium went flawless with 0 faults and we even jumped the oxer normal this time. No flying me out of the saddle. I didn't get pictures, but this was only our second event and I think we are done for the season. Oh we finished with second out of 6. not as great as 1st like last time, but she was amazing so would have been happy even if we hadn't placed.

[enjoytheride]

So who has been riding your horse while you have been off? Trainer?

[nextyear]

So who has been riding your horse while you have been off? Trainer?

Was just wondeering the same thing????

[Rescue_Rider9]

No one has been riding her, but my mom works her from the ground for me about 3-4 times a week. It was a small event. Jumps were like 18"-2 feet.

[tbgurl]

Wow, I actually had a nightmare last night about not riding for a long time and then going to an event and feeling totally unprepared. Congrats on making it through and your 2nd place finish.

[WakeRider]

I'm not sure I would do that again. Sounds like you got pretty lucky. Competing is supposed to be the climax of your work at home... both for horse and rider. Be sure to be safe, dont have the 'new eventer' syndrome of riding only at shows!!!

[Rescue_Rider9]

I dont just ride at shows. I wasnt even planning on showing, but my mom sent in the forms because cinniman was doing well. I was at school so thats why i havent been riding. I dont normally do stuff like this. It really was a onetime thing.

[Coneleganta]

I dont just ride at shows. I wasnt even planning on showing, but my mom sent in the forms because cinniman was doing well. I was at school so thats why i havent been riding. I dont normally do stuff like this. It really was a onetime thing.

Your mom works him on the ground a few times a week, and tells you to enter an event, because he's "doing well" at lunging... if that? What!? You are absolutely crazy for this. You should only go to an event (well... if you call a 2' course an "event") if you and your horse are ready at home. And since you haven't ridden in a month, I'd say you weren't quite ready! Haven't these huge injuries on the top given you the least bit of brain?

Don't do it again, you got lucky. If you disagree, don't do it for your horses safety. :mad:

[Caroline Weber]

Rescue Rider, please have a talk with your mom and ask her to inform you before making decisions involving your horse. It was irresponsible on her part to enter a horse in a competition, no matter how small the fences, when the horse is not in consistent work - but even more irresponsible of you to just go along with her decision. You, as the rider, need to be able to say "this is not a good idea, and is not fair to me or to my horse".

While you say your mother was working the horse from the ground a few days a week, this is no substitute for consistent work under saddle. Your ability to communicate with your horse as well as your physical ability to stay balanced on the horse is significantly compromised when you have not ridden for that long - you do NOT want to be trying to figure it out again at a competition. Competitions are not like schooling at home.

I hope you realize that you came home safely this weekend because you got lucky, and partly because you were competing at a low level. If you plan to move up the levels, this type of "training" is absolutely unacceptable.

It sounds like you realize, in hindsight, that what you did was not a smart idea. Please remember that, and don't try it again.

Good luck in future competitions! With more preparation, I'm sure you and your horse will do quite well.

[Rescue_Rider9]

I would most def. not do something like this is the fences were larger, but this really was nothing for her or me. Last time I did rider her jumped 3'6(kinda on accident, but thats a different story) and normally school 3' If you understood my horse you would understand the situation better. She is a super animal and even though she is green she is super safe jumper. Yes i know mistakes could happen and probably will millions of times with us, but I dont see anything going wrong at this level. I rode her friday(show was on saturday) and she did amazing. Had she of acted up or anything on friday I wouldnt have taken her. Okay depending on the extent of her acting up, I would have taken her, but only ridden dressage with no jumping. Same goes for saturday morning. I know my horse and would never endanger either of us and I would NEVER do this even at BN. I knew this course and what the jumps were like and new how safe everything was.

Coneleganta: You are being very rude. 1st off, just because my horse and I are new to eventing doesnt mean the level that I was riding should not be considered an event. And yes I have a brain a very good one actually. I am sorry you disagree with what I did,but that doesnt make me stupid or brainless. Watch your mouth please.

[Coneleganta]

So you take your saint of a horse for granted? Even better. Your last post said nothing about your horses safety.

A child died in a 2'6 course just six months ago. Crap happens at any level. It's people with attitudes like yours that are prone to feeling invincible and getting hurt.

I'm not rude, I'm truthful and blunt.

[Rescue_Rider9]

I do not take my horse for granted. STOP BEING RUDE! And I did mention my horses safety. Wanna read correctly? I am really just going to stop. I am sorry you have nothing better to do than pick on me, but maybe you should find something. My horse and I stayed safe and according you you I wasn't even really eventing so how could I have gotten hurt on something that is smaller than what you would ever do at home?! Goodness. Please just stop. Is it so hard? I was safe. My horse was more than safe and she had a freaking blast and so did I.

[TheHunterKid90]

Coneleganta...I agree with you 100%.

It doesn't matter even if it was a safe course etc...if I hadn't ridden my horse in a month (and he's eventing at training) I wouldn't take him off my farm even though he's literally bombproof and will jump basically anything. It's not fair to your horse. Even at the "2'" level, your horse has to be conditioned to a certain extent....even if it's just normal riding. And to say your mare is green n top of that makes it even worse!
Very unsafe and unfair situation for your horse, I think you're just asking for trouble.

[Kementari]

You need to look at the big picture here, and realize the environment in which you are posting this. We've had many, many injuries and deaths in the past couple of years in eventing. We are in the middle of a nationwide (worldwide, to some extent) conversation about preparation: what it means to be prepared, and how we try to make sure riders and horses who are NOT prepared aren't going out and getting themselves hurt at events of ANY level.

And into this situation you come, proud of how you and your mare went to an event unprepared (because, whether it's safe or not, there's no way you can call a month off and then a show "prepared") and came out well. If you're surprised that this makes us crazy, you haven't been paying attention.

When discussing making eventing safer, I have always maintained that no matter what, at ANY level (and I am a lower level eventer - 2' does count as an event in my book, albeit a very small one!), you need to go into the start box KNOWING that the possibility exists that either you or your horse might not make it off that course. I don't mean you should be AFRAID, but you should respect the sport, and what a misjudgment or misstep out there can do to you (or your horse). And you should also walk into that start box knowing that you have done everything in your power to mitigate that risk.

Saying, "It isn't going to happen to me" does NOTHING to mitigate the risk - if anything, it increases it. Being 110% prepared, 110% fit, and 210% in tune with your horse: these are things that mitigate that risk. And these are all things that were not true in this case. There is simply no way that you can be prepared, fit (for riding), or in tune with your horse after not riding for a month.

I have a saint of a TB who I've owned and ridden for thirteen years. He's anything but green, fitter after two months off than many horses are after two years of work, would probably jump a cross country course on his own if he could just read the numbers to know which one came next, has happily gotten me safely out of all sorts sticky situations that I've gotten us into over the years, and we practically read each other's minds. But I still wouldn't take him to an event after a month off - even at 18". I'd do a dressage test, sure. I'd probably even do a stadium round (at that height) if we were communicating well in the warm-up. But cross country just ain't worth the risk. Yes, said risk is miniscule, but it's comparatively much higher than doing the same thing WITH preparation - and there's no reason to take it. None. It's not like anything is going to happen if you DON'T go to the event.

I'm glad that you went to an event and had a good time. I'm glad you placed well, and feel that you improved on past performances. Those are great things, and the reasons most of us keep eventing! Just realize that you were lucky, and that you might NOT be lucky the next time, so make sure there ISN'T a next time. Take your preparation seriously, because we don't want you to become the next casualty we're discussing, and saying, "It could have been prevented."

[quietann]

Agree with Kementari... Her post puts into context why this decision was not a good one.

I got questioned here when I was preparing for my first horse trials (Elementary 2'3") because I mentioned that the horse I was riding sometimes stops at fences. He's partially blind in one eye, and while he loves to jump, certain types of jumps are scary to him, especially if he can't see them with his good eye. People were worried I didn't have a good enough handle on this issue to take him out on X/C. It turned out that I did, but the people here gave me a lot to think about in the meantime. I mastered the "key" (keeping out of his way, leg on, and talking to him constantly) just a week or two before the horse trials, and we did fine, came in 3rd with a double clear on X/C and SJ, but I was prepared to withdraw if he'd been in a stoppy mood.

[Rescue_Rider9]

This was a rareity and my horse was pretty fit from being worked on the ground (which included free jumping). Which I know none of this makes up for being ridden, but she was fit enough to go through the course and made it out without even breaking a sweat. I am no where near saying I would go to an event like this again (dressage maybe) and I was fully prepared to withdraw if ANYTHING went wrong. I know the dangers of eventing and what could happen out there. I dont think that it cant happen to me because I know it can. I have been thrown off enough to know how bad it hurts and I know eventing can cause worse injuries than just a bruise on my butt. THIS WILL NOT BE A HABIT. Truly a once in a lifetime deal. My horse is moving with me in the spring so there will be no chance of this happening.

[Mach Two]

When I was still eventing, I would not take a horse to ANY horse trail, no matter the level, or let a student (I taught some pony clubbers) take a horse that was not in regular work. 4 or 5 days a week of fittening combined with dressage, and a jump school a week is minimum for going to even a beginner novice horse trail. Why? Because a horse that is not fit will get hurt, get tired, and a rider who is not fit is a danger to the horse.

I know you think you are being picked on, and that everyone is being rude, but we are alarmed at what we see as a very irresponsible act. Longeing is never a substitute for riding, and "free jumping"? That is fine if the competition involves the horse free jumping without a rider. Entered or not, you have a responsibility to your horse to not break her down, bow her tendons, strain her joints, etc, etc, etc.
I hope you will seriously consider a regular fitness program for your horse. Even novice horses need to be doing trot/canter fitness work, so they can safely get around. You got lucky. I used to see a lot of unnecessary injuries to good minded horses because their riders only rode then ONCE a week before a horse trail, or during hunting season. A horse's topline only gets strong enough to maintain a horse trial through regular riding, and it is miles of fitness work that strengthens tendons and ligaments and muscle, not lounging and free jumping. I know you are saying it will never happen again....but I am not convinced you are taking eventing seriously enough...it is a serious sport.
Be safe, and give your horse a lot of credit for packing your through this one time.

[Xctrygirl]

Dear God Kementari!!! I want to sidebar here and nominate Kementari for the best GD post of the year!!!

***Heartily stands up and applauds***

That was nailed better than a Bettina Hoy Dressage ride. (Not xc of course. ;) )

Rescue Rider, I cannot improve from what Kementari said. But I like her will congratulate you on your perceived improvement. Now just think how much better you'll be when you are back to riding her even semi regularily!!

~Emily

[piccolittle]

I'm not going to comment on the safety issues here. Hopefully everyone knows where I stand and how seriously I take what has been going on in the sport.

Rescue Rider, I want to acknowledge the fact that this was a one-off. People seem to be ignoring the fact that you claim to have your horse in a regular training program and that this has never happened before and will never happen again. I trust that, but if it was really a month since she was ridden last... well, you *did* get lucky that your horse didn't sustain a soft tissue injury. Is there some reason your mom couldn't get on and school her for you, or do you not have a trainer or friend who could? While lunging is some form of exercise, typical rides last from 20-60 minutes and are strenuous for the horse, including conditioning the muscles of the topline, which I feel lunging cannot. Most lunging sessions rarely last longer than 20 minutes. That's a big difference, in my mind.

As you are moving, I'm excited for you that you will be able to ride more consistently. Good luck in the future.

And congratulations on second place!! Improving your dressage score, too- I know I definitely couldn't have done as well under the same circumstances. Congratulations again, and have fun.

[asterix]

To the OP -- I'm glad you had a good outing. I'm glad you two came home safe and sound. I don't know you, so I will take you at your word that you felt safe, strong, and secure riding her in a competition after so much time off.

but.

Please, please, please, think of your horse next time. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments that have not been used enough, and loaded, or stressed, enough, can very easily tear under suddenly increased work. If you have never had to rehab a horse from a tendon or ligament tear, you are lucky. It takes months. Months of stall rest, hand walking and grazing in all weather, turning out in a small paddock and holding your breath, walking under saddle, etc. Someday, perhaps 4, 6, or 8 months after the injury, you get the go ahead to trot down the long side of the arena. Once. This is a big day for you and your horse.

Next time, give her a chance to have the strength to do what you ask safely. "Not breaking a sweat" has nothing to do with her ligaments and tendons.

[Ajierene]

Am I the only one that finds it ironic that if you look on the many safety related threads on this board, there is a very loud 'nothing needs to be changed at lower levels because there is nothing wrong with riding at the lower levels', but now someone does something at a lower level that does not sit well with people and they are being chastised from all sides. The 'nothing needs to be fixed at lower levels' mentally I have seen on other threads is distinctly absent here.


Personally, it is an ORM issue -what is the risk involved in taking this particular horse to this particular show with this particular work? The rider did the analysis and decided the risk was minimal. The same thing many people on this board have done in the past. Someone else may look from their point of view and say it is not worth the risk. This can be said for wearing a martingale, flash or drop noseband, use of side reins, lunging, etc.


Congrats on a nice show, hope you have more nice shows.

[asterix]

Um, ok, I don't think ANYONE has said "there is nothing wrong with riding at the lower levels."
No one who goes to a horse trial and watches all the BN/N/T xc and SJ would say that.

What has been said in these discussions is that the serious, sometimes fatal, accidents are almost exclusively at the upper levels, and some find it suspect that the touted changes seem aimed at lower level riders and not at the riders who are actually getting airlifted out.

Nothing in that discussion suggests that it is not possible for a lower level rider to ride unsafely, or that this particular rider cannot make a bad decision.

I have no idea if it was unsafe to ride in an event after a month off -- not knowing horse or rider -- but I do think it wasn't a horse-healthy thing to do.

[Kementari]

Dear God Kementari!!! I want to sidebar here and nominate Kementari for the best GD post of the year!!!

***Heartily stands up and applauds***

That was nailed better than a Bettina Hoy Dressage ride. (Not xc of course. ;) )

Rescue Rider, I cannot improve from what Kementari said. But I like her will congratulate you on your perceived improvement. Now just think how much better you'll be when you are back to riding her even semi regularily!!

~Emily

I shall mark this down on my calendar as the first, and doubtless only, time that anyone has ever used myself and Bettina Hoy in the same analogy. :winkgrin: Thanks! :)

As for the issue of lower level vs upper level, asterix said precisely what I was thinking: disliking a single-minded focus on the lower levels when it comes to improving the sport is not the same as saying that the lower levels are 100% safe or have no problems. It's just saying that we have BIGGER problems at the UPPER levels. We can still express concern about the lower levels on occasion, too.

[Whisper]

Being 110% prepared, 110% fit, and 210% in tune with your horse: these are things that mitigate that risk. And these are all things that were not true in this case. There is simply no way that you can be prepared, fit (for riding), or in tune with your horse after not riding for a month.

Kementari, you've given me some food for thought. I'm curious what you'd do in my situation. I just started part-leasing a new horse. He's fit and has been in regular work, including low-level eventing, hunter paces, and XC schooling.

I've only been riding twice/week, but very intensively: 5-6 hours of vaulting (gymnastics on horseback) and an eventing lesson on Saturdays, and riding 3 horses (including lots of 2-point and no-stirrups work) on Sundays. While I've been getting some jumping lessons in, up to about 2'3", I haven't schooled XC recently.

I'm planning to do a Hunter Pace next Sunday, at a venue where both the horse and I have (separately) schooled all of the fences in the past, on several occasions. We can go up and school on Saturday over the fences we'll be doing for the Hunter Pace. The teacher has seen me ride XC before, and feels confident that the horse and I will be fine. He packs her husband around XC on a regular basis, and really knows and loves his job. I felt we really clicked well, and she felt I did a great job with him on Saturday, and I'll get to ride him this week before the competition, but our partnership is very new. I'm planning to do Elementary (18") pairs and solo, and BN pairs (so I can skip any fences that I don't feel comfortable with, and get a lead over if I like - only one of the two horses needs to jump any particular fence). Usually the fences are set far below max height for BN - more like 2' to 2'3"ish.

I've been able to ride a lot of different horses, so I'm used to figuring out their "buttons" and how to get along with them fairly quickly. Usually this is at their barn, but a couple of have been in clinic situations, and it's routine for other teams to let me (and other vaulters) go on their horses at shows to minimize work/warmups for the horses, or if one gets injured. In that case, of course, I'm not the one in control of the horse, but I do need to adjust to their gaits/etc.

[Kementari]

Well, I think of hunter paces as schooling situations. I hasten to add that I know that's not true for everyone (and I'm not saying it should be, either!), but for me, personally, it's a nice trail ride with the chance to school (in a sense) some fences. The placing thing really, truly doesn't matter. It is certainly inherently different from an event even if you ARE in it for the competition in that you DON'T have to jump everything, a stop isn't a big deal (scoring-wise, that is), and while it IS timed, you don't know the time so riding by your watch isn't going to help. ;)

So, given all that, and with your instructor's confidence (of course, I'm assuming you have a GOOD instructor ;)), I wouldn't have a problem riding an experienced horse in a very low-level hunter pace on a couple rides a week. (And, heck, if you're doing vaulting for five or six hours a week, you're probably more fit than many of us are right now - I've tried vaulting, and it's HARD work!) I'd pop over a few fences the day before, just to be sure the horse and I were on the same page, and if all went well go out and have a good time at the pace. :yes:

There's a real difference - at least to me - between riding only a couple of times a week and going out and going for a trail ride around a xc course on a been-there-done-that horse who's in regular (ridden) work, and not riding at ALL and going to a SHOW (even a little one) on a green horse who also hasn't been working under saddle. (And I should add that I've not personally done either of those things, so it's not a question of personal bias! ;)) Shows have all sorts of nerves and adrenaline and pressure associated with them, even when we are trying to tell ourselves they're no big deal. :winkgrin: As such, they require more preparation to keep things safe.

Now, if you (or the people you are riding with) think of a hunter pace as the next big thing in competition and are gleefully counting your placings from them in hopes of qualifying for the Hunter Pace World Series, my thoughts might be different. :lol: But given that your tone sounds like my own, I think going out for a trail ride with some optional speed bumps sounds like a nice way to spend a fall weekend. I'm jealous, actually, though my baby hasn't been jumping enough (nor, for that matter, have I) for me to do any sort of course with her, even a little hunter pace. Next year... :cool:

[Whisper]

Yeah, I know they're very different situations. I just read through your post and went, "Fitness, check. Preparation - well, he can do it with one hoof tied behind his back, metaphorically speaking. I could do with more, but am adequate, and I'm more comfortable having our first outing now at a place we both know well, than waiting a month or two and going to a new place for both of us. We sure seemed to click well, but we haven't had time to really develop that partnership/trust/being perfectly in tune yet." While I might have a bit of adreneline from going over a "course" of XC fences, and having several horses milling around in the warmup area, it's a very low-key, friendly environment, and I usually don't get show nerves. I'm definitely not worried about placings, and am actively planning to skip anything I don't feel comfortable with. If either I or the horse need a walk break for any physical or mental reason, that's what we'll do. :D If I feel we'll be safer or more comfortable, we can trot both the Elementary and BN courses. My pairs partner is my instructor, so while she'll primarily be focused on riding her own horse, she'll be able to keep an eye on me.

Good luck with bringing your greenie along!

[Watermark Farm]

Haven't ridden in a month and I went an Event
And now I am totally paying for it. I am sooo sore from yesterday

Sweetie, how do you think your horse feels? I am horrified that you rode in an event without adequate preparation. Serious accidents happen just as easily at the lower levels ---- especially with a horse/rider pair that's not ready.

Remember, a show is a place to "show" off your hard work, and how you have brought your horse to his peak at whatever level you are at.

[Rescue_Rider9]

She had been worked to a pretty good extent. She was in no way out of shape

[ponygrl]

I can't get too excited about this.

A couple years ago I had my pony leased out - I got him back about 2 weeks before a BN HT - we went and did a XC school my first ride back on him (hadn't ridden him in about 6 months) and then just trail rode the 2 weeks before the HT.

If it's a horse you know I don't think it's that big of a deal at the lower levels. If the horse was being worked in some capacity (I don't know what all was being done on the flat here) I really doubt a BN or N horse trial is going to exhaust the horse.

[Coneleganta]

She had been worked to a pretty good extent. She was in no way out of shape

Oh dear lord! How has your horse not dumped you yet... :confused:

She is out of shape in the matter of not having gone out and doing trot sets or any variety of work for her stamina or muscles. Lunging and free jumping is very different than cantering up and down hills, jumping with a rider, working in a frame- on a straight long side, not just on a silly circle.

Preparing for the competition well makes someone a good horseperson. That means all the grunt work of conditioning of both horse and rider included. I would say this makes you a not good horseperson.

Stop thinking only of yourself, think of your poor mare and her poor muscles before your own, and stop thinking that bragging on an internet forum will make you feel better. I know where you're coming from- that "I haven't ridden and I STILL got 2nd, I ROCK!!" Well, it was a schooling show with 2' jumps and you showed your irresponsibility for your horses safety in this thread...... not much to brag about. There are many responsible, talented riders on this forum who are telling you the truth right now. Don't take me as one of them if you don't want because you obviously have a bee in your bonnet about me, but seriously.... take some of the advice here and stop acting like you are all that.

[PnkPanthr]

I am confused. So the OP said the horse was worked on the ground before the event. Would you like to explain to me how the @#$% your horse is in shape enough to be ridden 3 times a day, two of which over fences, over terrain and carting your butt around. For a two foot course, maybe your horse doesnt need to do trot sets/ gallop sets, but your horse needs to have been ridden consistantly for i would say at the MINIMUM of two months. I hope I do not see your username in any of the safety threads, because you are truly being hipocritical. Your horses tendons, muscles, ligaments, lungs, heart, etc were not prepared for the stressful work of a horse trial. The equivelent of what you just did to your horse is say the same as you running a 10 mile triathalon after running maybe a mile total within the last month. If you cant do it, dont do it to your horse. Whenever I think of anything, I think of my horse. If it will not benefit my horse, or if it could potentially hurt or not be worthwhile for my horse i dont do it. period. no one on here is being rude. everyone is just trying to help you. if you expected to come on here and tell us this and all of us to go "YAYYY" or agree with you, you were very very wrong.

[Coneleganta]

Sorry, just had to add that I reread the original post and saw that this is the mares second horse trial ever. Why wouldn't you give her some sort of preparation, instead of throwing her into the deepend? What were you THINKING?

Gahhhhh. Perhaps your mare did "so well" BECAUSE of the lack of you in her program.... but I digress.

[Ajierene]

While the horse was not ridden, the original poster did not say exactly what was done with the horse on the ground.

A mustang running the prairies is just as fit, if not more, than an upper level event horse. Trot sets are not the only way to get a horse fit, especially not for a low level event.

The original poster also did not mention how fit the horse was prior to the month of not riding.

Did the original poster make the best choice for herself and her horse? Without knowing previous training regiment or training regiment during the month of not riding, I cannot say.

I can say an event of 18" - 20" is mandatory 2min dressage test, 30 sec of jumping cross rails and 3 min of galloping (more likely cantering) across a field over logs. Any more riding is dependent on warm up schedule. Since I spend 10min to warm up for dressage, about 10 min and 2 fences to warm up for stadium and one fence (30 sec) to warm up for cross country - all for a Novice level show. I am looking at a total of about 35min of riding time with two breaks in between. On a regular schooling day I ride for an hour minimum, without the hour long breaks involved in a show.

So if you take the total half hour riding time, add in another equivalent of half hour riding time to account for 'show nerves', you are still looking at an hour. of riding time. If the original poster warmed her horse up for an hour or even half an hour before each phase, you may have a point about potential damage/soreness to the horse.

Since you do not know what prior fitness level the hors is at, or what exercise regiment the horse was in during the month prior to the show, those of you harshly chastising the original poster may better spend your time getting that plank out of their own eye.

[Coneleganta]

While the horse was not ridden, the original poster did not say exactly what was done with the horse on the ground.

A mustang running the prairies is just as fit, if not more, than an upper level event horse. Trot sets are not the only way to get a horse fit, especially not for a low level event.

The original poster also did not mention how fit the horse was prior to the month of not riding.

Did the original poster make the best choice for herself and her horse? Without knowing previous training regiment or training regiment during the month of not riding, I cannot say.

I can say an event of 18" - 20" is mandatory 2min dressage test, 30 sec of jumping cross rails and 3 min of galloping (more likely cantering) across a field over logs. Any more riding is dependent on warm up schedule. Since I spend 10min to warm up for dressage, about 10 min and 2 fences to warm up for stadium and one fence (30 sec) to warm up for cross country - all for a Novice level show. I am looking at a total of about 35min of riding time with two breaks in between. On a regular schooling day I ride for an hour minimum, without the hour long breaks involved in a show.

So if you take the total half hour riding time, add in another equivalent of half hour riding time to account for 'show nerves', you are still looking at an hour. of riding time. If the original poster warmed her horse up for an hour or even half an hour before each phase, you may have a point about potential damage/soreness to the horse.

Since you do not know what prior fitness level the hors is at, or what exercise regiment the horse was in during the month prior to the show, those of you harshly chastising the original poster may better spend your time getting that plank out of their own eye.

You do realize that different muscles are used in mustangs galloping around on a range, than horses jumping through a grid or using its back correctly, or even carrying a rider... Right?

[nextyear]

We came in with no faults which was better than last time because I pulled her up at a jump because she refused and I didnt want her to jump over it anyway like she normally does.

Then stadium went flawless with 0 faults and we even jumped the oxer normal this time. No flying me out of the saddle..

Oh we finished with second out of 6. not as great as 1st like last time, but she was amazing so would have been happy even if we hadn't placed.

These are the problems i see as why it is improtant to do your homework with the ridden horse (vs. lounging or even long lining) fitness is a must but if you had a stop at the 18" level and a horse popping you out of the saddle would you not want to be fixing that before going off to another possible sitution that would be less than positive from the horses view?

[Ajierene]

You do realize that different muscles are used in mustangs galloping around on a range, than horses jumping through a grid or using its back correctly, or even carrying a rider... Right?

What kind of grid work will be at a 18" event that would be of such a concern?

How correctly does a horse need to use it's back to do a simple dressage test and pop over some logs? The logs are about the same size you would see a mustang pop over when necessary.

I do not see a mustang, or any horse, suddenly not being able to trot once around the ring with a rider. I have been near and helped start a few mustangs and my experience is that even after a month or two post adoption and in light training, they have plenty of stamina to complete an 18" level event.

[Rescue_Rider9]

Went back to check when the last time she was ridden and it was 3 weeks and 1 day prior to the event. not a full month (not that that really matters just going to clear some stuff up.) My mom works her regularly (3-4 times a week) in side reins and my balancing system which both encourage her to use her back to be able to support a rider. Before I left for school I would rider her 4-5 times a week and sometimes six depending on what we accomplished on day 5. She was in pretty darn good shape and regularly schooled 3'. This is where she was when I left for school and for a few weekends I would come home and ride (just dressage and pop over some small fences(probably 2'6 or 2'9) just for fun. Then I got busy and had to stay at school. The refusal was my fault and could have been the fact that the extent of her XC training was limited to logs in a field and the reason we flew over the oxer was partially because of distance and because the oxer was pretty darn big and she had never seen something that wide at the time because the oxers I would sit up were not 3' wide. So after our 1st event I did school over our problem jumps and got them fixed. Then I left for school. I am not sure what I left out, but I hope I covered everything

[Horsegal984]

Last time I did rider her jumped 3'6(kinda on accident, but thats a different story) and normally school 3' If you understood my horse you would understand the situation better. She is a super animal and even though she is green she is super safe jumper.

Maybe you would be getting less 'rudeness' if you didn't show an overall lack of poor judgement. GREEN horses should not be jumping 3'6". The fact that you did it 'kinda on accident' leads one to believe either you can't judge jump height, or you knew she wasn't ready to move up but wanted to try it anyway. GREEN horses do however hesitate and then pop over jumps they are unsure of; which is exactly what you described her doing in the first post. They also routinely over jump, and jump you out of the tack, again just like you described. I think both you and your horse would greatly benefit from working with a trainer with enough guts to tell you you're not ready and to do right by your horse. Good horsemanship is every bit as important as good riding. Nothing you have described here has proven that you are doing that on your own. I agree whole heartedly with the poster who pointed out that if you are that sore your horse is as well. I'm willing to bet you took a long hot bath and some Advil for yourself, what did your horse get for being such a saint? A couple carrots do't do much to help with muscle soreness. :cry:

And to think, I was worried about only haveing 6 more weeks to prepare my horse for his first Maiden HT.

[CookiePony]

Paige-- have you thought about joining Pony Club? If you're where I think you are, the closest one is Red River:
http://www.redriverponyclub.com/

[Rescue_Rider9]

Slow down. I have a trainer. A damn good one at that. She is green to XC and the reason the jump was higher than what we normal jump is because my instructor set it that way without telling me because I tend to tense up when the jumps get higher. Yes bad habit, but I can't help it. My horse was ready to move up IN THE RING but has never done XC. She has had a consistin two years on her riding and was "broke" the year before that with just trails and I used her as a halter horse. She has been to a few hunter shows and lots of clinics because I figured clinics were more important than showing. Hmm.. Looks like that makes me a good horse person. Oh and no I never got a hot bath or advil actually. I was too busy wrapping my horses legs and gave her a complete bath (with Hot water) and liminet(sp). Made sure the stalls were clean. Worked my barrel horse then feed all 6 of my horses. Then scrubed water buckets fed the dogs and then I was able to get a shower and grab a bit to eat before I studied for chem. I am not some spoiled rich kid who has no clue what they are doing and pushes their horses way to far when they arent ready. My horse is ready and I do know what I am doing I have been riding and competing since before I can remember and I know the value of hard earned work. I wish all of you would just keep your mouth closed when you have no clue what you are talking about and do not accuse me of not taking care of my horses. That is something I always do! Especially since I have saved two horses lives just this year. (Hence the name "Rescue Rider") So yes I know how to take care of my horses even ones that have been abused and starved half to death.

Maybe you would be getting less 'rudeness' if you didn't show an overall lack of poor judgement. GREEN horses should not be jumping 3'6". The fact that you did it 'kinda on accident' leads one to believe either you can't judge jump height, or you knew she wasn't ready to move up but wanted to try it anyway. GREEN horses do however hesitate and then pop over jumps they are unsure of; which is exactly what you described her doing in the first post. They also routinely over jump, and jump you out of the tack, again just like you described. I think both you and your horse would greatly benefit from working with a trainer with enough guts to tell you you're not ready and to do right by your horse. Good horsemanship is every bit as important as good riding. Nothing you have described here has proven that you are doing that on your own. I agree whole heartedly with the poster who pointed out that if you are that sore your horse is as well. I'm willing to bet you took a long hot bath and some Advil for yourself, what did your horse get for being such a saint? A couple carrots do't do much to help with muscle soreness. :cry:

And to think, I was worried about only haveing 6 more weeks to prepare my horse for his first Maiden HT.

[LarissaL]

Hmm.. Looks like that makes me a good horse person.

Not one thing "makes you a good horse person." Being a good horse person is always being on your toes and continually making good decisions for the well being of your horse. Strive to educate yourself and realize there's always more to learn. It's an ongoing process.

I once felt like a good horse person. I listened to my trainer, took lessons, felt comfortable and successful.. and I misunderstood my horse's fears, got flipped on and broke my pelvis. I misjudged another rider, let her ride my horse in my absence, and he subsequently tore/obliterated his suspensory ligament. We misdiagnosed him, he continued in work, and it ended his short riding career.

[Rescue_Rider9]

I know that not one thing makes you a good horseperson. Sorry to make it seem that way. But I honestly do know that. I know that I am a good horse person because I ALWAYS put my horse before anything else. My family will be the first to tell anyone that. I missed thanksgiving dinner last year due to my neighbors sick filly. I wouldn't leave its side. The only way I was going in to eat was if that filly could come to(she got better BTW). One of my rescues went down soon after we brought her home I skipped school for a week to make sure she was gonna be alright. Horses are my everything and are much more important to me than anything else on this earth. My family sometimes jokes that if my horse died and my mom/dad died I would go to the horses funeral first.

Not one thing "makes you a good horse person." Being a good horse person is always being on your toes and continually making good decisions for the well being of your horse. Strive to educate yourself and realize there's always more to learn. It's an ongoing process.

I once felt like a good horse person. I listened to my trainer, took lessons, felt comfortable and successful.. and I misunderstood my horse's fears, got flipped on and broke my pelvis. I misjudged another rider, let her ride my horse in my absence, and he subsequently tore/obliterated his suspensory ligament. We misdiagnosed him, he continued in work, and it ended his short riding career.

[Horsegal984]

Take two steps back and go re read your original post. Read it as if somebody else wrote it, and that was all the information you had to go on. If you really are the horseperson you claim to be it should be easy for you to see why everyone here is so upset!

Going to a show without your horse being ridden in a mnth is irresponsible to your horse. Going without you having ridden in a month either is downright dangerous. Doing it and then coming here, to an eventing community, and bragging about it is the action of a spoiled rich brat. So when on the internet when you can only be judged by what you say, maybe it would be wise to think about what you're saying a little better.

The world is looking at Eventing right now, looking at the safety for both rider and horse. You just gave them a very perfect reason to argue that riders endanger themselves and their horses. Because regaurdless of what you think, you did. You got lucky. I'm glad you had a good show and came home safe, but it was a VERY immature thing to do, and really showed a momentary(at least) lapse in judgement

[Caroline Weber]

Rescue Rider - what did your damn good trainer say about you taking her to an event after not being ridden for a month?

[Rescue_Rider9]

havet spokin since i havent been riding

[deltawave]

I'd quit skipping school if I were you, focus on your command of the language. Do your homework, both in school and on the horse. I'm guessing you're like twelve, so I will leave the long-winded comments at that.

If you're schooling 3' at home, how can an oxer in an "eighteen inch to two feet" class possibly be so very big? Are they building them 2 feet high and four feet wide these days? :lol:

If you put your horses first before anything else, why would you take a totally unprepared horse to a show and send it out over fences? Does this strike you as the actions of a responsible horseman or horsewoman? If so, well, good luck with that. :(

[Horsegal984]

Then you don't have a trainer, you USED to have a trainer. And I would be willing to bet if he/she was really a good one they would be very disappointed in you!!

[Ritazza]

Your heart may be in the right spot but your education sadly is not. Please, take a little time to read up on conditioning and the effects of overusing muscles, tendons and ligaments. Whether or not you care for your horse means nothing if you don't know what right from wrong is.

[Whisper]

If you're schooling 3' at home, how can an oxer in an "eighteen inch to two feet" class possibly be so very big?
I think it's a grammatical issue, and she was trying to say that her mare tends to overjump oxers (because she is green), but jumped it normally this time.

Horsegal, why do you say that she "used to have a trainer?" It's fairly common for people who go out of the area for university to still keep a relationship with their trainer, and get occasional lessons when they are home for vacations/etc. I agree that better communication is important, but that doesn't mean that she's dropped the trainer or vice versa.

RescueRider, even if you don't have a lesson, it's a good idea to check in with your instructor via phone or e-mail before signing up for a show. I know you don't technically need her permission/signature, but that way you will be on the same page and avoid this kind of situation. Good luck with school!

[Mach Two]

Sweetie, if you have six horses, and you did not buy them yourself, and you do not pay for their feed, care, shoeing, trailer, truck, entries, lodging, etc, etc, etc....you are living in a bubble. Most folks who event work their hind ends off to be able to pay for lessons, shoeing, care, entries, a rig, etc, etc for ONE horse.
Since you are off at school, someone else is obviously taking care of your horses, and paying for everything. Kids who's parents can keep ONE horse for them to compete on at any kind of horse show are, in my opinion, very very lucky. When I taught pony club clinics, I reminded the ones who forgot this part on a regular basis...and got nice comments from the parents, because then the kids remembered to be grateful that they had one horse that was fed, shod, and kept for them.

And any horse that has not been in fittening work for 6 weeks prior to a horse trial, as many us have pointed out here, is being poorly managed. A hot bath does not fix it.
I don't believe anyone one here who is currently or has ever been a seriously committed event rider is going to applaud your "second best of the lowest possible division" windfall, when your horse was at risk, Had you acted responsibly towards the horse and the task, worked hard for the privilege of riding and had been awarded the same ribbon, we'd all be thinking "That's great, good for you" But such was not the case.
I wonder if you told your "damn good" trainer what you did.

But no matter, you will learn the hard way, or you will move on to other privileges soon enough, and I hope a horse does not pay the price as easily as whomever is supporting you has paid so far.

[Horsegal984]

Horsegal, why do you say that she "used to have a trainer?" It's fairly common for people who go out of the area for university to still keep a relationship with their trainer, and get occasional lessons when they are home for vacations/etc. I agree that better communication is important, but that doesn't mean that she's dropped the trainer or vice versa.



If the OP is going to defend her actions by saying that she has a good trainer she leads to the idea that her trainer was ok with what she did. If she hasn't spoken to her trainer in a month(or more, we're 2 months into the school year now) I don't think that it is a fair argument to say that she currently has a trainer. My trainer has several students off at school, but she keeps in touch regularly, as well as coming by for lessons when they're home. They also call with qestions or concerns about their horses.
The OP hasn't involved her trainer in the decisions about her show, nor has she talked to her in general, so as far as I'm concerned, she used to have a trainer. JMO of course, but I define having a trainer as that trainer having an active role in the horse's training and work, as well as the rider's.

[Ajierene]

Take two steps back and go re read your original post. Read it as if somebody else wrote it, and that was all the information you had to go on. If you really are the horseperson you claim to be it should be easy for you to see why everyone here is so upset!

The original poster is not the only one that can 'take two steps back'. Other people can take two steps back and read the original post without assumptions.

While what she did may have not been the smartest thing ever - cursing and reprimanding the original poster harshly is not the answer. Saying the original poster does not know what she is doing and isn't a good horseperson is presumptuous.

How many people looking down their nose at the original poster have galloped their horse or pony across a field they should not have? How many have jumped that creek or bale of hay they shouldn't have? Does the original poster live in a bubble? That is very possible, but everyone grows up in a certain type of bubble, derived from lack of travel and exposure to other places and cultures. The original poster, still being in school, is likely not at an age of self-reliance. There are plenty of other people here that did not pay for their own horses through childhood - there is nothing wrong with that. The original poster still seems to work hard for those horses.

As far as saying anything about the original poster's grammar, those that have may want to start running your posts through a grammar check program and stop abbreviating everything, because abbreviations as they are done here are grammatically incorrect. I can guarrantee everyone here can find at least on grammatical error if they ran their post through a grammar check program.

As far as the trainer goes, I will go a month or so without talking to my trainer. During the winter, I may go a few months without talking to her. Does that mean I don't have a trainer for that time? She doesn't think so. She just thinks there is nothing to talk about unless I am scheduling a lesson or need advice. If I am just hacking my horse around from December to February, I may not talk to her at all. As a matter of fact, I will likely e-mail her once or twice from September until January. She still considers herself my trainer and I still consider her my trainer.

[deltawave]

How many people looking down their nose at the original poster have galloped their horse or pony across a field they should not have? How many have jumped that creek or bale of hay they shouldn't have?

Not since I was about 12 years old. If the OP is in that age group, I think she can be forgiven a lot of her thoughtless behavior. Older than that? Nuh-uh. At least not the way it's put across, which is the responsibility of the OP. None of her "defenses" of her decisions have deviated much from the original impression she gives, more's the pity.

[Kementari]

Absolutely, we have all made mistakes. We have all done things that we look back on and think, "Wow! That was incredibly stupid!"

The difference is that the rest of us are not on the internet bragging about those mistakes.

[By the way, I just ran this post through my computer's grammar check, and it came up perfectly clean. I would note, though, that anyone who thinks that a computer grammar check proves anything, positive or negative, doesn't know much about grammar - or computers.]

[Rescue_Rider9]

Sorry for the grammatical error. I was typing on my phone and not really paying much attention. No I'm not twelve nor do I want to be treated as if I am.I bought two of the six horses I own. I also paid for one of the rescue horses I had. This was all while I was in high school. My two oldest horses I got in 5th grade. My mom allowed me to buy one of my 6 year olds because I showed responsibility of taking care of the two I had. That was after a year and a half of owning my own horse (I rode my aunts horses since I was born basically). She was 11 months old when I got her she is now 6. I paid $400 for her. Then Last winter (Nov,ish) I bought Gentry, one rescue for $90. After that I was in need of a new barrel horse and my mom lent me $400 to add to the money I had saved and I bought my barrel horse. The money I spent is now paid back. I Have a mini who my brother and I bought for my dad(half of my money, but I don't count me as buying it). Then my mom bought a pony for my parents friends daughter to ride until she can ride my retired horses. I ride the pony as well. So again... no I am not some spoiled brat. I work hard.

[deltawave]

Working hard and taking responsibility is good, and sort of a prerequisite in the real world. :)

Hopefully your admission that this show was a one-off means you see the point most of us are making: this is not a great example of horsemanship.

Good luck with your horses. Live and learn. We all have to and should. :)

[WW_Queen]

To the OP: don't waste your breath. There is nothing you can do to defend/explain yourself at this point (this is a common occurrence on the boards here these days), just have a chat with your coach (aka, pick up the phone) and plan out a strategy for next time.

:)

[Whisper]

Ajierene, I don't usually correct people's grammar or spelling unless they request it. I used to tutor English through community college/university levels. I don't always bother to proofread my posts, though. I could see how it made the content confusing in the oxer situation, though.

Horsegal, I agree that better communication is a good idea, but I don't think that not talking with the trainer when the trainer knows that the OP is in school and can't ride often, much less schedule regular lessons, means that they no longer have a trainer-student relationship.

Deltawave and Asterix, I was very surprised that horses usually lose fitness so fast that after 3 weeks without riding (but with groundwork) a horse would be likely to sustain a muscle or tendon injury. I knew it was a bad idea to go to an event on a greenie without practicing for that long first, but I hadn't thought of 2' jumps without major terrain for 5 minutes or so each for XC and stadium, plus a bit of warmup, as being quite that challenging physically for the horse unless there were footing, weather, or terrain issues. Both of you have much more conditioning experience than I do, so I'm pretty content to take your word for it.

[deltawave]

I never mentioned anything about fitness being the problem in this scenario, I don't think. It's more a matter of preparedness, having done your homework, giving your horse a good experience, and just plain good horsemanship, IMO.

That said, if the rider was stiff and sore the day after, I imagine the horse was, too. I worry more about the general attitude displayed by the OP (since partially rectified by the follow-up disclaimers) that it's perfectly fine to take a green horse out and do stuff like this and then to come home and brag about how great the experience was and how super a red ribbon is. :rolleyes:

Harm done? Probably little to none, when all is said and done. Safe? Good idea? Example of the OP's stellar horsemanship skills and good judgement? Great way to bring along a green event horse? Not so much, as the saying goes.

[enjoytheride]

I've even seen people try (didn't end well) to come out at Training level having ridden twice a week with no jumping in a month. I don't think that height makes a difference in this case.