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| Neigh Saying
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| Galloping full tilt across country on the back of a horse and soaring over whatever hurdle nature puts in the way.
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There really is something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a man…and a woman and a child and well, just about everyone.
That same glorious democratic appeal is alive and thrives in three-day eventing, a challenging and thrilling form of equestrian competition that, unlike most sports, allows men and women of all ages to cooperate as members of a team or compete against one another as rivals.
A glamorous international sport and summer Olympic highlight, three-and-four-star eventing consists of three elements conducted over seventy-two grueling hours—dressage, cross-country and show jumping.
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Three for One:
First Day:
- Dressage—Horses must perform a series of precise drills consisting of specific sequential movements reflecting obedience, elegance, balance and calm.
Second Day:
- Cross Country—Horse and rider must tackle a challenging course made up of miles and miles of repeating roads and tracks and steeplechase featuring dauntingly high and wide jumps.
Third Day:
- Show Jumping—Formal round of stadium jumping designed to test the horse’s fitness, endurance and willingness to perform.
An elite pursuit, eventing attracts a specific type of horse and rider and demands they share a special bond of understanding and common purpose.
“You need to have excellent horsemanship skills, not only riding but understanding how a horse thinks, knowledge of how a horse is feeling as you are riding it. A good eventing horse and rider must possess courage, boldness, love of meeting challenges, strength, a willingness to work together and utilize the training steps of dressage to develop the ability to lengthen and shorten frame, move laterally, stop on a dime, etc.,” says Jane Atkinson, executive vice president and event director Equestrian Events Inc., of the prestigious world-renowned Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, (www.rk3de.org).
Eventing is predicated on the special trust that can develop between horse and rider—in this case the partnership is everything according to Atkinson.
“In no other sport must horse and rider be such partners because they have to rely on each other since the horse doesn't see the cross-country or stadium courses before it is asked to jump. This requires absolute trust in one another, the horse that the rider won’t ask of it what it can’t do and the rider that the horse will do what is asked of it.”
It helps to have the spirit of adventure, which Atkinson says, is typical of an accomplished eventer.
“…Someone who likes variety in his/her association with horses, people who just like to gallop across country jumping anything that gets in their path. Not necessarily thrill-seekers, but it doesn’t hurt if they have a bit of the daredevil in them—people who like challenges.”
A high level of conditioning for both horse and rider is of critical importance—the horse needs to be fit enough to rebound from the rigors of cross-country to perform impeccably in the show-jumping ring and the rider needs to be alert and attentive to the needs of the horse and the particular demands of the round—fatigue is not an option in eventing, particularly given the sport’s frequently cited dangers.
“Riding a horse is dangerous,” notes Atkinson. “I can't tell you how many accidents occur while people are just pleasure riding. But any time you add jumping to the equation, you up the risk of injury. I don't consider eventing to be a dangerous sport if the rider and horse are well-prepared and the rider is at a level of horsemanship necessary for the level of competition and type of competition. Too often this isn’t the case and when accidents happen people are quick to judge the sport negatively when it is actually generally the rider who is not competent enough.”
She would like to see rider qualification requirements implemented in the US and Canada as a way of evaluating riders for competency before they enter a competition.
“I'm not proposing government regulation, but wish there were some way to protect the horses from riders who aren’t ready for a given level they are entering. And, riders would be protected, too, of course. Increase the number of qualified instructors so more people will seek out a certified instructor. Educate new horse owners and young (and adult) people who want to enter the sport as to what degree of riding competence is necessary.”
Similar to other sports, the level of athleticism increases in direct proportion to the accelerating standards imposed by the level of competition.
“At the lower levels, beginner novice and training horse trials, regular riding pretty well keeps the horse and rider in the condition they need to complete all three tests with a spring in their step at the end. Once you hit preliminary, intermediate and advanced horse trials and the three-day events, which have longer cross-country courses, you need to do both aerobic and anaerobic exercise—trot work, long slow gallops, hill work—to add the additional fitness necessary for the increased demands,” advises Atkinson.
Ticket to Ride:
If you’re interested in becoming involved with this remarkable sport, Jane Atkinson suggests the following:
- Join your national eventing association and local associations—their purpose is to guide newcomers. Make your membership count by asking questions.
- Read, read, and read some more. Soak up as much information as you can about the sport and what it requires.
- Volunteer at an event. Organizers always need fence judges and you can start out as an assistant fence judge and learn as you help. When you see the horses from an intimate vantage point you will begin to discern what it takes to ride cross-country. And you’ll learn what not to do!
- Join a pony club if one is available in your area—not only do they provide good information but also excellent hands-on instruction.
There are many rewards associated with eventing says Atkinson.
“To be competitive though not necessarily the winner in all three tests of eventing exhibits all-around horsemanship. “ You develop an exceptional closeness to your horse because of time spent together and then there is the reward of completing the entire competition, no matter the placing.”
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