Steeplehase Practice - At Home

[tlw]

Is this something that is possible to do? It seems to me that this is the only thing most folks preparing for a T3D haven't done before they get to the showgrounds. Assuming one has the space, how could they prepare for the steeplechase at home? Where does one even get birch to make a jump with and what are the dimensions of the T3D steeplechase jump? Is there an alternate jump type that can safely be used at home? I've been saving straw brooms for a long time thinking I could cut the handles, drill holes in a long 6x6 and insert the shortened broom handles through the holes and then using that concoction as the top rail of a jump but I don't know if that would work or not. Any way, I'm just trying to come up with something. Thanks for any input.

[GotSpots]

At a training 3-Day, part of the educational experience is usually a steeplechase practice session where they teach you how to ride it. I would not recommend the do-it-yourself approach on this one - I think you'd be more likely to teach bad habits than good ones, since you're not likely to have a proper brush fence. The actual chase jumps may have real brush, or at Morven this weekend they used a plastic brush ontop of a roll top - unbelievably inviting.

That being said, I confess that we did not "practice" a 'chase fence before the one star this week - just went out and kept kicking and lift your shoulders before the jump and the horse sorts out the fence. It's more fun than you can possibly imagine!!

[ottb]

prior to doing a training 3-day as well. I agree with tlw, it would be nice to at least be able to show my horse some brush fences prior to actually being there that week. If there's a meltdown, would like it to be earlier rather that a day before we actually had to ride it.

[tbeventer]

As already mentioned, find out what clinics are being offered. A T3DE will usually have a clinic on how to ride steeple chase. At the Galway T3DE, they are offering a linic two or three days before the event, so you have the opportunity to ride steeplechase WITH Ian Stark yelling at you to gallop on! Then, you've already gotten 'round the course and know what is coming to you.

As for practicing... I took my gelding to a unrecognized long format 2day horse trial when he was fresh off the track. He ran BN, and for our stepplechase, we just had to "lope" around a large field twice. Training and up had three brush fences and they also galloped around twice or three times. So, you could definately devise some type of simulation to steeplechase with a field and a couple brush fences--more brush to actually *brush* through. We have done gallops on a sand track with fences that we set periodically to teach the horses to gallop in front of our leg at higher speeds (over 550mpm). However, I'd urge you to just get comfortable with simply galloping with a bit more speed. Once you get used to the pace, you won't feel like you're getting run off with.

[Highflyer]

I think Otherwise Perfect Farm has one on their xc if you can sneak over for a school. But most people will be in the same boat (including me if I make it next year, my horse will probably show jump the steeplechase fences as he's a bit of a drama queen.)

[tlw]

My mare has a 1* under her belt so the issue is pretty much that I want to make sure I ride her properly (which probably means kick on and stay out of her way). :D Also, we usually run our training HTs between 470 & 500 mpm so the pace won't be a big issue in terms of being comfortable going fast AND being in control. It would just be a nice confidence boost to have ridden that fast over a fence without feeling the need to take a pull to set her up too much. I must say that it does sound terribly fun and invigorating.

[vbunny]

Can you contact someone that puts steeplechase or 3-days on and see where they get their jumps from? You could try the Carolina Cup office, I bet they would be able to help. We even have the small schooling fences that you would need here.
As to those interested in learning this, I am still planning on putting a learn to steeplechase clinic on, I just have some other business that I need to work out first. Keep a look out for it though, I think it will be really fun.

[retreadeventer]

If you have access to Mike Etherington-Smith's book on course design - I would say, read it and take a look at some of the fences. He talks about how horses learn to brush thru fences and how the brush should be set up to encourage that.
You start with a very sparsely brushed fence and get increasingly more compact with the brush to invite the horse to brush thru. I don't think it matters what you use for brush as long as it's soft and doesn't hurt; I know when I was a kid and helping with the three day at mountain meadows we didn't have brush and used scotch broom which worked great.
I know at the Area II T3D we use national hunt fences, which are plastic, foam, etc. very safe and soft but a pain to set up I guess. You can't really duplicate those at home.
It's more the speed and the feel of jumping and letting the horse learn to fly them.

[shea'smom]

We definitely schooled for steeplechase. We found a track like area, put up furlong poles and made a jump out of hay. We also had a great instructor, Nanci Lindroth on the ground watching.
After doing that a couple of times and running a couple of one stars we didn't need to school any more.
It was great to work out the pace and get it in your head.
Boy was that fun.

[ottb]

how high are the brush fences at a T3DE. From some of the replies it sounds like they are pretty low? Frankly, I'm not as concerned about the galloping - having done enough fox hunting to be comfortable with that. I was more concerned about my horse seeing fences that were fairly substantial in size, which would require him to brush thru in order to clear them. Sorry for being clueless.

[P-pot]

Hello,

This sounds kind of obvious, but it happened to me and several others that I competed with. When riding the chase, remember to keep track of which fence you are on. I was not able to practice it before my T3D. I was so nervous with everything else I was trying to remember, that I added an extra fence. We had to jump the first fence 3 times and the second fence 2 times. Well I was trying to remember everything that my coach had told me, what line I wanted on each turn, my watch had messed up, and was that an extra fence? Opened my rein up and I was on to C, so much for the plan from B to C. Anyway, since it was the first time the majority of us had ridden a T3D, we did not get eliminated.

My last piece of advice concerns the 10 minute box. I made the mistate of eating a banana. I will not make that mistake again. On cross country, every stride until about fence four or five - banana, banana, banana.

Good luck.

[NMK]

I would not school steeplechase at home without an instructor on the ground who has done a full format event. You need to get it right the first time in order for it to really count. That said, you can practice the mpm without fences easily if you have a mounted steeplechase clinic at the T3D. Too many things can go "not right" if you don't have an educated person on the ground helping you.

Nancy

[KSevnter]

I may be alone in this opinion but this is something you really can't practice, so don't worry about it. You can practice the pace, which I would recommend either go to a track or wheel a distance at home. But as far as the jumps go unless you have more than one, it won't work and isn't worth it.
The advice I was given before my first one star on a horse doing his first one star was to just square up my shoulders before the fence and keep driving at the fence. My coach said he was certain that my horse was going to jump the entire thing at the first jump and just grab mane and kick on landing. By the second or third fence he would figure out to go through the brush and he would never forget.

This holds true for most horses, the green and/or careful ones will be inclined to jump the entire fence until they realize it is far more efficient to go through. Time is easy to make because you aren't setting up and the horses spend little time in the air.

Steeplechase is really quite simple so don't overthink it.

[tarheelmd07]

I think Otherwise Perfect Farm has one on their xc if you can sneak over for a school. But most people will be in the same boat (including me if I make it next year, my horse will probably show jump the steeplechase fences as he's a bit of a drama queen.)

AOPF does have at least one one their xc course -- the national hunt kind like they use at the T3D and at Morven this past weekend

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I've always been told don't worry about it. Some horses will figure out how to brush through....others will not. A friend had a *** horse that still jumped the brush....that is a damn big fence when they do that. And for speed....you need to know your horse. I currently have two that have such big galloping strides that they get up the speed quite easily....but my old horse....well, he was a sprinter and had a short choppy stride. I had to feel like I was going way too fast to be just about at the right speed on him.

So I don't think you need to practice the actual fences....but you should practice a bit as to how the speed will feel like on your horse.

[bambam]

I did a "steeplechase" lesson with my trainer before the T3DE- I knew I would be fine if I just did the practice session at the T3DE but I felt better not having that big unknown out there.
My trainer used the ends of fir branches to make a jump with a rounded face and brush sticking up on the back rail to simulate a steeplechase fence like the ones they use at Waredaca on steeplechase (obviously no firm branches but the ends that "give"). I don't remember what she used as the base of the jump (stacked cavaletti/standards, rails and an ascending oxer with the fir working as fill?? not sure)
What we used was pretty minimal but my mare and I both were able to get the hang of galloping to it in one of our turnout fields and really taking it out of stride and she was able to figure out she could brush through it- it was nice to know we were comfortable with it before showing up at the T3DE but I am sure we would have been fine if we had not done it too
I would not do it without an instructor who knows how to do steeplechase

[ottb]

so, sorry for being a lunkhead, but I'm seeing two trains of thought:

1) just show up and do it
2) school it at home, but only with a knowledgeable instructor

views seem too diametrically opposed to make sense - how could something be so easy so that you could just show up and do it, yet so difficult that you shouldn't try it at home?

[RiverBendPol]

If you are doing a T3D, they will have a practice session there for you.
Don't do it at home bc you (I'm guessing here) don't normally run your Training horse at 570-600 MPM and probably do not have a 4' brush jump in your back yard. Doing a practice at home alone could do you both some serious damage, not bc you'll crash and burn but bc you won't let go and allow your horse to jump the fence correctly, thereby causing unnecessary mental anguish.
My horses saw their first steeplechase jumps on phase B at their first CCI*'s. The first fence on each was a bit hairy as we had to CLEAR it:winkgrin:, after that, they were lovely.
I'd say, go to your T3D and plan to do the practice session. If there isn't one, go out and run the chase. Leg on, flexible elbows, face back. You will collect bugs in your teeth. There is nothing as fun!

[GotSpots]

so, sorry for being a lunkhead, but I'm seeing two trains of thought:

1) just show up and do it
2) school it at home, but only with a knowledgeable instructor

views seem too diametrically opposed to make sense - how could something be so easy so that you could just show up and do it, yet so difficult that you shouldn't try it at home? Because at a three day, you're on great footing, you've got the right jumps set up, with the right speed, plus a bona fide adrenaline kick. The jumps work out because they are designed to be forgiving, and the footing rewards the correct ride. At home, unless you have the right equipment and a good coach, you're more likely to try to jump something that won't be forgiving or could be dangerous if you hit it wrong, or to try to do it too slowly or set up/pick to it, and cause more problems than you solve.

Though I confess not all horses ever really get the brushing-through thing. My beast just ran around the one star at Morven. Horse has done four long format three days at the one and two star leve. He still jumps over the brush. (http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/photocard.aspx?pc=99FB5187BC1CE604A54592CCD8C5482C ) I suspect he knows better than I do, so I didn't argue with him. He is, after all, the smart one in the family.

[LisaB]

I can't believe some people are saying don't practice at home. It's a totally different phase folks! Actually, the more I think about, the more appalled I get.
Learning steeplechase is a whole other animal! I practiced quite a bit because it's really hard to be galloping like hell and not do anything and jump a jump. Not taking a tug, not sitting up, nothing! What I did was take a lesson on it and practiced at home. My instructor got my pace going and then said to widen my hands and stay in 2 point. She had to yell it while I was approaching too.
She had 3 sets of brush boxes, graduated in height. She didn't fill them with brush. I didn't sweat that because I had some half coops already stuffed at home. (well, Leslie did and I just used and abused them). When you stuff a jump, make sure to leave a spot sparser and actually try to jump the sparse part. The horse really does look for it.
Then we had a practice run at the T3DE. Luckily, Pam Weidemann was there because they were different jumps and I had to take a little tug. The regulation style steeplechase jumps didn't back him off.
so, now if we have a steeplechase on course, I jump it just like if I was on that phase. saves time!

[KSevnter]

I can't believe some people are saying don't practice at home. It's a totally different phase folks! Actually, the more I think about, the more appalled I get.


Hey, don't be appalled at us ;) It is just a different school of thought on the matter. I have ridden with two different **** riders and both took this approach to steeplechase first timers and it worked out great and it sounds like there are a number of coaches that take this approach.

To each his/her own, whatever the OP decides she will be fine and will have a great time. As I stated in my first post just don't over think it.

[poltroon]

When I discussed it with my coach, he said that it works out okay to just go and do it, that if you're prepared for Prelim you'll do fine. The problem isn't schooling the jumps, it's schooling the track and the footing, and at the time, there were no training three days and there was no way to get a chance to try it before the Real Deal.

He also pointed out, when I looked at him skeptically, that people don't seem to get into trouble on steeplechase. The fences are forgiving and the horses are going forward.

Alas, as it turned out, I have not yet been able to find out for myself.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Hey, don't be appalled at us ;) It is just a different school of thought on the matter. I have ridden with two different **** riders and both took this approach to steeplechase first timers and it worked out great and it sounds like there are a number of coaches that take this approach.

To each his/her own, whatever the OP decides she will be fine and will have a great time. As I stated in my first post just don't over think it.


Yup was told the same thing by multiple **** when getting ready for my first CCI*. You have to know how to gallop, you have to know how to sit in the middle of your horse, you have to know how to let the horse jump out of stride....those were things we practiced for xc...how you ride a gallopy fence....steeple chase was just faster. I think how people approach it really depends on the riders but all my trainers (and I rode with some very good ones) didn't think that it was something that necessarily needed to be "practiced".


But also perhaps this is just different schools of thought...and different riders. I was the kind of rider that was very VERY happy when told to just put a bridge in the rein, keep your leg on and let the horse jump....in other words, sit tight and stay out of your horse's way....I can do that..love it when I can shut off the brain;)

[Hannahsmom]

My horses saw their first steeplechase jumps on phase B at their first CCI*'s. The first fence on each was a bit hairy as we had to CLEAR it:winkgrin:, after that, they were lovely.
I'd say, go to your T3D and plan to do the practice session. If there isn't one, go out and run the chase. Leg on, flexible elbows, face back. You will collect bugs in your teeth. There is nothing as fun!

Mine too. My coach (who had grown up riding for Mike Plumb) set out flags at 650 mpm for me to just go thru once to get used to the speed. But the fact that my horse was very able to jump Prelim and me being willing to trust and go forward made it easy. And yes, we jumped OVER the first one or two but by the third he was brushing thru at speed.

And I agree with GotSpots, would rather be galloping at that speed on a track meant for that speed.

[Jazzy Lady]

I too never practiced steeplechase before my first 1*. I practiced the speed once with meter markers set up. He too cleared the first 3 fences but then hunkered down and learned how to brush them. He'd seen chase fences on xc courses before, but not at that speed! We were 4 seconds under time and it was so much fun.

It's a great way to get your eye before going onto D. :)

[Blugal]

Although I was told it didn't matter, I used to practice just for fun! Luckily I had an old 3-day steeplechase to work with - just filled the frames with evergreen brush. My Dad got out his meter wheel (from work) and we put up a couple flags to figure out minutes at different speeds. Then my sister and I had at 'er. After one round we pulled up and Dad gave commentary and our time - then we went around and tried to improve.

This was at the old Pacific Northwest Championship course of the early 80s. Steeplechase was set on a hill on good footing. Dad said there were a lot of complaints from competitors, but on the day nobody had a problem - and it was more authentic than a groomed racetrack.

I did the T3D on that horse no problem (a former OTTB). The next horse was also an OTTB and I didn't really practice steeplchase, although we often went for gallops and would jump things on the trails. Once we set up a hefty but inviting triple bar on a long straight stretch and jumped it twice at full speed, just for the feel of it. He did two full-formats no problem either.

I wouldn't have thought anything of NOT schooling steeplchase after this, except for my next mount: a 1/2 TB, part heavier. He had a big jump and a good stride, but was lazy in the way TBs are not. He'd completed Training and Prelim events with few or no time penalties, rain and shine. Before his 1* we didn't practice steeplechase although we did gallop. Thinking back, I did less XC schooling of fences at speed than the horses before (thinking I was saving his legs etc... the horses before I schooled at speed sometimes just for fun). When we got on steeplechase, it was another gear that he hadn't really jumped from before. My TBs had found it so easy - but he didn't. If I had to do that again, I would definitely school a horse like that prior to doing a steeplechase.

[asterix]

It's interesting, your experience, Blugal. I have a big WB who learned how to jump (much less event, much less steeplechase!) late in life. When we did the T3d I was very happy to do the practice session mainly because he had been spooking like a nut at the bright green base fences all week (we board at Waredaca, where we did the T3d)...I figured I could use the extra "looks" ahead of time...

I certainly found it valuable to practice it, but I don't think it would have been a disaster if we hadn't. He figured out the brushing pretty fast but the "go" took us a while. I am SURE he'd never been that fast in his life. Think on that, you TB people -- this guy had never been even 520 ever. The practice does NOT really teach you how to do that as you are just circling around over one fence, not on the actual track...

But because I was no longer worried about the fence, and because I had been encouraged to go at speed and without fuss from the second we left the box, we were able to "get it" even in the 2 minutes we were out there -- we were down on our first minute marker (quick off the mark, not his specialty), and well within the time on our second -- so he was going much faster than 520 that second time around, and it felt like a million bucks.

[Blugal]

asterix, we made the time on both steeplechases we did... it's just that the fluid jumping from 620 mpm was not naturally forthcoming like it was for the TBs.