“RED ON RIGHT, WHITE ON LEFT, INSANITY IN THE MIDDLE”

Equestrian 3 Day Eventing

Dressage Cross Country Show Jumping

Hannah Freathy

Levels of Eventing3 Day Eventing is the competition testing you and your horses’ obedience, speed, stamina and ability to think fast. The team with the lowest accumulated penalties over the weekend wins.

The Levels in Canada are:Pre Entry- 2’3-2’6Entry- 2’6-2’9Pre- Training- 3’-3’3Training- 3’3- 3’6Prelim- 3’9-4’0

When you start competing internationally the levels are:CCI* - For Horses new to International CompetitionCCI** - For horses who are used to international competitionCCI*** - For advanced horses qualifying for OlympicsCCI**** - The highest level of competition and only five competitions on the world run it.

This year I will run Prelims in Canada and CCI* in the States to qualify for North American Junior Young Riders 2013 in Kentucky. Also to qualify to run CCI** in 2013.

Attire

Dressage Attire:*Leather Boots*Spurs (optional)*White breeches *Black or White Gloves*Black show coat*White Dress shirt with collar and stock pins*Black Helmet (Top hats are only allowed to be worn by Seniors riding under the FEI.

Show Jumping Attire:*Leather Boots *Spurs (optional)*White or Beige Breeches*White or Light colored Dress shirt with color and stock pins*Black or Navy Jacket*Helmet*Medical Armband, has all your medical information in case you are injured (only required for Cross country and Show-jumping)

Cross Country Attire*Leather boots and spurs*Any color breeches*Any color shirt as long as it has sleeves*Helmet*Medical Armband*Cross Country vest (protects in falls)*Air vest, attaches to saddle and inflates like an airbag in a fall (optional)*Stopwatch for timing*Pinny with competitor number

Schooling Attire*Helmet*Polo shirt*Breeches and Belt*Boots and ½ Chaps

SCORING

Dressage is the judged on obedience of the horse over a series of movements called a “test.”Each movement is given a score out of 10, you then get an overall % which is converted to penalties. An average score is 45 penalties.

Cross Country is a timed phased. It is a test of endurance and the horse’s ability to think for himself. You are given a speed to ride the track at which is determined by the level you are riding. For example 525 meters per minuteThere is an optimum time window that you must come in between given the speed. If you are faster than the window you are penalized by 1 penalty per second too fast and if you are slower than the window you are penalized by .4 of a penalty per second too slow. A refusal or run-out is 20 penalties, for the second refusal it is an additional 40 penalties.

Reasons for elimination:*Going off course 3 times in dressage*Not starting the test within 45 seconds of the judge ringing the bell*Carrying a whip into dressage*Any fall of horse OR rider anytime through the competition*Missing and obstacle in show-jumping or Cross country*3 refusals on Show Jumping or Cross Country*Finishing Show-jumping or Cross Country more than double the optimum time.

Show Jumping is a combination of speed and obedience. It is also timed. You are penalized for going to slow, pulling rails and refusals. It is penalized much lower than Cross Country. Pulling rails and refusals are both 4 penalties. 1 penalty is given for every second or fraction of a second too slow.

Rings, Fields and TracksWhen you are riding you need to have a significant amount of flat land. Different disciplines require different terrain. A dressage ring is 20x60 meters, sometimes grass sometimes sand footing. Cross Country is always on grass with hills and lots of flat gallop land. Show jumping is on grass or on sand. Upper level horses require to be conditioned lots. It must be specifically designed to the conformation and energy level of the horse. Some days are strictly strengthening their hindquarters on hills, others are interval gallops on the flat at a track or large fields.

Racetrack used for conditioning

Grand Prix Show Jump Ring

Dressage Ring

Safety Issues Safety is a big concern in 3 Day Eventing. It now is the most dangerous sport. There are many rules to try to prevent accidents, although they still do occur. Lower level accidents are normally just a child becoming unseated and falling off, not a big deal. But Upper Levels, you start getting into the nasty falls; Rotational (where the horse leaves a knee and somersaults), Slipping and falling. Before each ride you have a tack check, making sure all of your tack is allowed and in safe condition. You must always wear a ASTM Approved Helmet if you are a Junior (under 18) and on cross country day you must wear an approved cross country vest. The newest type of vest is called an Air Vest; it goes over top of your regular approved vest. It is attached like on a bungee with a breakaway clip to your saddle and if you do have a fall and breaks the clip, the air vest inflates in .2 of a second like an air bag. Also there are rules stating that a Junior cannot ride a horse under 4 y/o, you can only have 4 stops cross country because if you have that many stops youor the horse should not be out there.

Air Vest

Regular Approved Vest

TYPES OF PLAYERS

You need to have a certain personality type to be a 3 Day Eventer. You have to be incredibly bold to be able to gallop around at 500+mpm and jump solid jumps that will not come down if you hit them, but still technical enough to be precise and accurate in dressage and show jumping. Being an event rider you must be confident and sure in what you are doing. The most accidents occur when you have a hesitant, unconfident child out on cross country day. Eventing or even riding at all, is not a sport for everybody but you have to be all in or all out. It also helps if you love adrenaline!

Historical Information “Eventing Back in the Day”

Eventing was first introduced at the Olympic Games in Stockholm , Sweden in 1912, where Sweden won.

The first day consisted of the endurance and cross-country test that involved about 50km of roads and tracks, about 5km of a flagged cross-country course of natural obstacles and then around 3.5km of a speed test with ten obstacles. The Jumping was performed on the second day of  Eventing . Dressage was performed last . Today’s format is exactly the opposite, starting with Dressage the first day, continuing with the endurance, speed and cross-country test the second day and completing the competition with the Show Jumping on the final day.

3 Day Eventing is an incredible sport that I love. You work hard and it pays off.

SOURCES:*All pictures are mine and of me. Except the black and white on “Back in the Day,” and the “Rings, Fields and Tracks.”

* All information is from my own Knowledge, no sites were referenced.