|
By Sharon Ridgway - B.H.S.I.I. and N.C.A.S. level II
Eventing is a wonderfully rewarding blend of challenges requiring so many different
skills and emotions. The calm, controlled precision of the Dressage, the adrenalin
rush and thrill of the Cross Country and the all important accuracy and skill
required in the Show Jumping phase makes it in my mind the best sport I the
world. I am a little biased as it has been my passion for over 25 years now
and in this series of articles I hope to provide some stepping stones to assist
any newcomers to the sport. Don't be deterred by thinking you don't have access
to one of Australia's leading Equestrian Centres, Eventing for fun is perfectly
possible with a few basic facilities and a bit of creativity. I for one learnt
to event on a tiny group of windswept islands in the far north of Scotland with
little more than a shaggy pony and a few milk crates as jumps. Determination
and persistence will get you a long way as the likes of Greg Watson will pay
attribute to. His humble beginnings were in outback Queensland on a $700 ex
racehorse. He had to make an 8-hour trip to Brisbane to receive coaching, turn
around, drive home and work a full day as a fitter and turner on his return.
Greg eventually moved to the UK and trained with the legendary Richard Meade,
he went on to become one of Queenslands most successful International Event
Riders, so it can be done.
Firstly there are a few important criteria to weigh up. Have you the necessary
time to devote to what is a fairly involved sport. You really need to be able
to ride at least 5 times a week to tackle training level eventing properly,
so forget those long lie ins in the morning and those few relaxing beers on
the way home from a big day at the office. You will have to be prepared to forget
at least one of those to realize your dream of becoming an event rider. Next,
have you access to good instruction, eventing is a sport with so many different
skills to develop, you will find it impossible to blindly claw your way through
the early stages without help. Any high-risk sport requires a great deal of
respect towards the safety aspects, and what better than to have a knowledgeable
mentor to guide you through the process. Where do you find a suitable coach?
I am a great believer in letting a coach's work speak for itself. Look for an
Instructor who is either out competing themselves at a decent level or producing
riders successfully. The NCAS system can be a starting point for your search,
but don't be fooled; a piece of paper with some letters on it is no substitute
for experience. I would chose a non NCAS coach with tonnes of experience and
a list of successful students all day long over a Level III that has never produced
anyone!
Next, and quite obviously, you need a trusty partner in crime! A horse preferably
with some eventing experience to help save you in those early fumblings when
ignorance is bliss! They say, the more that you know about eventing, the more
things that can go wrong! Confidence is a vital ingredient in the enjoyment
of this sport, so make sure your new found friend is sensible and trainable
and well within your comfort zones. Don't bite of more than you can chew with
your first event horse; err on the side of caution and chose a well proven schoolmaster.
Some would say a good schoolmaster is harder to find than a Unicorn, so good
luck searching! I do believe there are suitable horses out there but be careful
and take an experienced rider with you when you are trying out a new horse.
Unfortunately the really good ones are usually sold word of mouth, so get your
name and number out to as many "In the know" people as possible. You
can scan the FOR SALE columns, but be warned, there is a lot of second-rate
rubbish on the market. You may need to buy a horse with a little bit of age
on it's side for your first eventer, but as long as you have it thoroughly vetted
for any reasons why it would not give you a couple of serviceable years, then
age should not be an enormous problem within reason. (Eg.a 22 y.o. is well past
its use by date and is nearly ready to push up daisies!) Remember too, that
you may lose money on this initial purchase as it will be a couple of years
older by the time you are ready to sell it on. Factor in an amount of money
that you are prepared to throw away for the experience of learning on a great
old timer! In my experience, a great schoolmaster can really help to make a
rider; I sold a lovely old advanced horse once, which at the age of 13 went
to a junior rider Vanda Morgan. She came all the way through the Junior ranks
on this great old chap and at the ripe old age of 17, (and Vanda was only 18)
he came 2nd at the 3* at Gawler 3DE. Vanda has gone on to produce several other
tremendously successful eventers and I'm sure she feels she owes a lot to having
such a great partner to ease her into the big time. Your budget will be a guide
to the market you can search in, but I'm afraid I subscribe to the good old
"you pay for what you get" theory. A well educated, well mannered,
serviceably sound, experienced eventer will probably not come cheaper than $7,000
nowadays and the flashier it is the more it will cost. You would do well to
choose something which has already competed at a level higher than you are planning
to go to with this first purchase, for example at least Pre-Novice or Grade
1 Pony Club would be ideal. You can trade this one in at some point if you feel
you have outgrown him and the flashy new updated model can follow on later in
your illustrious career!
With your diary freed up, your mentor chosen and your trusty new four-legged
friend by your side, you are now ready to embark on your newfound pursuit. Remember
that first and foremost this is a hobby, and it should remain fun at all times,
try never to lose sight of that. (Hard I know, after 40 minutes of sitting trot
with no stirrups, a stitch and a very sore bum!)
The first few weeks will involve getting to know each other, building up you
and your horse's fitness and starting to work on a regular basis with your chosen
coach. A lesson once a week is sufficient for now but try not to leave it any
longer than that, as misunderstandings and developing bad habits are common
in these early stages. Presuming you have some previous riding experience, your
coach will probably spend the first few months on the flat sorting out your
position, balance, communication and control of the horse. This may seem a little
boring but stick with it as a solid understanding of dressage is the foundation
of all your new skills to come. Practice as often as you can but be wary of
drilling your poor horse to the point that he gets sour and fed up. If you have
access to hacking or rides out away from the arena then do this at least once
a week or so, you can still concentrate on your balance and position while he
enjoys the change of scenery!
A valuable way to learn is to watch the experts, so get yourself a copy of your
State eventing handbook and find out where and when you local events are. We
are so lucky here to have such depth of talent Australia wide, and I'm sure
a visit to your local One Day Event will not only be educational but also fill
you with enthusiasm and desire to get out there and have a go. Set some goals
and plan which events you would love to ride at the following year. There is
also plenty of literature available around about eventing and many educational
videos. Beg, steal or borrow these and start to develop your own critical eye
of what works and what went wrong. Don't watch too many "Fall after Fall"
videos just yet as although quite amusing, we don't need to freak you out just
yet!
In the next few articles we will talk through all the basics of evening, fitness
including a training programme, saddlery and equipment and all the choices available,
and finally your first competition and the preparation leading up to it.
Happy Eventing!
|
