Eventing is a demanding discipline that requires knowledge, determination and a great relationship with your horse. A one or three day event requires competitors to perform a dressage test, ride a cross country course and jump cleanly in the show jumping phase.
Therefore Eventing can seem quite a daunting discipline to get started in. However help is on hand from EquestrianClearance.com sponsored rider Harriet Morris-Baumber on what to wear in all three phases to help you achieve success.
Getting Started in Eventing with EquestrianClearance.com
Becoming a member
To get a taste of the Eventing scene you can purchase up to four day tickets a year with British Eventing. This means you can experience the thrill of Eventing without paying for a full or half membership. If you feel this discipline is for you, you can easily take out a membership which will allow you to enter as many competitions as you feel necessary around the country.
Training
It is essential that you and your horse are fully prepared for the questions asked, therefore correct training is paramount to your chances of success. Go for lessons with trainers that specialise in dressage and show jumping because they can help you find an edge that other competitors may lack, but it is important not to lose focus on Eventing.
Cross Country can play an important role in whether you win or lose an Event so having lessons with an Event rider will also benefit your training in all three disciplines. The will also have more knowledge about the overall discipline which can be very helpful.
However, if you plan to have several trainers to give you specialist advice in each phase then they may have conflicting advice and tips. This can become very confusing therefore you need to remember to take their opinions on board and experiment to see what works best for you and your horse.
The Horse
Make sure your horse is prepared with all the right equipment allowing him to compete at his best. For each phase it may be necessary to invest in different equipment to aid your chances of success, but a lot will depend on how high a level you want to reach.
In the dressage you and your horse are trying to achieve elegance, therefore turnout is extremely important. Horses should be plaited up and well groomed for this phase.
The correct tack for dressage is a snaffle bridle without a martingale. There are several different snaffle bits that you can experiment with to find the perfect fit for your horse to help you achieve the softness that is desired in the test.
When starting out a general purpose saddle with a white or neutral coloured numnah will be good enough for your early tests. For riders who are planning on progressing up the levels quickly I would recommend investing in a dressage saddle. Dressage saddles help with your position in the saddle, and allow you to sit deeper on the horse which should mean you will get more from your horse resulting in a better test.
For the jumping phases, depending on the horse, I may change the bit if I need more control, whether I am show jumping or going cross country. It is important that the horse is listening to me. I may also use a martingale as an additional aid for control.
When you are starting out at competitions a general purpose saddle that you feel comfortable jumping in is ideal, but as you proceed up the levels I strongly recommend investing in a close contact jumping saddle. This will help your position over a fence allowing you to ride with shorter stirrups and sit lightly on the horse allowing them to jump easier.
For the show jumping phase I leave the plaits in because you still want your horse to look smart, however I take these out for the cross country phase because sometimes you may need to grab hold of the mane for support.
I will also add jumping boots to my horse’s legs for the Show Jumping and the Cross Country phase. In the Show Jumping phase I like to use open fronted tendon boots, these protect the horses legs whilst at the same time encourage the horse to jump cleanly as they will still feel it if they hit a fence. For the Cross Country phase I use boots that protect the front of the leg as well because you do not want your horse to sustain any knocks when jumping a solid fence. If my horse requires over reach boots I would also use these. The last thing I would do before my horse goes Cross Country is add grease to my horse’s legs so that they slide off the fences easily.
The Rider
In the dressage phase the rider must look elegant. To make sure you look the part, you can wear a riding hat which has a chin strap or one without. Lady riders must make sure their hair is tied back and a hairnet is used.
I always wear a white stock on a stock shirt and a navy jacket with a waistcoat to make sure my upper half looks really smart. Always finish off the appearance with gloves, these can be black, brown or white. I prefer white as it looks more professional. I also wear clean white or beige breeches and long black boots, these really help with use of my lower leg. If your horse is behind the leg you can also wear spurs as another aid to improve your test.
For the show jumping phase, I normally stay in similar clothes to what I wear in the dressage. I will always carry a whip, and if you are not feeling confident you can always wear a body protector.
The major change for this phase is the hat though. In both jumping phases the riding hat worn must have a Kite mark and must be checked by officials and tagged before you compete in your first event.
The cross country is my favourite phase and my favourite outfit change. The rider should wear what they are comfortable in. I always wear long boots, white breeches, spurs and a stock. I change the silk on my skull cap to match my cross country jumper. You must wear a body protector, and I always carry a whip. Another piece of vital information you must take with you on the cross country is your medical card, you attach this to your arm or leg.
The Horsebox
Remember to pack your horse box with lots of rugs, spare tack, grooming equipment, water, hay, First Aid treatment and anything else you think is essential to make sure your day goes without a hitch.
EquestrianClearance.com has a wide selection of competition clothing, footwear, accessories, saddery items and bits as well as a great range of rugs and essential items you will need to prepare and cool for horses off after an event.
Choose from a great variety of brands including Mark Todd, Harry Hall, Wintec saddles, Bates saddles, Caldene and many more.
