| Tismine |
04-12-2009 10:22 PM |
Alrighty then!
So, I rode everyday, at least 3 hours a day, for several years, until injuries and finances forced me to stop. And I competed in hunter-jumper, jumpers, and equitation.
Do you only ride during the summers? If so, you won't be able to compete very efficiently. You need tons and tons of training to get everything perfect: Ie, hand position, balance, exact position of heel and placement of whip. This is especially important in Dressage.
If you were doing hunter jumper, I wouldn't suggest you drop EVERYTHING you knew for strict showjumping, as it probably still applies. Unless, of course, it's something dangerously stupid, like kicking the horse, or having a hard reign.
Hm..if you plan to compete in all of those disciplines, you probably won't get very far, no matter how talented you may be. It simply takes too much muscle memory to get both you and the horse prepared.
...you could have just said eventing, by the way. It's dressage, then cross country, then showjumping. I've never competed in the former two, but I did train several horses to be able to do first level, and as said, I competed in showjumping.
Right, Dressage first!
You'll prolly be in introductory, as you seem new at this. (introductory, training, first, second, third, fourth, if my memory serves me correctly.) Try your hardest to be in a standard size arena- this will probably be what you are competing in. You'll only be asked to walk and trot at this level, so be sure you've got those down perfectly! At the lower levels, you only need to know the basics: AKEHCMBFX. (All King Edward's Horses Can Make Big Fences [e]Xceptionally.) KNOW THESE. They will save your life when you are in the middle of a combination and forget what to do. Work on perfecting your sitting trot, and gliding with the horse. Make sure your back position is completely straight- not leaned too forward or back, and have your arms loose, not completely stiff. Judges love a soft mouth. However, keep your reigns taught! You don't want them so loose that you can't feel your horse's mouth. Always keep your chin up (never look down! ever!) and keep a slight smile on your face. Don't scrinch your eyes from the sun. Keep your hands in the same position, almost always. Your horse should be trained well enough to know that a slight twist of the wrist means to turn or to stop. Try to instinctively know which leg is leading during the trot. It's very unseemly to look down, and then have to sit to two beats to change. Your heels should always be down, but make sure they don't pulse too much while posting. Your leg position SHOULD NOT MOVE unless doing a more advanced move, where you need to give the horse different signals. Always look relaxed. And always assume that the judge is staring directly at you! After you leave the arena, pat your horse, smile, and praise him. If any mistakes were made, they were your fault. It's a good idea to practice with the same horse. I rode a lot of different horses while training, but for shows I always rode the same one, because I knew her and could feel every bit of her body through my legs.
Cross country: This part is fuuun! Unfortunately, it's also what I least know about. My job was to get the horses used to and over the fences. X D. Anywho, I'm not too sure about the levels..most of the ones we did were divided into 4 sections: A,B,C,and D. Phase A is done at a trot, to warm up the horse and rider. Don't take the whole thing at a gallop! Neither you nor the horse is ready for this. Watch your horse. Know how much they can take. Push them, but not too far. Watch your terrain- you should always be aware of this, as it can make an easy jump dangerous. Speaking of, sometimes a jump that looks easy is actually exceptionally hard to jump, and a jump that looks hard is easy. Don't psyche yourself out, but don't think you've already done the jump. And watch for drops! You need to be prepared for any sort of situation. Always look where you need to go next when going over a fence, as your horse needs to know where to go. That said, have fun during this! You get to do my two favorite activities- ride alone outside and jump!
Showjumping: Favorite discipline! Oh, dear, how do I give help? I'm mainly a hunter, but with showjumping, don't watch your form so much. In hunters, you ask your horse to give up his comfort for yours; in jumping, you need to give up yours for the horse. Make sure to pace your intended course beforehand, so you can count your strides and, thus, know how to pace your horse. When you rise, focus ONLY on your horse and the course. The judges aren't there. The audience isn't there. It's just you, the jump you're going over, and the jump after that. Guide your horse to the best place to make the jump, and for god's sake, give him his head, but give him support! I also prefer to ride one horse- it allows me to feel every step, and I know when she's hesitant, tired, or hurt. If you get a fault, forget about it. It happens. If you dwell, you'll just think about it longer. And always look to the next fence.
OK, I was trying to keep that short, and I still let it get too long..there's just so much to know! And be warned that many of the girls can be snotty; being the only pale girl with black nails was always fun. T_T
Hope you were serious, and I hope this helps. = D
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