Eventing Guest Writers: December 2009 Archives

Snowflakes in the air, and ice on the water troughs. 'Tis the time of year when many eventers break out the old omnibus (err, go to www.useventing.com) and sit by the cozy, crackling fire to plan out next year's promising season. The horse trailer is packed with everything but the kitchen sink, and the crew is shipped down south for a competitive winter stint. The snowbirds land mostly in Carolina or Ocala, for their 4 month home-away-from-home. Many events in the area are within a short drive, and the concentrated population makes finding educational assistance a breeze. It's a perfect getaway to eventing paradise, to get a jump on your goals and prepare your horse for the year to come.  

But, alas, there are many more of us who don't make that trip. Lack of funding, work commitments, or family responsibilities keep us home for the winter. We are the bears hibernating beneath feet of snow, or the poor squirrels frantically scrapping to survive the barren landscape. Some riders just give up for the winter, give the horse the time off, and see y'all again when the ground thaws. Not me; I am a squirrel. 

 

My job does not allow me the freedom to relocate for 3 or 4 months at a time, so I make do as well as I can: I drive. I drive to Georgia or Carolina for a weekend event, missing as few days as possible. I ride every day, 6 days a week, no matter what Old Man Winter throws at me. I do not have an indoor. I deal with snow and ice, though thankfully it melts rather quickly. It takes dedication and determination, and flexibility to adapt your schedule to deal with impending weather. 

And all the while, I deal with frozen water buckets, near-frostbite on my toes, frequent use of a quarter-sheet, and struggling to move under all the layers of clothing. I'm a firm believer in what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...and living through another winter, maintaining upper-level fitness, definitely makes you tough. I know that I am at a disadvantage my southern-based competitors, but I'm willing to work twice as hard (or as much as necessary) to make it work. After all, the alternative is to get fat and hibernate...and bears don't wear Rolexes. :) 

Here are a few of my favorite "Squirrel" survival tips: 

1) Don't be a wimp. RIDE every day that you plan to ride; even if it's so cold you can only hack. You only have so many "excused absences" in your training schedule, and you need to save those for legitimate reasons (lameness, health procedures, or EXTREMELY AWFUL weather) 

2) Maintain a flexible schedule and learn to love the Weather Channel. My basic schedule includes a weekly jump school, and a weekly gallop. But I will adjust the days of these activities based upon the best weather available, to ensure good footing. It is a balancing act between climate conditions and necessary training. 

3) Stay warm: everybody knows to dress in layers. I've found, though, that keeping my neck warm (a scarf or gaiter) and my ears warm (you will NEVER find my ears uncovered below 55 degrees) makes me a happier person. And when I'm happy, it's easier to work well. Wear wrap-around style sunglasses-- they reduce glare from snow, shield your eyes from falling snow, and keep your face warmer (no eye-watering during gallops!). 

4) Manage your horse wisely. It's harder to put weight on a working horse in winter, so be sure to increase feed at the first sign of loss of condition. Body-clip when needed, and blanket appropriately. My horse, living outside, will wear two layered heavyweights and a neck cover. I also try to keep her barefoot as long as possible, to avoid dealing with snowballs in shod feet. (It's better for her feet, anyway, to stay bare). 

5) Plan your goals well in advance, and be very realistic about what you can achieve. "Rushing" into an event, or trying to compress your training schedule is pretty much impossible with the challenges of winter. Cross-country schooling in northern locales is limited at best, so enter your first event at a lower level to account for this. Be ready to adapt your plan if things come up-- move down, or skip an event altogether if your horse is not 100% ready. Of course, this should go for ANY event, ANY time of year...but proper preparation is extremely important. 

It is hard to make it through the daily grind of winter. But remember, each day that passes is one more closer to spring...and unless you're in Canada (sorry Canadians) it could always be worse!

It is with great pleasure and pride that I introduce Holly Hudspeth, formerly Holly Hepp, as Eventing Nation's first ever guest writer.  Holly has competed at Rolex multiple times and earned her red coat by finishing 9th at the Pan Ams in 2003.  Holly is based out of North Carolina, and recently placed 15th at the Fair Hill CCI*** on the fantastic Last Monarch.  Holly is a well know coach, having trained the Area VIII Young Riders for several years.  As an aside, a close friend of mine is stuck at college in the frigid north, but travels to Holly's for week-long tune ups in January and over spring break each year, and has benefitted greatly from the experience.  Check out Holly's website for more information on training opportunities.  Now, please enjoy Holly's article "Aiming High the Smart Way," which contains useful thoughts for riders and coaches at every level. 

I have always been a supporter of "dreaming big." That is what pushes athletes to reach for stars they themselves never knew existed. Setting the goal is exciting, and for many, obtainable. Yet anyone involved with horses knows all too well that things do not always go as planned. This should not be a time to walk away, but a time to look at all the factors intertwined with producing a solid base for "aiming high."

I have seen many hard working and dedicated riders out there who enter competitions because they are "qualified." Time and time again I see riders enter a championship or FEI competition because they are allowed to from their qualifications. Unfortunately, the paper that they are looking at with results does not always tell the truth! It does not define their preparation or skills, and they many enter that horse show under par.  In the situation where a person is truly not ready, the competition will end in failure. Speaking from personal experience, failure is no fun, and makes for a long ride home! Whether one's goal is a half star or 3 star, there are a few things that I tell my students to look at before they send in that entry for the next big step.

First off, a rider should print off their current competition record and look at where the holes are. Are they jumping well but finishing in the bottom five every time after dressage? Is their horse consistenly having 4 or more rails every round? Are they incurring loads of time faults on the xc due to control issues? Are they taking every long route to avoid the direct questions? If we are seeing a steady pattern of issues, chances are they need to address the problem prior to looking forward to the next level. I think it is so important for riders to not "skim" through the qualifications. I see many people so excited that they finally "qualified" for an event or level, despite the fact they nearly fell off on the xc, were last after dressage, or went bowling in the show jumping. Don't get me wrong, we all, including myself, have competitions we would rather forget. I am merely talking about the steady repetition of dismal results. And in terms of "moving up," the one consistent factor is that the level of difficulty increases as you move up divisions. If there are holes, you WILL get caught out.

Holly coaching at the Carolina Horse Park

So now what? Let me say every horse/rider combination has areas that require improvement. So by focusing on that weak area you are increasing your chances of a more successful record. Many riders train with one person for all three phases. I think that working very closely with an instructor is good, but do not close the doors to additional help. I am not saying don't be loyal to your instructor, but if you need specialized help in an area, go get it. Not every trainer is perfectly well rounded, we all have stronger disciplines. But if you need to up your dressage scores, find a good dressage person to help fine tune your test or teach you how to stop throwing points away. If you are pulling loads of rails, find a good jumper rider to get the best "jump" out of your horse. Speaking personally, I travel when I can to get specialized outside help. I also encourage my students to do the same.

In summary, dreaming big is what drives those with ambition. But dreaming big has to come along with a thought process. Sweeping the problems under the rug will backfire when they escape and find you! Aim high, but take a hard look at where you and your horse are at. Do your homework, on and off you horse, and you will be amazed at what you can obtain. Never settle for the minimum in your training. And when you emotionally and physically hit the dirt, get up and dust yourself off. With grit and determination solid success is right around the corner.