Guest Blog post # 63: "Trick or Treat" by the Bad Eventer!

guest-blog-63-trick-or-treat-bad-eventer

Have you ever ridden with a coach who raises the jumps when you're not looking?

Over the years I've ridden with a lot of people and for some reason, this is a common tactic.

It's so common.... I was joking about this while trying a horse. The seller sent me out on a derby course that looped around a building. While I was behind the building he jacked the next jump up a solid foot while the videographer (thanks a lot honey) giggled....................

I'm getting ready for my first show in a LONG........ L O N G time and I was thinking about my last jump school before the show. I'm sure there are as many different approaches to the week before the show as there are riders.

Here's a few tactics I've run across.

1. Mr. Terrifying Trickiness

This is the coach that puts everything on the farm on the top hole. The last jump lesson before the show he has you jumping the biggest, widest, skinniest, trickiest, most terrifying crap you've ever seen in your life.

As you're cantering down to the 3'6" skinny house, one stride to the angled ditch, one stride to the massive 4'6" brushed chevron........... you're thinking.............but we're only going Novice this weekend!!

He scares the pants off of you so that when you get to the show, you and your pony think THANK GOODNESS, this is NOTHING!!

2. Miss Don't Take any Chances

This is the coach that does just the opposite of Mr. Terrifying. She puts you back on cross rails & baby jumps, holds your hand, rubs your shoulders.............

She doesn't want any mishaps right before the show. You jump a few courses a solid two levels below what you'll be competing at..... in the hopes that you and your pony will think you're rock stars and carry that confidence boost out of the start box.

3. Miss Cheater Cheater Rival Beater

This coach is a master at spy games.

As soon as the stadium course is set at the show, she sets the identical course up somewhere nearby and all her students go school the exact course they'll be jumping in the competition.

She is all about winning........

4. Mr. Oh-So-Not Prepared

This is the trainer that realizes the week before the show he hasn't actually ridden the horses he will be competing.

The day before the show he jacks up the fences and takes them all out for an intense-cramming-session on cross country & stadium jumping.

This last minute session typically includes lots of refusals, bit changes, and cursing.

5. Miss Gymnastics Olympics

This coach believes the week before the show is the best time to set up every gymnastic in her books. They are typically complicated & crazy exercises.

I'm sure her students & their ponies breathe a big sigh of relief when the most they have at the show is a triple.

After lots of experience, Bad Eventer does best with Mr. Terrifying's approach..............if I don't get to the show & think it looks easy............it's going to be a Bad Eventer kind of weekend....................