I’m working on a project and would love to hear your thoughts.
Obviously, I know what it technically means to be an eventer, but what image comes to mind when you think “now, that’s an eventer”? What characteristics? Habits? Mindset? What is the identity of an eventer at any level?
I’d really appreciate any perspectives!
A good horseman
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When I think of Eventing, I think of how welcoming all riders are. Everyone is there for the same reason, to have fun and enjoy their progress and sport. Nothing is better than watching riders coming off cross country. A rider who had an epic ride and smiling looks the same as someone who had a stop but still had an epic ride and loved every minute of it.
An open, welcoming fun sport. They call us crazy, but I think we’re just a good time!
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When I think of an eventer, I think of the community first. These are the people that when you break down on the way to competition, where you will be competing against them, they still detour out of their way to come help you, pick up your horses and get you to the competition. These are the people who after a difficult cross country run come off the course to give advice on the jumps that were tricky and how to best tackle them. Eventers are competitors but they are also family.
They think of their horses first. These are the people that everything seems okay but their horse is just the slightest bit not right and no matter how much money is on the line, they put their hand up and say not today, my horse needs to rest, see the vet, take a breather.
These are the people that are gritty, they’ve just ridden six horses through a 3* course and they are back at the barn sipping a cold beer while they help their hardworking groom ice legs, check feet and hand graze their partners.
These are the people that no matter what level you ride or how crappy a round you had they will say hey that leg yield looked great, that line you road to the coop was really well done, I really liked your horse’s try in the show jumping or you road the bucks on that pony like a pro bull rider.
These are the people that don’t care what your horse looks like, that their is rust on your trailer, primer on your truck or that your tack is mismatched. They will still hand you a cold drink and invite you to sit at their stall party.
These are Eventers.
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All-round-ism. IME, eventers don’t get deep into fads because – 3 phases, too many potential fads. Their minds are filled with horsemanship, management, vet issues, long-term planning, setting up for a better go tomorrow.
I like the eventer’s perspective, lifestyle, ease, dedication.
I’m not an eventer anymore but it was a great time while it lasted.
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Eventing is the ultimate amateur, DIY sport. Your success is more based off your hard work, time, and effort than talent. Eventers are hands on horsemen/horsewomen involved in the day to day care of their horse.
You really are only in competition with yourself. Getting a better dressage score than the last event, smoother SJ round, or battling whatever demon you and your horse face on XC.
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I wish I could still event. What I recall is the camaraderie, the shared laughs and tears, being able to borrow anything you needed from the folks in the trailer next to you (including a mom to help you pin your hair up!) and an eager, sharp horse. The daily routine is never a rut with so many different skills to work on. Special shout out to an eventing pal who found a battery operated blender for frozen margaritas in the shedrow.
That feeling: finishing XC and not being able to stop smiling, no matter our placing. Just finishing the three phases no matter the level was a victory, and sometimes placing above an Olympian who was out there on a greenie was a bonus. And being thrilled even if we were just a little better than our last outing.
Don’t even get me started on long format!
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Yep. Days gone by. I volunteer now, because I know that the riders are having such a good time.
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What it means to be an eventer?
I am completely old school in my mind. It means a rider/horseman with bravery and boldness that isn’t found in any other discipline. It is like an old coach once told me, “You have to ride like it’s your last 10 minutes alive and let go of life.” I find myself still in that mindset out of the start box.
Yes, the sport has changed. We have to be high quality riders/horsemen in 2 disciplines (jumpers and dressage). XC is no longer what it once was. The bravery and boldness has been transmuted to accuracy and technical ability akin to the jumpers. I appreciate all of it for sure and I know it makes me a much better dad to my horse. But the screaming in my head as I gallop towards a monster jump that my reptilian brain, says “Pull up! Pull up!” while my frontal cortex has to say, “Sit down and shut the fuck up.” is no longer there. That to me was the eventer difference.
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It’s still there for me, at tadpole level now 
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Eventers are that girl in school! The one that is cute but doesn’t know it, athletic but just thinks everyone is, smart as hell but just downplays it. The one that real people love and want to be best friends with, but the mean girls talk badly about because they are so intimidated by their self esteem and true kindness!
Their horses ALWAYs come first, and what comes second is their friends and competitors in the sport. They put themselves after that!
They celebrate each others wins, even if you can’t see your win, you can guarantee that your fellow eventer will find a win for you. They will celebrate that you kept your eyes up and you got over the jump while your tearing yourself apart.
They will encourage you to pull up your big girl panties and ride it like you stole it. But their shoulders are there for when your world is coming crashing down.
They see the value in a horse that is on its second, third or even fourth career. And they celebrate it!
They are what horsemanship and the value of a friend and sportsmanship is truly about!
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@Ponypuff, that is a beautiful post. I hope that I lived up to it when I evented, but I know so many others who did.
As a weenie amateur eventer with a lot of variability in my training schedule, it is there for me!
But the beautiful experience for me is when my horse is keen and we are in sync and he goes “I’ve got this”, then I can sit up and trust that we did the right training to get to that point and are a team. Having that kind of working relationship with a horse is what lights my heart on fire. Especially when the horse comes home more confident than we left the box. I love working green horses for this. Then I have to be the bold one, and happy to do so.
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Oh it’s the moment Ralph Hill used to fly over the Rolex course and turn around in the saddle and fist pump the crowds… old ham bone ,
I’ve used this as a confidence building training technique.
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Being an eventer is a state of mind: not all eventers have competed in an eventing competition.
An eventer likes to ride outside the ring, and an eventer will try to jump things when they’re outside the ring. An eventer likes the puzzle of horse training, while having to trust their partner out in the fields and cross-country courses.
An eventer likes an adrenaline rush - the magnitude is different for everyone. An eventer also likes to break the rules, sometimes.
An eventer will help you out at a clinic or show, they’ll cheer you on, take your photo, hold your horse, commiserate with you.
An eventer is always an eventer, even if they’re between horses, changed disciplines, retired, or stopped riding 
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To me is is the following things that make eventers special:
- Always doing the right thing for your horse, no matter the cost to your personal goals
- The comaraderie with other eventers (eg. giving insight to other competitors on how the course rode, loaning equipment to others who may have broken or forgot theirs, treatment of all other competitors as equals from Starter to Advanced),
- Taking on the challenge of trying to excel in all three disciplines
Eventers rock!
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I have never found that eventers are welcoming. I’d be at an event and say hello to people in my stall aisle and they either ignore me or look at me like I had 3 heads before walking away. Occasionally I’d meet a friendly person but it wasn’t the norm.
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Thats so sad to hear! I’m sorry that has been your experience.
That’s unfortunate. I’m sorry you had that experience. I’ve run into a few eventers who aren’t helpful or even friendly, but for the most part I’ve always felt welcome. Maybe some people you came across were nervous or were in their heads at that moment, who knows. I hope you’ve found your tribe in whatever it is you do now.
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