Who can tell me about the Novice XC at Kentucky HP?

[texaseventer]

How scary is it? :) Can anyone tell me about their experience with it compared to other Novice courses - and if you have Area V experience even better!

Thanks :) :) :) I am entertaining a CRAZY notion of possibly riding there in August. I may well have lost my mind... and thought I'd check here first to see if I really am completely mental, or just slighly crazy. ;-)

[gully's pilot]

It varies widely by the particular horse trial--they use a lot of portable jumps, and different groups run the different shows there. I've always enjoyed showing there, but I don't know how the August trial ranks.

[clpony]

No area V experience but i have ridden the course.
I did it last year and loved it!! it rode well but was one of the tougher ones i thought. Once i completed kentucky i knew my pony and i were ready to move up to training.
it's challenging for novice, i thought.
good luck

[deltawave]

The KHP is HUGE and the options for course layout are nearly endless, not to mention the fact that there are dozens of different jumps, many of them portable, and 3 different water complexes. So you will almost literally NEVER be riding anything close to the same course twice, even if you compete there multiple times per year.

It is a great venue--gently rolling, good footing most of the time (can be quite hard if the summer is dry), really nice stabling and good rings for dressage and SJ.

I've never had a bad ride there, nor ever seen a course that I thought was badly done or unfair. I've ridden quite easy ones there, and quite stiff ones, and everything in between.

It's a single venue, but the variety in course options means you really can't predict much based on previous courses. You can count on it being fun, well run, and a great place to be. :yes:

[texaseventer]

My pony is a wonderful boy but I'm a big chicken. We've schooled a lot of training but are really just comfortable at Novice... I'm wondering if I might be getting in too deep or if I should just put on the big girl panties and go for it ;)

[FoxChaser]

If you're schooling training anyway, come on ahead! The courses are always fair for the level & you'll have a blast :)

[rhymeswithfizz]

I rode there 20 years ago as a pony clubber... Too bad I was too young to actually appreciate it!!