Just because I love it.
Weeks ago, probably even months ago, an EN reader suggested a topic for a story. I apologise wholeheartedly to the reader because I cannot find your details now to thank you. Anyhow the idea was to talk to some of our top level riders and ask them about a time when they had begged, borrowed or bodged an item to get them through an event.
Talking to upper level riders is always fun but often when you are in the moment, asking them about a win or big event, you forget the odd questions. Anyhow I have resolved to try an ask this question to some of the riders I talk to at Burghley and Blenheim.
In the meantime, I asked the EN writing team two questions. This one was almost a ‘cover’ for the other question I asked the team which you will learn more about soon. But in the meantime, enjoy their answers. It seems that a credit card and perhaps duct tape can help fix some problems. We will start with me.
ESJ
Back in the days when I was competing, I could pretty much do everything for myself, but there was one thing I was useless at. Plaiting, mane and tail. I got a lot of tips and tricks on how to present my horse at a competition, I even learnt a really cool trick for dyeing a tail without getting black dye on a brown rump (cut a hole about one third of the way up an ‘old’ towel in the centre and feed the tail through that before you start). Anyhow my plaiting looks more like medusa’s head than a well presented horse.
I used to ask the little girls, hanging out at the stables, my wife and even the lady who ran the yard to help me out. One day I had a big event and no help was in sight. I conned my sister-in-law, who doesn’t even like horses to come out and plait my horse for me, she does a mean braid. She can do a full french braid on her own head, to me this was a perfect option. Anyhow the braiding went down fine, apart from the fact she didn’t like horses and would freak out every time he moved two inches. Eventually he was finished I was extremely grateful and I am sure we had a fun weekend, even if there was no hope of a ribbon in any colour.
Samantha
Samantha says she has the memory of an elephant and never forgets anything; she also told me she never gets speeding tickets, never makes mistakes, has no regrets or tells porky pies. She did say she knew of a friend of hers that used to forget things frequently and had supported many of the competition tack shops, buying several pairs of breeches a year, and was known to ride her dressage tests without a stock shirt underneath her jacket – always for a better score, but Samantha would absolutely never name names, but this friend did complete Badminton, WITH a shirt on!
Coren
Several years ago I was headed to Kentucky for a horse trial. Kentucky is a solid 9 hour drive from Missouri so once you are in route, no turning back. This particular year I was doing the CCI* which as we know, requires a trot up. Now, I love clothes, which means, I put a lot of effort into picking the perfect sweater and pants combination for the cool, fall weather. Sunday morning arrives, my horse is beautifully braided, bridled, and walking around. I dash to the trailer to change. Pants on. Perfect shoes on. Time for the top- uh. Lets just say, when females put of certain sweaters they require certain undergarments that don’t show. My sports bra wasn’t the right choice. I pull the sweater on, dart to the barn and start begging. I even consider the duct tape option. It fixes everything right? Finally, my moms generous friend loaned me the undergarment I was missing. If my horse had been lame, there would have been less panic. He was sound. No unnecessary bouncing needed. Of course, this isn’t as bad as the time I forgot my show clothes all together- also in Kentucky. Thank goodness for eventers and their ability to share. And thank goodness I usually get the gear right for my horse.
Annie
I’ve improved my packing skills for competitions in the recent years, but when I was first beginning to event and go to shows, I always seemed to forgot the piece of equipment that was most vital and least borrowable. One event I forgot to bring my tall boots and ended up having to compete in boots and chaps, another event I forgot a girth and had to borrow one from a friend although the size difference between my 13.2 hand pony and her 16 hand warmblood was slightly problematic, and one time I even forgot my saddle! My poor Dad had to drive the 2 1/2 hours back to the barn to retrieve it!
Abbie
Once several years ago I went to an event located about 18 hours from home and my trainer shipped my horse for me. Upon arriving at the event I went to his stall to check on him and organize my stuff. We all had tack trunks that my trainer would bring on the trailer for us and usually they would be outside the stall. Mine wasn’t. After half an hour of searching, it dawned on me that my trunk was sitting in the barn. 18 hours away. In Texas. This trunk contained all of my grooming equipment, bridles, vest, helmets, studs, whip, saddle pads, etc. Somehow there was a miscommunication and my trunk wasn’t loaded onto the trailer. Do you know how much it costs to overnight a tack trunk? More than you’d think. It ended up getting there in time and everything went smoothly after that, but it is my most epic forgotten equipement moment to date.
Ali
I forgot my tall boots once at Redland Hunt HT a few years ago. I had my Dad overnight them from Minnesota to my brother’s house in Maryland. Well, the post office wouldn’t leave them at the door of brother’s house, so I never got them in time to compete at the one day. I found the TD to find out what my options were, which were none, short of buying something. It’s a good thing my trailer is full of stuff! I had an old pair of boots from when when I was 12 or 13. They fit in the foot, but were too small in the calf. It was a bit embarrassing since they only came halfway up my calf, but I got to compete and I had a blast at my horse’s first event.
John
One word: girths. I am always forgetting them and I don’t know why. I would like to tell the few members of the Eventing Nation audience that I haven’t already borrowed a girth from that I surely will someday soon. For that I apologize and I am always happy to loan tack out in exchange.
I think the most fitting way to end this post is to invite you to tell us about your time when you forgot or broke something at an event and had to beg, borrow or bodge it to make it through.
Yours in Eventing,
ESJ
