Area II folks--Morven HT vs. Loudoun HT?

[Invested1]

Aren't these run over the same course? Why does one charge a "grounds fee" while the other doesn't?

Any benefit to doing one over the other?

[GotSpots]

Um, er, the weather? Spring Morven it seems like it ALWAYS rains. Courses are slightly different, depending on which direction they run the water. Usually Loudoun is a bit easier, since many of the pros are at Rolex that weekend; spring Morven (at least when they used to run the Advanced) is often a bit harder - though it's early enough in the season that it's not bad. Both you get the good show jump footing, which I always appreciate.

[yellowbritches]

Could also be that Loudoun is a pony club and Morven might give them a break on facility use expenses, while Morven needs to cover their expenses for running their event. Does that make sense?? I'm a bit addled from a long, stressful day...:confused:

[Dr. Doolittle]

Yes, I think yellowbritches is right; Morven has been charging a grounds fee for a few years now (and this includes their HTs *and* the CT they ran last October with the HT/CCI), and they may even charge the fee at their dressage show--but the fee is only charged at events that *they* sponsor, as opposed to the shows/competitions that are held at their facility. At least IIRC...:p)

The x-country courses are essentially the same (or at least have been for the last two years; nothing was changed that I noticed, at least at T level--which I assume you are inquiring about), though they may reverse the track. I've entered Morven at T as a "getting back into it first outing of the season" HT, and plan to enter Loudoun at Morven at P. I hope the weather cooperates next month, so we don't have to settle for a very pricey CT!

[yellowbritches]

Dr. D, you are having the same idea I am, except with N then T, maybe, if all seems well. Since our plans have changed, rather suddenly and drastically in the last few short days, I am now trying to decide if the potential move up will be Redland or Loudoun...I'm leaning toward Loudoun as I really prefer the lay of the land there and think I might be pecking and yanking at Redland with Vernon, master of big, ground eating, exuberant gallop. :yes: Morven's courses allow for more galloping then Redland does.

And I entered Morven tonight...with BOTH boys. :D

[Dr. Doolittle]

Yay!

Let's hope and pray for some good weather; last year it was uncharacteristically dry, so maybe we'll get lucky again :yes:

[Invested1]

Humm, I'm thinking then that I'll do Loudoun and not Morven.

And when I say "do," I mean, umm, watch, yah, watch, as we all know that Tedi is retired. (*wink wink*). :D

[Dr. Doolittle]

Humm, I'm thinking then that I'll do Loudoun and not Morven.

And when I say "do," I mean, umm, watch, yah, watch, as we all know that Tedi is retired. (*wink wink*). :D

Don't worry, we're all "winking on your behalf" :lol:

[Catalina]

I was just talking to my trainer last night about this. My plan is to skip Morven (because my trainer will be at Fair Hill the weekend of Redlands and I am not moving up without her around and I want to get an early Novice in just to get back into the groove) and do Novice at Redlands and then the dreaded move-up at Loudon. What is the Training course like at Loudon? Is dressage and stadium on footing or grass? I have never shown there, so any information would be great!

[tarheelmd07]

I'll be at Morven with the old man...I was going to take him to SoPines I with the big horse, but it's such a long haul. At his age (21!!!) it's only fair to keep him closer to home :D

[Ishi]

Catalina, both Morven and Loudon have dressage and stadium in the rings, so good footing. I did the Training course at Morven 3 springs ago and it was a good move up, easy water, nothing really technical and nothing big except the trakener. I did Prelim at Morven and Loudon last year and Loudon was slightly easier on XC, I remember Intermediate was too.

We'll be at Morven with a Novice horse (my new mare) and D is going Intermediate. I might take a baby BN but haven't sent an entry or decided onhim yet. We'll take a few to Loudon too!

[Dr. Doolittle]

I was just talking to my trainer last night about this. My plan is to skip Morven (because my trainer will be at Fair Hill the weekend of Redlands and I am not moving up without her around and I want to get an early Novice in just to get back into the groove) and do Novice at Redlands and then the dreaded move-up at Loudon. What is the Training course like at Loudon? Is dressage and stadium on footing or grass? I have never shown there, so any information would be great!

Morven's T course is pretty straightforward--one biggish table (but with a lip on the back, so it's visible to the horse, and jumps well :)), a couple biggish log oxers, one largish coop in the fenceline, some down steps (usually with a small skinnyish log preceding them on a bending line), a half coffin (also on a bending line) with either small house to ditch, or other way around, an easy water (small log, pass through, small log out), and a fairly simple "roller coaster" (log to swale to log), among other things. A biggish brush that they usually put in the woods, and a log skinny on a slight uphill, and under an overhanging tre--are some slightly more challenging things for T horses to look at. They *do* have a Trakehner, but the ditch isn't particularly deep, and it's usually placed so as to allow you to get a good line to it...If your horse is pretty bold, he shouldn't have a problem with anything there, and it's a nice, open galloping course (as yb mentioned.) It was wheeled pretty tight at Morven last year, as I recall--many had trouble making the time!

(They used to have two log wagons set two strides apart, but IIRC, someone had a scary rotational fall at one during a schooling day; I haven't seen them on course since!)

Dressage *and* stadium are on bluestone, thank goodness! And they are both on Sat. (x-country on Sunday), so if the x-country footing is bad and you opt not to run, you can at least make it a CT. It's a nice event, would definitely recommend giving it a shot if your horse is ready (and doesn't have "Trakehner issues" :p)

[Dr. Doolittle]

Ishi and I cross posted! :D

[Catalina]

According to my trainer, my horse is more then ready :yes: (we won two out of our last three recognized Novices); it's me that is the issue. I have never gone Training before, so I keep getting myself all worked up over it. My horse has gone Training with his previous owner and was clean, so he certainly can do it. I just need to get over my moving up issues (I had the same problem moving up from BN- all for nothing seeing as how we won our Novice debut). He doesn't have Trakehner issues, but, once again, I do. The only time he ever stopped XC was at the Loch Moy short course Trakehner when I stared down into the ditch, took my leg off and threw the reins away. He petered to a stop and looked at the ditch wondering what on Earth I was staring at. I need to remember to look up and ride, darn it!

[Catalina]

Ishi: I hope to see you at Loudon :D. Is D going Intermediate mean that Napa is all better (I keep meaning to ask)?

[Dr. Doolittle]

According to my trainer, my horse is more then ready :yes: (we won two out of our last three recognized Novices); it's me that is the issue. I have never gone Training before, so I keep getting myself all worked up over it. My horse has gone Training with his previous owner and was clean, so he certainly can do it. I just need to get over my moving up issues (I had the same problem moving up from BN- all for nothing seeing as how we won our Novice debut). He doesn't have Trakehner issues, but, once again, I do. The only time he ever stopped XC was at the Loch Moy short course Trakehner when I stared down into the ditch, took my leg off and threw the reins away. He petered to a stop and looked at the ditch wondering what on Earth I was staring at. I need to remember to look up and ride, darn it!

:lol:

You should be fine; clearly you won't do *that* again ;), and from the sound of it, there shouldn't be anything on the course that your horse (and you) can't handle...:)

[asterix]

Catalina, I am a confirmed trakhener phobe, and I can tell you (because I know all the Training trakheners in our area within a centimeter :lol: and am working on the prelim ones) that the trak at Loch Moy is MUCH scarier than the one at Morven. The Morven one is on flat, open ground, it's not as big in any direction, and even IF you drop and prop, your horse will probably go (ask me how I know :D)...

[Invested1]

I'm so itching to get out and play!!

Anyone going xc schooling next weekend?? (2/28)

[LisaB]

Schooling??? I may be tempted. I have a lesson tonight and I'm going to see what's on her plate and figure out my spring schedule.
I've done Loudon TR and it was very nice and inviting.
My plan A for the spring was to do PT at So Pines and then P at Morven because I heard it was a nice season opener. I would assume the other levels would be nice season openers as well.