Spring Run Farm HT?

[NewbieEventer]

For those that have been to Spring Run HT:
What's the novice cx like?
Would you consider it a good move-up course for novice?
Is dressage/stadium on grass or sand?
How are the stabling facilities?

Thanks for the info :)

[Mudroom]

I can't speak to the Novice course specifically, but here is some general info:

XC is an up hill, down hill, thru the woods handy type course. Definitely not canter around the infield at KHP type.
Nice water complex, quite a variety of jumps.
This is one of the longest running events in area VIII, very friendly folks, great exhibitor party. Not glitzy but down home friendly.
Dressage is in sand rings, D warm up on grass
SJ is on grass
Stabling is primarily temporary stalls set up in their indoor arena, some at neighboring farms.

[subk]

Spring Run is everything that's great about lower level eventing. Mudroom's description is great. I haven't been there in a while but traditionally it's a good move up. (Unless it was training and you had a horse with ditch issues! :wink: )

XC is an up hill, down hill, thru the woods handy type course. Definitely not canter around the infield at KHP type.
I agree that is a handier type course with some hills, but I've always thought people under estimate the toll that KHP's rolling terrain presents. I don't see SR as any harder just different.

[NewbieEventer]

"handier type course" as in more twists and turns? How does the hilly terrain compare to river glenn?

[subk]

"handier type course" as in more twists and turns? How does the hilly terrain compare to river glenn?
If you had run River Glen in the dark ages when they ran you to the top of the ridge (anyone remember the ramp that had you jumping out over the world?) you wouldn't think RG was hilly :wink: Actually River Glen still has a lot of the "openess" of the KHP. SP is more like you're at someone's farm and you running through a few odd shaped 5 and 10 acre turnout paddocks that have lots of trees and dips in the terrain. You might jump a "house" in the fence line gallop down a little hill for 6 or seven strides, gallop up a sharper hill in 4 strides turn left around a tree and jump a big log before you gallop along that fence line to another jump that puts you into a different paddock, where you then turn right and run along an old farm road in the woods that go down a hill. (I just made all that up, but I think it gets the point.) Unlike circling a big field you're actually "going" someplace. It's not a course you can stand in one place and see more than a couple three jumps.

[riderboy]

Spring Run is great. Very friendly with a good core of hard working volunteers. I ditto all the above. Susan and Blake Harris work their tails off to put on a great show.

[LAZ]

If you had run River Glen in the dark ages when they ran you to the top of the ridge (anyone remember the ramp that had you jumping out over the world?) you wouldn't think RG was hilly :wink: Actually River Glen still has a lot of the "openess" of the KHP. SP is more like you're at someone's farm and you running through a few odd shaped 5 and 10 acre turnout paddocks that have lots of trees and dips in the terrain. You might jump a "house" in the fence line gallop down a little hill for 6 or seven strides, gallop up a sharper hill in 4 strides turn left around a tree and jump a big log before you gallop along that fence line to another jump that puts you into a different paddock, where you then turn right and run along an old farm road in the woods that go down a hill. (I just made all that up, but I think it gets the point.) Unlike circling a big field you're actually "going" someplace. It's not a course you can stand in one place and see more than a couple three jumps.

I remember that--it felt like you ran up a mountain and jumped off the top.

[NewbieEventer]

Are there photographers that cover this event? If so, I could take a peak at the courses :)

[FoxChaser]

Here are some of the photos from last year: http://www.vwperryphotos.com/HorseAlbums/08_19_Spring_Run/Sunday/index.html

[RealityCheck]

I think it is a fair novice move-up course. I can only think of a couple jumps that *might* be max height, most are average novice height, and everything is very inviting. Lots of logs and natural looking things. One open ditch that is fairly small, one bright white jump that can catch their attention, an up-bank but no down, splash through the water with a tiny house a few strides after, a couple jumps in the woods, a couple combinations. It is not a mountain or anything, but it is hilly and you do go along trails/through the woods a couple times, so at training and prelim it can be hard to make time, however novice is usually fine.

Stabling is in the indoor in temporary stalls-not ideal but hey we're a family run farm! Excellent vet and farrier on call, though! As everyone has said, Susan and Blake (and everyone else at the barn) put a lot of work into the show and it is always a blast. The competitor's party is "come as you are", with great food, there are dressage ribbons and of course puppy races! Dressage in sand but warm-up and stadium in grass. There are always photographers (although they're not my favorite...have to work on Susan about that!) and 90% sure the video people are coming back this year.

Plus, we're adding IP this year which will be fun to watch!!

[JNW]

How is the training course. Anyone remember what the water is like. We are having water issues this year.

[Mudroom]

How is the training course. Anyone remember what the water is like. We are having water issues this year.

Look at the photgrapher link above and then select training. Water was a log on a bank in, 3-4 strides, bank out, a couple strides on (I think) a slightly bending line to another fence.


You still got time. Get busy! - get wet!

[FoxChaser]

Is the coffin still on the training course? That always gets some extra looks what with water flowing through the ditch :)

[roki143]

Slightly OT, but I remember Spring Run was my current horse's first BN (about a million years ago). At that time, most events still offered an option at the water, so I didnt think to school water with my green bean (REALLY green then, as in trotting/walking the whole course). He was perfect up until the hill down to the water (which was the second to last jump). He crested it and just stopped. I had to tip my hat because I couldn't even get him down the hill. I thought we'd never even get back to the barn without retracing the whole course, but every time a horse passed us, he'd get a little bit further. It took us about 4 horses to get close enough where he could see that there was a way around it and back to his friends!

Luckily Susan is really nice and let us school it after the show. We kind of drew a crowd rearing and bolting thru the woods until the guy schooling me just stepped in the water - in about 10 minutes we were doing the training!

Back on topic -- very fun event -Loved it!

[secretariat]

Highly recommend it as a Novice moveup. You will do the water, but it's usually pretty friendly. Try it, you'll like it!