Eventing on a Budget: Creative ways to make eventing more affordable.

[Winding_Down]

As the title says.

Ideas?

One of my goals is to work through local eventing organizations to build locally sanctioned events. This is sort of like the old distinction between AHSA and VHSA here in Virginia.

We have a lot more interest in eventing these days and especially at lower levels. Kids and adults want to go out and have the thrill of xc at 18", 2’, and more. The USEA has responded to this over the years by adding lower level divisions, as in beginner novice, novice, and so on.

But there are other ways on a personal level. Competing less is one. I have to admit that I love the process far more than the competition. It is the day to day reschooling and training a young horse and also getting my arse working harder, that fuels my engine.

I want to go to the AECs next year. So how the heck will I afford that on my nonprofit income?

[Synthesis]

In general, a good question is what rated competition offers besides an extra layer of cost? I’m starting to seriously ask the question here in Canada. If the national federations are so out of tune with grassroots and (frankly) corrupt, why aren’t we redirecting our limited resources into our grassroots facilities?

What could we do with our local courses if the money that it costs to run rated events went into a course improvement fund? Even if the difference is only a few hundred dollars, that’s materials for a couple new XC jumps (coops, steeplechase style, etc)

If we covet the better footing at the big events? Why don’t we fundraise via the local membership and rent an aerator to improve the footing locally? Most farms already have the tractor. Figure out the difference in fuel between the local event and the ‘big name’

We don’t need the carved ducks and squirrels. Hell, most of us don’t care. We know the specs, build to spec. Have a farm with woodland? Cut and donate some trees for fence building material, plus help build? Lots of big rocks on your property? Would they be useful in building anew wall jump? Have a small wooden boat that looks decent but you aren’t repairing? Make and donate a unique set of jump wings or build into a unique moveable jump!

We’re eventers! We go all the places and jump all the things! Why can’t we upcycle our local courses into the kind we covet elsewhere?

[EventerAJ]

[QUOTE=Winding Down;8943392]
As the title says.
But there are other ways on a personal level. Competing less is one. I have to admit that I love the process far more than the competition. It is the day to day reschooling and training a young horse and also getting my arse working harder, that fuels my engine.

I want to go to the AECs next year. So how the heck will I afford that on my nonprofit income?[/QUOTE]

I may be an upper level competitor, but I"m DEFINITELY on a budget. Every event is carefully planned and saved for. I don’t have the luxury of “Plan B” “Plan C” or “Plan D” to haul my horse to another show next weekend if my Plan A doesn’t work. I have to make Plan A work, or I sit out and stay home. It’s a lot of pressure, knowing that I need every competition to count for a qualification or a good prep for some bigger goal.

I make sure my horse and I are thoroughly prepared at home; not just in training, but in fitness and condition. It’s pretty common at the ULs to scratch if the xc footing isn’t just right, those riders just do D & SJ and go home, to show again somewhere else. If I’m at the show, I NEED it in my schedule; unless I’m really worried about my horse’s safety, I’m going to run XC because spending another $600 next weekend wasn’t in the budget. I ran XC at Maryland CIC2* this summer, when nearly half the division went home because it was “too hot and too hard.” I keep my horse fit on all surfaces, I do some work on hard ground so he is somewhat adapted to it. I take care of him afterwards with ice, etc. What happens if the ground isn’t perfect at a CCI? You and your horse are better prepared if you’ve already run in mud or imperfect ground and you know how to handle it. However, I accept my circumstances: if I don’t achieve a necessary qualifying score, I understand that I may not be able to meet my year-end goal this season. I might have to wait till next year, but that’s okay. I will be prepared when I get there.

Other ways I try to save: split your hauling and hotel with a friend, if you can find someone going to the same shows. When alone, I’ve also camped in my truck or horse trailer, especially at venues that have bathroom/shower facilities (saving $100/night on hotel adds up to allow for extra events!). I bring food and drinks from home, including a big 5 gallon orange cooler of gatorade or ice water. I also bring my horse’s bedding from home, rather than pay $7+ for bags of shavings. Even though I compete at FEI, I don’t have a groom and I do all the work myself. I beg a friend to help xc cool-out, but the rest is all on my own.

It’s still awfully expensive, and my husband grumbles constantly about the lack of prize money (especially compared to other horse sports, particularly western/rodeo). I don’t think big-time prize money is possible, or even desirable in most cases, but it would be helpful for many of us (at all levels!) if there was some way to help pay back some entry fees, or win a free entry for next year.

[Mukluk]

Sadly my current strategy is to not event and wait until I can afford to do it. I have a trailer but I need a truck. May be able to “horse pool” next season. In addition, it’s free to spectate (beyond travel and any lodging expenses).

[devvie]

Here are some things that I do:

Choose clinicians carefully. I’ve found one that I really like, and I’ll be sticking with that person when he’s back in the area. That said, I’ve done two clinics in four years (spectated others).

Go schooling and showing at venues that are as near by as possible.

Take lessons, but not necessarily weekly. I’m taking one or less a month and really practicing in between. I’ve found that I value the lessons that much more and practice that much harder. If I do get stuck wrt to something, coach and I email (only when really needed.) That said, I have in the past been in “full training” with five lessons a week for months on end, so I do have that to draw from. It depends on where you are at with your riding and your horse.

Work in trade for lessons or riding time.

Go to shows to see where your skills are at: it’s mostly because I’m really short on the money, but I only went to a few shows, and based on results there I know exactly what I need to work on, which I’ve been doing for the past three show-free months. I expect a big improvement next time I get out.

And of course the obvious (but pretty darned hard to do, dang it): buy everything used. The only item I’ve bought brand new in recent memory: 1 pair of breeches, 1 helmet, gloves (but those were a gift). I borrow x-c vest, I borrow show jacket, since I’m not using them every weekend anyway. Just dry cleaning cost for jacket.

Volunteer. Aside from gas money, it’s free, and educational.

Read. It’s free and educational.

Learn to be good at dressage so that you can work your horse in a way that keeps him sound with little to no “maintenance”: injections, Adaquan, chiro. Not always possible but the right kind of riding and fitness work will at the very least help you to avoid vet bills.

Practice good stable management and veterinary preventative medicine to keep horses sound, healthy, happy and most importantly rideable.

FWIW I lease, I don’t own, no truck or trailer, and I’m over forty. I’m hoping to get out more next year, already scheming to make it happen. I’m not the typical eventer but I am managing to be a part of the sport and I do ride 5 or 6 days a week.

In a certain way, I save money by seeing eventing as a way to develop my horsemanship rather than a sport that makes showing all the time imperative. If I had more money would I have gone out more? Probably, but I’m not sure that it would have improved my riding. So if improving the riding is the goal there are certainly ways to do that as an eventer.

[MoonLadyIsis]

For me, it’s about strategy. Figuring out which events are less popular and I am more likely to place higher (for AEC qualifications). I also use schooling jumper shows and schooling dressage shows to school since combined tests are more expensive with less times in the ring. For example, three courses at a schooling jumper show costs about 60 bucks. Two dressage tests cost approx 50-60 bucks. I, luckily have a truck and trailer, but I braid myself and have braided on the side to offset some costs. I have also shipped with friends to split the fuel.

[kcmel]

MLI’s strategy is a good one if you are trying to qualify for AECs. Around here the pros and their better students pretty much do the same circuit every year, so you can try to find something when they are at Richland or Millbrook, for example.

I save money by doing unrecognized, which I enjoy tremendously. I also have a coming 6 YO that my trainer will be competing for at least another season, so that doubles my cost when he competes. If I was doing recognized I could only afford a couple of HTs a year. I did get out a lot this year; I will probably have to cut back next year. I went way over budget!

XC schooling is also really expensive. Boyd just went up from $50 to $60, so for two horses and my trainer that is well over $200. The economical place, Carousel Park, was only $25, but apparently they didn’t have a lot of jumps out this year.

[FitToBeTied]

I primarily shifted to fox hunting. That serves as the conditioning and XC school components. Also, I do the pairs races in Virginia. It’s cheaper than eventing. I save lesson money for dressage. I will do the occasional jump clinic but not often. Most jump schooling I do at home.

I’ve gone old school in my actual eventing schedule. Maybe, and I mean maybe, one or two events in the spring and then one or two in the fall.

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=Mukluk;8943582]
Sadly my current strategy is to not event and wait until I can afford to do it. I have a trailer but I need a truck. May be able to “horse pool” next season. In addition, it’s free to spectate (beyond travel and any lodging expenses).[/QUOTE]

I rode and competed from childhood through Juniors. But from age 18-33, I did not have a horse because I did not feel like I could afford one. When I got tenure, I went out and bought a horse (ottb) but did not get a truck and trailer for another 3 years. The initial investments are huge.

[Winding_Down]

A big plus here in Area II is the increase in the number of starter trials. When I first moved back here in the late 90s, these were few and far between. Now, I can use starter trials to get young horses going out and about. The past two years, I have had only youngsters so I have competed locally and non sanctioned. I really enjoy these events. They are friendly, informal, and the exposure is great.

But I do like to go to USEA events. I like to compete alongside the top riders. I learn more, and I aspire to do more. I don’t care if they are in my division because I am not there to win (but I do celebrate if I win!).

Sometimes the quality of courses etc at starter trials are inferior. But sometimes not. I would put MDHT Starter Trials up against most of our area sanctioned events. Also, the starter courses tend to be less challenging. So going from novice starter to novice USEA can really be like moving up a level.

This coming year, I expect to have one horse moving up to training. We will be at the USEA events when we think he is at that level, although I will likely run him at novice first.

I am on a strict budget due to my own career choice (I work for a nonprofit which pays less than 1/2 of what I would get paid privately). I do this because it is meaningful to me and also because I have family who depend on me for assistance. So I have made a choice to have less $$, hence limiting cash for horses. For 15 years or so, I funded my competitions and horses with training and sales. I gave that up 2 years ago and this has hit the pocketbook much harder than I expected. I am contemplating going back to that but will give myself a few months to make that decision. It means hiring barn help again, which is a real headache in this unpopulated area.

[ccr0009]

(I just finished reading the Thread on Eventing’s Biggest Enemy, and the last few pages reflect the increased costs, rather than studying for my mid-term, I responded to that, not directly how as an individual I cut costs. To that I always stable at a cheaper neighboring farm at farther events and trailer in, plus camp.)

My little dream for eventing? I’m not willing to compromise on good footing, well-organized events, the best officials, I like the safest technology of xc fences. But, at the same time work on a middle-class income (with grad school tuition pulling half of that right now). So… That immediately removes my vote from the following: to lower the costs of show-organizers, or increase the price of my entry fee

For the life of me, I don’t understand why a lot of organizations don’t look out-side of our small circle to bring in outside revenues. My under-grad college friends and I, spent $300 for a rail pass to sit in the hot sun to see 5 seconds of horses galloping past at the steeple-chase. We all squeeze into my truck and split the cost. Complain? No. We had our wine, lunch, and enough selfies so all of Instagram knew we were there.

I can forsee responses, that a drunk-college student walking in front of a xc lane is a liability waiting to happen, but I really don’t forsee an extreme amount of difficulty in allocating viewing areas and make a tailgate out of it. Invite the public, have an announcer get creative announcing as riders pass fences, and as the popularity catches on increase tail-gating areas. You offer tail-gating and let me park my pickup next to a cross-country lane? I can bring the people who will pay money to sit under a tent and watch xc if they can drink mimosas and eat my salsa and rotel dip.

This not only brings in another source of revenue, but increases awareness of our sport. (without showing it at other competitions cough-indoor-eventing-cough)

Not only that, but if you bring in people who are not only interested in horses, you also bring in other sponsorship options. My firm may not want to advertise ourselves if only riders who aren’t interested in my firm and not from the area will see our banner, but I inform my employer that a high-end tailgate and social event is occurring this weekend? That’s good advertising. What is even better advertising? Taking our future high-paying clients to a social event where we poor cheap beer in fancy looking cups and listen to a British guy on an intercom. We’d pay a few $100+ if it became a popular social event. That certainly seems a little more fun than watching the local minor-league baseball team that we currently opt for.

Charge for parking. At my student’s first rated event: mom, grandmother, best friends mom bringing best friend, dad comes in later in the afternoon. Why not charge them per car? If it causes a huge uproar, give a rider 1 parking pass so they aren’t charged.

[ccr0009]

One more bit (Then, I’ll stop)
If there are any AREA III events interested in something like this, I would love to volunteer my time to help coordinate.
Logistically it adds a lot of new risks and concerns: parking, obtaining volunteers for coordinating, etc.

But what if, I’m not sure how much it cost to run Indoor Eventing or who funded it. But what if USEA gave incentives to organizers that could bring in X number of spectators or even incentives to promote spectators coming to an event. (Think very long-term how this would benefit the USEA: X people attend event, X % retain remembrance our sport exist, and out of that x% want to start riding or become involved in sport. From a numbers standpoint, it should bring in future cash flows to USEA.) Just discount an estimated FCF, to determine what the Present value/cost is worth today.

From a show-organizers perspective not willing to want to take on too much at a time. You first use some social media, “Riders, we will give you a discount on a tail-gate package.” and don’t charge $1200 for a “VIP Access” for high-end wealthy sponsors to drink cheap wine, because the first time you try to promote something like that less than 10 of them will show up and their taste are more expensive. You’ll Start with $150/200. Whats included: access to park somewhere close to a horse running by. This finally gives me a chance to invite my friends and family who want to come a see me ride. If my now ex-bf thought he could invite his buddies over to our horse-trial and set up a tail-gate during away footballgames, somewhere away from the barn, and entertain them you’d have a consistent stream of cash from him, and he’d still be around because he hated horse shows. Thank you eventing for rescuing me from that situation. Bring families together through things like this, your husband hates horse shows because he doesn’t like sitting by the trailer waiting on you to finish or hanging out in a cramped dirty temp stall aisle? Send him and his buddies with something to eat and drink to a “tail-gate”
Your accessibility grows from there. Next time, his buddies run the tail-gate, and invite their spouses and kids who like horses.
It costs time in planning, but from a financial standpoint the initial costs don’t appear that high.

[sherian]

hey ccr0009 want to move to Winnipeg? we have a very small eventing community here that needs new ideas and energy to get it to grow.

[Mango20]

For me (and mostly my son), this year we stuck to Area II starter events and Pony Club rallies and events except for the one USEA event that was required for him to qualify for Pony Club Championships, in addition to the regional rally. Well, PC Champs is also a USEA event, so I guess that was two.

Most of the starter events we did were held on recognized courses - MDHT, Waredaca, MCTA, etc. None of them require us to stable overnight, and I don’t pay trailering or coaching fees. My son’s lessons are mostly through Pony Club, so pretty cheap for good quality instructors. I take a private dressage lesson every other week, on the same horse my son rides, so the horse gets more lessons than either of her riders. All three of us are ready to move up to training next year, so may have to work a few more recognized events into the schedule.

[Heinz_57]

As far as my particular area is concerned, I’d like to see less HT’s held over 3 days, but it seems to have trended the other way. Most of us little people that are only able to compete by scraping together the pennies cannot afford the extra days off, the higher cost for stabling, etc. I think there are ways to accommodate a larger number of entries without extending to a third day.

We are also severely limited by the lack of schooling events and one days being offered. I’m not involved in the community enough right now to know why that is, however. My last HT was 2012. At this point, with this horse, competing is only for personal benefit and the novelty of it, so I’d be perfectly happy sticking to unrecognized shows if we had more than 1-2 per season.

On a personal level, if I ever do get back to competing (here’s hoping for 2017!), I will be tent camping instead of staying in hotels, bringing my own bedding when allowed, and will haul in for the one show that is near (about 30 minutes) to my home. I keep my horse at home, so his upkeep costs are minimal. He’s barefoot at least for the off season. I don’t buy new tack or clothes, try to bargain shop for decent quality used and avoid unnecessary purchases on “fad” items. Much as I could use it, I don’t expect to be able to lesson more than once a month, and won’t be attending any high-priced big name clinics. We’re not at a level where a $100 lesson is going to be more exponentially more beneficial than a $40 one. Frankly, I could probably just tell my husband to yell out “heels down!”, “thumbs up!”, and “more leg!” at random intervals and it would do me just as much good. :lol:

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=Heinz 57;8944412]
As far as my particular area is concerned, I’d like to see less HT’s held over 3 days, but it seems to have trended the other way. :lol:[/QUOTE]

This is an excellent point. I do not really understand why some event have divisions spread out over more than one day. Virginia Horse Trials is one. Perhaps this is because they can generate more income through stabling. For me, I really do not want to go down there unless I have a horse at the upper levels. The expense isn’t worth it in this area because we have other one day events that are within reach.

[Ready_To_Riot]

I just started planning my 2017 season. I would REALLY like to qualify for AECs and be good enough to have a chance to win (or at least place) as I don’t see the point in spending the money for the “experience”. Being on a budget means I need to plan events very well and be very prepared.

I’m lucky enough to live near some great unrecognized events that run over USEA courses. I will be utilizing those to the best of my ability this year. For $115 I can run my horse over a BN or N course to prepare me for my USEA BN. It will cheaply give me the information I need to know what I need to work on and a time Frame to know if I’ll be ready to win the recognized event I have scheduled. If not, then I skip it because there is no point in going if I can’t get a qualifying score for AECs.

I also take full advantage of show that have per night rated stalls. Meaning 45 a night vs events that are just a flat $150-200 for the duration of the show. I will stable for 1 night and 1 night only. Sure, this means leaving at the crack of dawn the morning of the show, but that $45 I saved is a tank of gas. It also cuts down on me having to pay someone to come feed my dogs while I’m away. I can feed them Saturday morning and again Sunday night when I return.
I know I’m missing the fun of Friday night get togethers at the show and the ability to school my horse prior to competing, but I’m there for a reason. And I have to stay focused on that.