How about the course itself? What are some reasons you’d opt to avoid riding it?
Jessica: I am not a huge fan of very, very hard ground or
deep mud. However, it really depends on the horse that I am sitting on. I am one that tends to go out and see how things are going. If I feel like the course isn’t riding the way it should or my horse is really struggling, I may pull up then. Again, you really just need to know your horse and what it can handle. What is okay for one horse may not be okay for an- other. It all comes down to horsemanship and really, truly knowing your horse. Peter: It depends on your horse—if you have a horse
that has soft tissue or arthritic conditions you might want to save his legs instead of slogging through the mud. At most events the management tries really hard to get the footing in good shape, especially on the take-off and landing side of the jumps. It’s rare that the footing is so poor that you would withdraw; I would probably just opt to go a little bit slower, assuming the horse is truly sound. Holly: I think it depends on what horse you’re riding.
If it’s an older horse that has more experience and mile- age, you may be more inclined to withdraw than someone who’s on a younger and very sound horse. Some riders with multiple entries will withdraw one horse and not the other one, maybe because one horse needs the experi- ence while another has an old injury they don’t want to aggravate. I remember running at Morven Park and it was very muddy, but I had missed a couple of events leading up to Fair Hill and needed a run, so I went ahead and rode when a lot of other people decided not to. What your competition schedule looks like after that event matters too. If you don’t need the run, you might err on the safe
“I like to feel like I’ve got plenty of horse under me…” – Holly
side and pull out, but if you really need to go you might just ride more conservative, going slowly and carefully.
Are there any other reasons you’d choose to withdraw? Jessica: Sometimes, as riders, we need to be aware of
what we are feeling as well. There may be days where our gut is telling us to stay in the barn. You have to get good at knowing if it’s just nerves or if it’s truly a gut feeling that something isn’t right. We also have to know our own physical limitations. Injury and sickness can make it hard for the rider as well as the horse. If you are not fit enough to be out there or when you’re not feeling 100 percent, it’s best for you and your horse to stay home. There are those formidable compet- itors that can get it done by gritting their teeth and digging in, but the majority of mere mortals should be careful that they’re not putting themselves and their horses at risk. Peter: It has to make sense, you have to see how you are and the horse is. Sometimes there’s a merit to sucking it up a little bit, too. You have to use your best judgment at the time, apply common sense and do what you’re comfortable with. It’s a fine line where you back out because you’re overly care- ful and miss an opportunity to learn something, or you are overly confident and something goes wrong because of it. If you do scratch, do it for the right reasons, not just be-
cause it’s a little wet out. You have to treat the day seriously, be intelligent about it, and give yourself and the horse the opportunity to learn and go around the course—but be smart enough to stay home when it’s above your ability or soundness. Holly: I haven’t ridden a really exhausted horse, but I’ve seen them. You know it’s not safe at that point; the horse is not going to be able to save himself if he gets in trouble. I like to feel like I’ve got plenty of horse under me, so I’d be really likely to pull up before my horse got to that point. At the end of a three or four-star they’re all going to feel tired, but you can tell if they’re still eager or if their heart’s not in it anymore. At the end of a course, if they stop at a jump you’re probably going to retire because the horse is telling you he’s done. During the briefing at big events, the ground jury often makes it a point to advise that if it’s not going well or your horse doesn’t feel right, please pull up. If they think you’re riding dangerously, they’re going to make you pull up. It would be mortifying to have the latter happen. It’s a lot bet- ter if you make that decision yourself. You always kind of feel like people are watching you, so I find it makes me ride a little bit safer knowing that people are going to make you pull up if you don’t look safe. The last thing you want is someone tell- ing you to leave the course.
Holly Payne riding Never OutFoxed at 2014 Jersey Fresh CCI3*. Warmbloods Today 29
Amber Heintzberger
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