Starting Eventing!

Hey guys, I'm starting eventing at a new barn and was just wondering if you have any tips, stories, ideas, anything at all that could help. I have been riding for 6 years and have done jumping up to 3 feet so I know how to jump at least. I have a little bit of experience in dressage, but not much. I have been doing hunter for a year or so, but don't like it and have always wanted to event. I have my own horse, but he doesn't event, so I am just taking lessons a few times a week. So just anything, what you think about eventing, is it fun? Thanks :)

Eventing is a blast! I have only been doing it for two years, but everyone I have met has been nice, the sport is so fun it's ridiculous and most horses seem to enjoy it. You just can't beat cantering across a big field and jumping natural fences.

If you're already jumping 3', while you may have to adjust your jumping style a bit to suit the discipline, you should be able to make the transition relatively easy. If you don't already, right outside of a ring as much as you can. Get yourself used to trotting and cantering on uneven terrain.

As for dressage, it is key for the lower levels of eventing. Usually the best dressage score wins the day since the jumps are easy and straight forward. Even if you have to go back to square one, learn dressage and learn it well.

Be safe, don't overface yourself and have lots of fun!!! Welcome to the dark side.

Eventing is an excellent sport and really shows off how many different things a horse and rider team can do.

I think the key thing about eventing to always remember is put as just as much effort into your dressage as your jumping phases, if not more. You'll find that the riders with the highest dressage scores tend to place higher, this may have something to do with the fact that dressage is really the basis of everything.

If you're already jumping at a decent height, you'll adjust quite easily. I think the biggest thing you need to remember about the jumping phases is that Cross Country is incredibly different to Show Jumping or the Hunter Ring. The terrain can be very uneven at times, slippery, the jumps need a completely different style of riding and the riding is quite a lot faster.

Eventing is a lot of hard work, but is honestly the most rewarding thing you will ever do with your horse. Yes, I'm bias. So, have fun. Good luck and we expect updates on he your eventing journey goes.

I promise you, your first event probably won't go smoothly though. So, don't give up. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Chinga is right. If you don't fall off or your horse doesn't jump out of the dressage arena at your first show, you did it wrong!

If you don't leave the dressage arena with a few zeros, elimination at the first TINY log on cross country, Elimination at the fourth jump in Show Jumping and a fall in the Cross Country warm up - you did it wrong.

I love eventing.

The entire... atmosphere of eventing is described in this blogger's blog. XD Don't take it too seriously, obviously, but Bad Eventer never fails to make me laugh! ;)