im going to my first (hopefully of many) events next year. I believe I’m doing beginner novice and it’s not a recognized event. Any tips of things I need, or tricks to prepare?
does your horse need to be braided for dressage?
where Can I find an inexpensive body protector?
i have Horze front open front boots, do I need back and is it a good brand?
what types of things are illegal? (bits, Spurs, crops, just general rules)
Ive started reading the rulebook but it’s a lot to get through. Thanks
Welcome to the wonderful world of eventing!
Depending on the unrecognized event, your horse does not usually need to be braided. Mane should be tidy/pulled - everything clean!
Check your local used tack stores and ebay for gently used body protectors.
Boots probably depend on your horse and your preference. Some event without any boots - some with enclosed XC boots - and everywhere in between!
You’ll have to dig into the rules for illegal items. Bits, spurs, whips, etc all have descriptions. There have been several rule refresher articles recently that may help.
Tips - make sure you have plenty of water, your medical armband, gloves, a pinny holder, all easily accessible day of the show. An extra set of hands to help at your first few shows is beneficial in case you need to go walk a course quickly!
Good luck and have fun!
There is a sticky at the top of the thread, it has a cream background. This is where people have highlighted old thread topics to save. There are some there for newbies. Likewise I would urge you to scroll back through the eventing forum threads and open those that have titles that interest you. Way too much for anyone to spend retyping a lot of that information here. I would urge you to also start following the Eventing Nation Site www.eventingnation.com
So fun! Welcome!
Read everything you can get your hands on - but a caveat on EN. It does a ton of marketing and may make you think you need a lot more specialized “stuff” than you actually do. I’d start instead with http://www.useventing.com/ - I think there are even some articles geared toward doing your first event.
Strongly suggest you scope out the event you plan to do so you can get the lay of the land and see how things are run, whether people braid, how far between parking and XC start, whether there’s food, etc. Walk every course you can get to, and then watch it ridden. So if the facility runs more than one event per season, think about entering the second one and just watching at the first. I like to watch a few riders at every jump - you can get a sense of how it jumps and what works (and doesn’t!). If you know the facility and how things run, you’ll be so much more comfortable when there with your horse. Also, if you can go school there before competing, that’s also a great idea.
See if you can borrow a body protector. As for boots, meh. I don’t use them at BN, but most people around here do.
The rules aren’t really a lot to get through - just hunker down. It’s winter, after all. 
As for braiding, there is no rule that you have to braid for recognized events, either. A lot of people do. Personally, I did not, unless it was for a Championship or the AEC’s. It does not affect your score. My mare scored in the 20’s, regularly, and I did not braid.
Thanks for the replies! I was also wondering if anyone can help me find unrecognized events in nj. No more than 1 hour away from hunterdon county if possible. I looked at the omnibus but I can’t find and unrecognized events ANYWHERE!
The very nature of unrecognized events is that they won’t be in the omnibus — they aren’t recognized
im not familiar with your area, but check out the facilities that host recognized events around you, and then check out their websites. Many host unrecognized or schooling events.
From the content of your question, there is one very strong tip I can give you.
Get yourself ASAP to a knowledgeable instructor. There are a lot of UL riders in your area. I suggest an UL rider for a reason. You are less likely to learn habits that you will later need to unlearn.
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