Judy’s Note: This article is written by one of my very special students named Rebecca Mullet. I hope it helps you to see thru the eyes of a student as they experience Milestone Farm. This was one of her pages in her senior project.
Eventing – What Is It?
Eventing is a sport that consists of three divisions, dressage, showjumping and eventing.
Dressage is the training aspect of the horse, in which the rider trains the horse to be supple, willing to work and attentative to his rider. In which the horse then becomes physically able to perform the tasks he is asked and mentally capable to listen to his rider in any sort of condition. In the dressage division, one is asked to perform a tests that has certain criteria to meet in order to move on to the next division. In eventing the dressage division is there to make sure that the hrose and rider have a harmony and can safetly execute decisions and physical endurance in the next divisions.
The next division is Show Jumping, this division is there to show the technical aspects of the horse and rider as a team. In the show they are asked to jump over a series of jumps with different questions and looks that would come across as scary and there fore result in a refusal. The show jumping is there to see the horse and rider as a team, suppleness, attentiveness, athleticism and stamina. This section is timed, and the horse and rider have to complete the course without any time faults (going over the limit or under) and any knocked rails. The jumps, unlike in the cross country division, are rails that are brightly colored and can be knocked down, causing penalties.
The third division is the highlight of the sport and the main reason why eventing has dressage and show jumping in it, Cross Country. In the Cross Country division, the horse and rider are to complete a course , also timed, that consists of natural based jumps that are solid and will not fall down due to impact. Many hroses and riders have died and have taken falls due to these jumps. Cross Coutnry requires the horse and rider to be in the best shape possible, not only physically but mentally because the rider and hrose as a team must find the right distance and approach to take these jumps but also remain at a steady gallop to reach optimum time. Optimum time is the time it takes to finish the course and penalties are placed on every second over the time and under the time. Cross country emphasizes endurance, bravery, and athleticism. In order to win in eventing the rider and horse must complete the three divisions without any more than three refusals in each sections, the rider cannot touch the ground while in competition and without many time faults.
Read the story of what Eventing means to Rebecca and her life
