I’m trying my hand at Eventing (or the most dumbed down version of it) today and blogging about it. I hope I get the lingo right. If not, apologies in advance:)
The biggest change will be your position over jumps, as cross country takes a much more defensive position, quieter upper body, than the pic in your article.
Have fun quietly cantering cross country!
Welcome to world of what my hunter friends used to consider as a bunch of yahoos.
So long as you contnue to quietly canter, you may survive. Most event riders keep their lower leg under their body, and their seats closer to the tack. Crest release is replaced by an automatic release, so the upper body doesn’t lie on the neck.
Do get your self some lessons from eventing instructors.
Have fun. Remember to keep the red flag on your right—even for the warm up fences 
They do give you start time and mostly stick to them. Otherwise, the rest you will sort out with experience. And hopefully you and you horse become hooked!!
You know we’ll need a follow up report, right? I hope you had a ton of fun and discovered that hair nets are not required for the jumping phases 
That blog post was great!
Honestly, everything about eventing including the attitude of the competitors is more fun than being in Hunterland. How can you possibly want to go back?!
thanks for all the suggestions. that photo was from a couple years back. i am working with an event trainer, who has been making the same corrections in my jumping as you all have suggested. it was so much fun. here’s a link to the blog about it.
http://jodyjaffe.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-dark-side-visited-and-loved/
Glad you liked it! Yep, it is pretty friendly as far as the eye can see (so, maybe when you get to FEI, not so much, but I wouldn’t worry too much yet)… And yes, xc is the best part. And I think your friend yvonneke knows my horse Piko…
Welcome to the dark side, it’s a lot of fun. I’m also a semi-convert from hunterland (we still play there sometimes, too), and we have a blast with it. Ride times make it much, much easier to convince SOs to come watch/help/video 
You too?!
I thought I was the only one who was sending out feelers in the event world.
I will never get into it full time, I just love my hunters too much but the short courses are a blast. And not mentioning everyone is helpful and friendly. No snark!
I ventured with a friend’s eventer this year but next year I hope to debut my young mare.
Other great part about unrecognized events is that you don’t have to braid. (And even when you do have to braid for an event, they take much less time and are easier than hunter braids!)
[QUOTE=FrittSkritt;7853228]
Other great part about unrecognized events is that you don’t have to braid. (And even when you do have to braid for an event, they take much less time and are easier than hunter braids!)[/QUOTE]
I don’t braid at recognized events all the time either (never for novice or below and often not even for training). Never saw it affect my scores at all and at some venues…braiding is actually discouraged.
Now you just need to write a book set in the eventing world :)!
[QUOTE=IFG;7853324]
Now you just need to write a book set in the eventing world :)![/QUOTE]
Yes please!
Writing snarky-ish (some might take the ish off when it comes to how I describe things) books set in the hunter show world is like shooting fish in a barrel. I haven’t seen or heard of that kind of behavior in the eventing world… yet:)
So far what I’ve seen are people who really seem to love their horses, are helpful and friendly to other competitors and have testicles the size of New Jersey.
I am also a recently moved back to the dark side and I kind of want to stay here. Don’t get me wrong, I will do it at all low levels, but this is what I love. Your friend, Erin, is also a friend of mine. (we stabled together at AECs last year) and was so friendly and supportive at AECs it was awesome. Eventers really are a nicer, happier seeming bunch (even at AECs there was always a good luck or have fun or nice test or “don’t worry you’ll rock it out” )
[QUOTE=jody jaffe;7856165]
Writing snarky-ish (some might take the ish off when it comes to how I describe things) books set in the hunter show world is like shooting fish in a barrel. I haven’t seen or heard of that kind of behavior in the eventing world… yet:)
So far what I’ve seen are people who really seem to love their horses, are helpful and friendly to other competitors and have testicles the size of New Jersey.[/QUOTE]
You could showcase snark BY eventers AT the hunter show world?
Er… maybe not
But there are issues in eventing, as in any horsie discipline. You could have 2 former hunter princesses (barnmates & horse friends, if not friends IRL), move to the dark side. The first is delighted with the new environment, the other has… higher expectations. A comedy of manners!
New blog about dressage scoring which kept me up till way beyond my bedtime trying to crack the code.
http://jodyjaffe.wordpress.com/
Kaybee: I love the comedy of manners idea.
Your learning curve is just beginning. :lol:
http://pinehilltexas.com/ctrules.html
Important start: There is a 30 minute “protest period” after the scores have been posted. So now you will know how to read your dressage test and do the math!! why it is so important to go to unrecognized schooling shows first.
Tons more left to learn. Aren’t horses amazing = it’s bottomless learning! Just start reading the eventing forum threads. It’ll take you through the long winter months.
