What does competing FEI give me?

It’s a safety thing, an extra division thing, an extra police who can enter thing, a sport mindset that height alone equals difficulty thing.

I wanted the same - some technical challenges at lower heights. The big problem is that people assume low height means easy and inviting to a young or green horse. Anyone daring to build a more technical, low height course would face lawsuits for excess difficulty when someone failed to actually read the division descriptions, entered the wrong class, and got hurt (because they lacked the sense to see what was in front of them and say nope).

But it would be so much fun! (For those of us who have experience and skills to manage technical questions without the desire to jump higher).

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Could more technical options be provided? E.g. a ditch as the regular choice, with an optional log a few strides after?

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Under current USEF rules, course designers can’t set questions that are inappropriate for the level. So, you’d have to have a competition under some other auspice.

In Canada, we are branching out from plain horse trials to a few more options - the “I Can Event” program, and provincial programs. These still have rules and divisions with the difficulty associated with the heights.

Therefore, it’s highly unlikely anybody would be setting upper level questions at lower level heights, because the facility’s insurance will want the correct officials and design according to the specifications set out. The designer themselves will want to ensure they follow specifications so that they are covered by insurance, too.

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Around here they have started doing xc derbys. I could see maybe setting up some more technical questions but with stadium jumps. Less risk and no need to build a separate course. As an ammy that would definitely top out at novice I think it would be fun.

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That’s one reason why I had hoped that the xc equestrian thing (xc only) would take take these wants into its setup. With it having everything optional & scored on points, the more difficult things could be an option. But I don’t think they have realized the need/want for those options (yet?).

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Spinoff: Technical Questions at the lower levels - wanted?

I made another thread about the lower levels wanting more technical. Since it has nothing to do with competing FEI…

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