I recently received my fourth NQR (National Qualifying Result) at Fitch’s Corner making me eligible for the training three day at Waredaca in October. Since I moved Wiley up to training level last year, I have had this event as a goal. I did two training level events last fall and then started with one novice this spring before moving back up to training. Wiley has been very consistent in his performances at training level making me believe that the three day is an attainable goal. My reason for choosing the three day as an end of year goal, is that I believe it will serve as a good “bridge” between training and preliminary. Although Wiley has been jumping clean at training level, he is still green and would not be ready to move up to preliminary this year or even early next year. When I first bought him two years ago, I was not sure I would even be thinking about going preliminary again. I walk around the courses and look at the prelim jumps and think at times “hmmm, some of these look doable.” And then at other times, I think “these look huge – what, am I crazy?” Wiley is very athletic, honest and willing but not a fireball. He still has sticky moments on course and has not yet attained “attack mode” status. Perhaps he never will. But it is precisely for this reason that I want to do the three day format.
I was lucky enough to complete a few CCI * long formats in my younger days and always loved the whole journey that it embodied: the preparation, the planning, the bonding, the hours of conditioning and getting to know your horse on a much different level. I have always felt that the extra phases (roads & tracks, and steeplechase) could help an excitable horse relax and find his rhythm before heading out on D (cross country). In the steeplechase phase, the jumps are meant to be jumped out of a gallop with no balancing required. It is much safer to “miss” over a steeplechase jump (round jumps filled with brush) than over something much more complicated (as one might find out on phase D). Since I tend to balance too much in an effort not to miss, I think galloping the steeplechase phase will be quite therapeutic for me. In Wiley’s case, I am hoping the added steeplechase phase will help us open up our gallop and get our “attack” on – help us find our rhythm but more in the sense of letting go, than actually calming down. Neither one of us needs help calming down! I also think the three day tends to run a more championship level course which will be a good half step up for us – challenge us both but at the height we are currently most comfortable at. Plus we get to do a formal jog – what could be more fun than that? Not sure it will ever happen at the one star level so might as well do it now while the opportunity is available.
Even though our sport no longer supports the long format at the upper levels, more people should consider competing at a novice or training three day if possible. It definitely adds another perspective to the sport and allows you to take part in the sport in the format as it intended to be. For me, I am hoping to end my year with a challenge but one that will also send Wiley and me forward into 2016 with a boost in confidence as I consider a potential future move up to the next level.
I was lucky enough to complete a few CCI * long formats in my younger days and always loved the whole journey that it embodied: the preparation, the planning, the bonding, the hours of conditioning and getting to know your horse on a much different level. I have always felt that the extra phases (roads & tracks, and steeplechase) could help an excitable horse relax and find his rhythm before heading out on D (cross country). In the steeplechase phase, the jumps are meant to be jumped out of a gallop with no balancing required. It is much safer to “miss” over a steeplechase jump (round jumps filled with brush) than over something much more complicated (as one might find out on phase D). Since I tend to balance too much in an effort not to miss, I think galloping the steeplechase phase will be quite therapeutic for me. In Wiley’s case, I am hoping the added steeplechase phase will help us open up our gallop and get our “attack” on – help us find our rhythm but more in the sense of letting go, than actually calming down. Neither one of us needs help calming down! I also think the three day tends to run a more championship level course which will be a good half step up for us – challenge us both but at the height we are currently most comfortable at. Plus we get to do a formal jog – what could be more fun than that? Not sure it will ever happen at the one star level so might as well do it now while the opportunity is available.
Even though our sport no longer supports the long format at the upper levels, more people should consider competing at a novice or training three day if possible. It definitely adds another perspective to the sport and allows you to take part in the sport in the format as it intended to be. For me, I am hoping to end my year with a challenge but one that will also send Wiley and me forward into 2016 with a boost in confidence as I consider a potential future move up to the next level.
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