A Hunter / Jumper's First Eventing Combined Test - Q&A with Heather Terdan
It may not seem like a stretch to compete in Jumper classes and Eventing but the experiences are very different. One of the members of our marketing team showed in a local combined test recently and we got the inside scoop on what it was like for her. Heather normally shows in English Hunter/Jumper classes with her 14 year old Thoroughbred gelding Dermontti "Monty".
Q: Have you shown or schooled cross country before?
A: I have schooled cross country only a handful of times before this show. But never shown.
Q: What division did you show in this time?
A: I showed in the Novice division, which is 2’9 – 2’11! The jumps looked very big considering they were solid fences and I’d never shown in this before!
Q: What did you do to prepare for the cross country jumps?
A: I think what helped us prepare most was going on relaxing trail rides in the woods, across streams and through fields. It helped my horse become accustomed to particular surroundings without being too demanding on him, mentally and physically. To prepare for this course, schooling was offered the day before. So, I was able to practice the course before show day.
Q: What expectations did you have?
A: Monty can sometimes be a chicken when it comes to work outside of the arena. I expected him to stop or shy at some of the XC jumps. Also, I was thinking that going through the water would be a big deal for him.
Q: Did it go as planned or expected? How?
A: I honestly was expecting the worst case scenario, but after I got on and cantered down to the first fence, I realized I was going to have a blast. I instantly relaxed and allowed my horse to take over and do his job. He exceeded my expectations and ended up going around fault free and in the time allowed, it was so much fun and we ended up 3rd! Not bad for our first time.
Q: What if anything would you do differently about your prep?
A: I would have liked to school him a couple more times before the show. Granted, we did fairly well but it would have been nice to have more practice.
Q: Do you think you’ll event again in the future?
A: Absolutely! It really is a lot different from the jumpers that I usually show in. It was such an incredible feeling letting Monty gallop across the event field and jump over the jumps. I would definitely like to show in eventing again.
Heather and Monty are a prime example that training and showing in different arenas can be fun and exciting even if it seems scary at first. Let us know about your experiences training or showing in a different discipline.
