Preparing You and Your Horse for the BRC Horse Trials Championships

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1 Preparing You and Your Horse for the BRC Horse Trials Championships Qualifying for the Championships Confirmation of your qualification will be sent at least 3-4 weeks before the championships. Your team manager will receive the invitation and stabling form. Additional useful information regarding the Championships will be available to download from the website. This will include a provisional time table and details of on site facilities. Fitness Preparation for Horse and Rider If you have qualified for the Senior Intermediate or Open competitions you will be competing in a long format three day event. If you have qualified for the Senior Novice competition you will be competing in a long format two day event. These competitions all include roads and tracks and steeplechase as well as the cross country phase. Therefore a greater degree of fitness for both horse and rider will be required. It is important to use the time between qualifying and the Championships to increase the fitness of your horse and of yourself. These few weeks should allow plenty of time to add the extra degree of fitness required. Riders should take part in other sports that improve stamina, cycling, running, skipping and swimming are all good ways to improve your own fitness. Additional fitness in the rider also helps the horse to be ridden in balance, especially towards the end of the cross-country when many riders are out of breath and the horse may be tiring. Smokers beware! Remember, an out of balance rider is an inhibition to the performance of the horse when jumping and galloping. Adding an extra half an hour to your horse s daily exercise will help to raise fitness levels. Remember at this point stamina is key, therefore trot work is essential and can be more worthwhile than lots of fast work. Keep up with regular canter work, a fast canter of a good length can tell you if your horse is getting fitter. The quicker the recovery rate, the fitter the horse. Grassland and undulating ground are the terrain to expect over most of the cross-country course, so by training over this ground you are preparing your horse for what s to come. You can also use this aspect of your fittening work to help establish a good rhythm and practice using your watch. By measuring a distance of 100metres and timing yourself across this distance you can gauge your speed. This will enable you to establish the correct speeds for Phases A and B, the steeplechase and cross country phases well before the Championships. Remember that tired horses running on adrenaline are prone to injury. When you come to the end of each training session and likewise the end of the steeplechase and cross-country course, to avoid injuries such as strains and pulls make sure you pull up gradually and in a straight line, changing speed whilst turning is the most common way soft tissue injuries occur. After pulling up keep walking and allow your horse plenty of time for it s breathing to return to normal. Pre Event Checklist Make a list well in advance of the competition of all the items which you will need for both you and your horse. This will help to avoid any last minute panics and will also ensure that you have time to purchase new items of equipment or arrange for repairs

2 where necessary. The following list should be used as a guide and is not completely exhaustive; Mucking out equipment if you are stabling away from home Sufficient feed and forage and feed buckets and hay nets Rugs, remember it may be colder or warmer than you expect. Tack including spare numnahs and a change of bit if this is required Tack cleaning equipment Hole punch for tack adjustments Number bib Buckets and sponges for washing down Water container for collecting water and taking water to the 10 minute box Studs Boots for competing Bandages and leg coolant Electrolytes First aid supplies for treating minor horse ailments On Site Stabling You will no doubt choose to stable your horse no site making use of the temporary stabling. Stabling will need to be booked and paid for when entering for the event. The stable manager will be able to help with any queries which you may have before the event and will also be on site during the event. It may be that this is the first time that you have stabled your horse away from home in temporary stabling and you should take the following considerations into account. Introduce your horse to it s new routine a few days before you leave home for example if he is living out you will need to stable him and make any changes to his diet eg feeding haylage or hay. Never make sudden changes to your horse s diet and never at a competition. You must also take into consideration any medication which your horse may be on. There are strict rules covering the substances which you can use to treat your horse when competing. There are many prohibitive substances, including Bute, which could result in you be eliminated from the competition if they are found in your horse s system during the competition. Make sure you adhere strictly to the withdrawal periods. If you are in any doubt whether you are using a prohibitive substance check with your vet. Your horse will be probably stabled for much longer whilst at the competition than he is at home, make sure you allow time for exercising him out with the times when you will be competing. You will probably be allowed to exercise your horse on Phases A and C and this gives a good opportunity to familiarise yourself with the route as well as exercise your horse, either quietly or at a brisk trot or canter. You may also want to spend time with your horse outside of his stable allowing him to graze in hand. Horse Inspections The Horse Inspections or Trot Up as they are more commonly referred to are a vital part of the competition. There are three horse inspections, one before the competition starts, one at the end of Phase C as you enter the ten minute box and one prior to the show jumping phase. The Ground Jury, consisting of one or more dressage judges, and the official vet inspect every horse to assess whether it is fit to compete in the competition. You will be required to stand your horse parallel to the panel of officials who will look at the overall condition of the horse and check for any signs of injury on the body and in the mouth. They will also note any spur marks. You will then be asked to walk away for three or four strides and then to trot to the marker, usually a flower tub, walk around the marker and trot back in a straight line. If there are no problems

3 your horse will be accepted to compete in the competition. If there are any areas for concern your horse will be referred to the holding box where it will receive a more thorough examination by a second vet. This vet will then advise the panel of officials and first vet on his findings. You will now be asked to represent the your horse. Depending on the outcome the horse will either be accepted to compete or refused, at which point it is eliminated from the competition and may take no further part. You will also be given the opportunity to withdraw your horse prior to representing if you so wish. You will need to remember the following; You and your horse should be well turned out. Remember that you are trying to create a good impression and you are also representing your club Your horse should be presented in a bridle with no other tack or boots or bandages You will be expected trot your horse on a hard surface so that his soundness can be established Trot your horse on a loose rein allowing freedom to the head and neck and you are not interfering with his self carriage Do not present your horse with studs fitted If you have travelled a long distance make sure you give yourself enough time to walk your horse to relieve any stiffness prior to the horse inspection Take a helper with a bucket, wet sponge, brush etc to the horse inspection who is able to assist with any last minute touches to your turn out It is also a good idea to practice trotting your horse up at home. This will ensure that your horse knows what is expected of him and that he trots readily forward and creates a good impression. Remember to make sure that your horse has been recently shod, although this should not be done in the week immediately prior to the Championships. You may also want to ask your own farrier to make you a spare set of shoes to take to the competition in case you should loose one. This will guarantee that the replacement shoe will be of the same type and size. This is particularly important if your horse has remedial shoes. There will be a farrier on site for emergencies. The Competition Make sure that your helpers are well briefed and they know what is expected of them. Briefing notes and check lists are of great help and should be gone through at home in the days before you leave for the event. Remember that time spent in recognisance is seldom wasted! Dressage Make sure that you have learnt your test as this must be ridden from memory. Allow yourself enough time to tack up and hack across to the dressage warm up area as well as the time needed to ride your horse in prior to the test. Ask your helper to have a copy of the test with them just in case you have any last minute memory lapses. They will also need to remove your horse s boots and take your whip, if you use them, before you go into your test. Your horse may still feel quite fresh after the test and you may need to give him some extra work. Phases A, B and C Ensure you have walked or ridden phases A and C and that the route is clear in your mind. You should have already identified sections where you will perhaps canter

4 rather than trot, however remember that there is nothing to be gained by going too fast and arriving at Phase B well in advance of your time. You should aim to arrive on time, allowing for the compulsory one minute break. The start of Phase B or steeplechase as it is more commonly referred to, will be the same as for cross country. Set off on the steeplechase at a good speed and allow your horse to settle into a rhythm, remembering that the biggest test of stamina is still to come. When you have passed through the finish remember to slow down gradually, bringing your horse to a walk to allow him to recover. The finish of Phase B is exactly the same point as the start of Phase C, Check your stopwatch, and continue on Phase C applying the same criteria as you did for Phase A remembering that this is a recovery stage but that you still need to arrive at the ten minute box on or slightly before your allocated time. The Ten Minute Box Make sure that both you and your helpers understand what will happen in the ten minute box. The ten minute box is a large area which is roped off to make an enclosed space which effectively acts as a collecting area for the start of Phase D (cross country). You will be expected to trot into the ten minute box along the last few hundred metres of Phase C. This will enable the vet to assess your horse for soundness. He will also take your horse s pulse. If his pulse rate is high the vet may want to check it again after a few minutes to ensure that your horse is recovering from the first three phases. Once the vet has given you the all clear find where your helpers are, dismount and loosen your girth. The steward will have made a note of your number when you enter the box, they will then give you a call at five minutes, three minutes and one minute so you will be aware how much time you have before the start of cross country. You should brief your helpers on what will happen in the ten minute box. It is a good idea to make sure that they all know what their roles are eg holding the horse, checking shoes and studs, applying leg grease if you use it. Your helpers should walk the horse around to keep it warm and stop it from getting stiff. The rider should use this time to have a drink etc. You should remount and tighten your girth at around the six minute mark and keep the horse moving before you start the course. If your team is well prepared then the ten minute box should not be too stressful on the day. Phase D the Cross Country You will have already walked the cross country phase a number of times over the preceding days. It is advisable to walk the course at least three times, you may wish to do this with your trainer or a fellow rider. Try not to get distracted whilst walking the course, if you walk it with a group of friends you may not be fully focussed. Make sure that you walk all of the alternatives, even if you plan to take a direct route you need to be know what the alternatives are just in case you need to change your plan at the last moment. Also look closely at the ground and decide on the best line for your horse. Think about the weather and what will happen to the ground conditions if it becomes wet, you may need to make some shallower turns which will affect your approach to the fence. Remember that when you walk the course there will be no fence judges in place. It s a good idea to walk the course for a final time once the competition has started as you will be able to see if there is a fence judge car close to the line which you plan to take. Watching other riders jump the course will also give you a good idea how the course is riding. You will be allowed to wear a watch for a two day an three day event so you may want to measure the course with a wheel to work out where the minute markers are. You will need to synchronise your watch with the official event time. This will be available in

5 the Secretary s office and the Stable Manager s office, remember to take your watch with you so that you can synchronise it. Once out of the start box ride the cross country with a good rhythm and remember your plan, although be prepared to be flexible if things aren t going how you expected. Try not to lose your temper with your horse if you have a stop, fence judges and officials will report misuse of whips and spurs. If you are using a watch remember not to push your horse excessively just to keep up with the time, you should ride your horse in a rhythm and be aware of how it feels beneath you. The Competition stewards will stop a horse on the course if it is showing signs of fatigue and a rider who pushes an exhausted horse could be eliminated from the competition. When you pull up bring the horse back to walk in a balanced manner and try and do this in a straight line. Dismount quickly and loosen your horse s girth and noseband. Remove the tack as soon as you can and keep the horse walking. As the finish will be close to the Ten Minute Box your team should be there to help once you have passed through the finish. Wash off the horse with water and scrape the horse dry, do not leave him to drip dry. If it is a hot day the most effective way of cooling a horse is to repeatedly wash off and scrape dry. Lead the horse back to your stable, he should have recovered sufficiently by this stage to allow him to have a drink of water and a pick of grass. Apply cooling gel or leg clay to your horse s legs and bandage with stable bandages. Make sure that you check your horse thoroughly for any injuries; cuts, grazes or bumps, and treat them accordingly. If you are concerned about your horse you can ask for the vet to take a look at him. The easiest way to contact the vet will be to ask the Stable Manager to call him on the radio. Allow your horse to rest quietly in his stable with a hay net and water. Make sure that you top up his water regularly as he will need to drink more to aid his recovery from the exertions of the cross country. If you competed earlier in the day it may be advisable to walk your horse out later in the day to give him a leg stretch. Also check on any injuries to make sure that they have not deteriorated. Final Horse Inspection Make sure that you are up early the following morning to check your horse. It is advisable to walk him out, either in hand or ridden, to loosen any stiffness. You should also trot him up to make sure that he is sound. You will then need to wash off any leg clay, groom thoroughly and prepare him for the final horse inspection which will follow the same format as the first inspection. The vets and officials have the welfare of your horse as their primary concern, if they consider that he is not fit to continue in the competition they are making the decision in the best interest of the horse. Remember that there is always another day. Show Jumping The show jumping phase will take place in reverse order so the competitor with the most penalties will jump first and the competitor with the least will jump last. This provides a climax to the competition. Leave your self enough time to walk to the collecting ring and warm up. Your horse may well feel a little stiff and tired at this stage so you will need to ride him accordingly.

6 Presentations Hopefully you, your horse and your team mates will have performed well and have been placed. The top three teams, and individuals if not part of a team, will be required, mounted, for the presentation. Those placed fourth to tenth can collect their rosettes from the Secretary. Back at Home Your horse will need to have some easy days to recover from the competition. Turn him out as much as you can and reduce his hard feed accordingly. Keep an eye on any injuries which he sustained during the competition to make sure that they are healing. You may want to spend some time reflecting on your performance, where you could make improvements for next time or you could spend time basking in glory! Most of all try and relax and have fun, if you prepare correctly you will have a great Championships!