Eventing with an upper level dressage horse? Advice needed.

[Forte]

My dressage horse and I have decided we want to dabble in lower level eventing. My mare has shown up to Third Level dressage and I hope to debut her at Fourth Level and possibly even PSG by the end of this summer. For the last year, we’ve been taking weekly jumping lessons with a local event rider and have been having a blast. Although the mare and I are both fairly green at jumping, we’ve been able to progress in our jumping lessons fairly quickly since my mare is so solid in her flatwork. We’ve been cross country schooling once and negotiated everything in the Pre-entry course in safe and controlled manner (although I fully admit to being terrified). Mare is a bold honest jumper and isn’t inclined to stop, run out or do anything too stupid.

So, the plan is to show Fourth level dressage and get to a few schooling events this year at Canadian Pre-Entry or maybe even Entry level .

Here are my questions:

1)What would be a reasonable weekly training schedule for a horse at this level? I feel like I should be doing “serious dressage” 4 days a week with her in order to achieve our dressage goals, but that doesn’t leave a lot of days left in the week for hacking, jumping, cross country schooling, relaxation work, etc. How much jumping and fitness work do I need to be doing in order to be well prepared for lower level schooling events (keeping in mind that both horse and rider are fairly new to jumping and need some mileage).

2)Is there anything special I need in terms of tack and equipment for x-country? I have a Tipperary safety vest. I am currently jumping in a show jumping type saddle that has been professionally fitted to the horse, a simple snaffle bride with a French link D-ring snaffle. Inexpensive Greenhawk open front boots and fetlock boots behind. I don’t use a martingale or breastplate. The eventers I know all seem to have a lot more “gear” than I do. Do I need a martingale/breastplate for safety? My girl doesn’t fling her head around. Are open front boots ok or should I be investing in some cross country boots for her? I’ve been wearing my Blundstones and half chaps for jumping. Is that ok for a schooling event or do I need field boots? The boots I have now are all stiff dressage boots that I can’t jump in because I can’t get my stirrups short enough without stabbing myself in the back of the knee.

Any advice appreciated.

[Foxtail]

As for your first question, why not mix jumping and hacking into your normal routine? Say, spend fifteen or twenty minutes a day riding out or schooling over fences. At the level you’re preparing for, the jumping you’ll do will make for good cross training for your dressage.

[lecoeurtriste]

Go for it! I have an 8yo mare who did the I-1 this past year and is schooling the GP (aiming for I-2 in 2017). We event at novice a few times each year and dabble in local schooling jumper shows. Depending on the weather and footing, I like to jump once per week, do one fitness day, and one relaxed day…that usually leaves 3 days for serious flat work. Honestly, though, she stays fit enough for novice without serious fitness days every week (I need them more than she does!). Each horse is different (of course), but you might find 3 days of flat and/or super purposeful flat warmup before jumping is enough to keep progressing toward PSG. Good luck and have fun!

[AKB]

My daughter occasionally evented our Irish Draught Sport Horse at Beginner Novice and did 4th level dressage with him. She trail rode him once a week, and jumped maybe once a week. Mostly, he did dressage. Fortunately, he had evented in his early life, so understood xc and show jumping. He didn’t get a lot of jumping mileage in our household.
I know you said you have a Tipperary vest. Some of the old Tipperaries are not very protective. If yours is old, it makes sense to at least consider a newer vest with better protection and a safety rating.

[Highflyer]

Jumping once and occasionally twice a week is plenty fitness wise. Definitely mix in a good bit hacking and trot and canter poles-- I’ll usually do 20 minutes or so of flatwork and then hack for 20 minutes.

As far as equipment, I prefer to use a 3 point or 5 point breastplate anytime I jump outside the ring. No martingale unless you need one. Open fronts should be fine at that level. I’m not sure what the Canadian rules for dress are (but you can easily find the rulebook online), in the US you would definitely need a medical armband or ID bracelet for the jumping phases, and only the smooth half chaps that look like tall boots are legal.

[ladyj79]

I had an imported m level mare who after a season in Florida decided she no longer wanted to dressage competitively.

She ended up Fox hunting quite happily at age 15.

I think low level eventing is perfectly attainable.

[Blugal]

You’ve had some good advice here, but I’d say the best person to give this advice would be the event trainer you’ve been jumping with. That person will be able to tailor the advice to what she sees in front of her: the type of horse (whether quick to get fit or not); how much jumping you both need; whether you might consider extra tack, or additional strategies for the show (sometimes horses that are new to eventing are stronger on XC their first few times out) etc.

Good luck and welcome!

[Foxtrot_s]

Some horses are the ultimate all-rounders. They thrive on variety and it keeps them fresh for their dressage as we’ll as fit…jumping requires different muscles.
(I’m not saying the 300,000 dollar imported horse should do it). Also, the horse has to be sound and any normal horse can do lower level eventing. A horse in regular work does to need an extensive fitness schedule, the speeds are not extreme.

Re boots and kit - yes, you will need the basics if you are doing more than your first event…discuss with your trainer all this stuff.

My horse did pre-training last year and as she bombed around, calm and cool, someone commented on how she did the water and that they wanted to take her home. Someone overheard this and said that the horse had had extensive flat work and the answer was - oh, yes, it shows. She is doing 3/3 and going on.

[pacificprima]

Ooooh Forte welcome to the club! Is it miss Tuna that you are taking?
I don’t have any real advise for you but when I decided to cross over I actually had someone tell me I didn’t belong there! (I may have taken advantage of “horse show” Emma and warmed up with some canter HP and changes…when your horse offers, you take the opportunity right?) She was totally joking and we’ve become super supportive of each other at shows since
You will have a blast!

[Divine_Comedy]

All of your tack sounds fine, except the open fronts. Open fronts are great for stadium, but not for cross country. That said, at the low level you definitely don’t need full on ‘cross-country boots’ and all that entails. Some sturdy brushing boots (like the Woof four/five strap) are fine.

That said, if your horse is a higher level dressage horse and you want to really make sure to protect her legs on cross country, you may want to invest in the XC boots.

I also generally advise jumping in a breastplate, especially XC. Even if the saddle fits perfectly, sometimes making an awkward effort can cause the saddle to shift and a breastplate can also double as an ‘Oh, shit!’ strap.

Double check your rulebook on the paddock boots and half chaps. In the U.S. you can use that combo as long as the half chaps are a ‘smooth leather piece’ that make it look like they are tall boots.

[PDDT]

I was at the World Dressage Championships held in Ontario in 1986 and was disappointed that Reiner Klimke didn’t bring Ahlerich who had a minor injury from eventing!

[kcmel]

Not sure how your levels correspond, but I use open fronts on my horse at novice, xc and sj, no boots behind. I will probably invest in more protective xc boots once we go training (although we are schooling training in open fronts).

I don’t think you need a martingale–I usually go with just a neck strap, since my saddle doesn’t move.