Only 8 Weeks Until The Waredaca Classic Three Day Event!

The kids are going back to school and before you know it The Classic will be upon us! Last we talked about footing considerations and how to help keep your horse comfortable as you prepare. This week we cover some planning and packing considerations.

The USEA just shared this timely post with great information about the importance of hoof care and shoeing cycles. Mentioned in the article is talking to your farrier about making you a spare set of shoes (drilled and tapped if you use studs). Having a spare set of shoes ready to go in case one is lost on endurance day is invaluable. Hopefully you won't ever need to use them but you'll be so happy you were prepared if you do. 

Another thing to start considering is enlisting help on endurance day (Saturday 10/28/23). The rider will want to spend their time in the 10 minute box mentally preparing for their XC course, so having at least 1 helper, preferably 2, to cool down the horse and assist with getting the rider to the start box on time is invaluable. So riders, start thinking about who you want there helping you. Additionally there will be a grooms briefing Friday evening (10/27/23) around 4pm for an overview of the 10 minute and vet box so making sure your grooms are available to attend will help ensure smooth sailing on endurance day.

Lastly, let's talk about packing. Of course you will not be packing NOW for a competition two months away BUT it is helpful to start making your list and see if anything needs to be gotten or updated.  Perhaps your XC watch needs a new battery or your pinny holder's elastic is so stretched out you look like you are waving a flag as you go around the course. Maybe you haven't considered your jog outfits yet and now you have a great excuse to go shopping! In all seriousness, taking the time now to consider the things you will need will make packing a breeze when the time comes. The USEA shares this packing list to help you get started but please remember that each horse and rider are individuals so your list may vary from this one. This article is a good resource for packing for The Classic and includes items to consider having on endurance day in the steeplechase assistance area and 10 minute/vet box. The incomparable Max Corcoran also has some suggestions for packing you may find useful. 

We hope you found this post helpful.  Next week we cover stud selection!  Please comment if you would like any specific topics discussed as we countdown to the most fun weekend of the year!

 

Only 9 Weeks Until The Waredaca Classic Three Day Event!

Who's getting excited? We know we are! Last week's post covered conditioning, this week's post covers keeping your horse comfortable as their workload increases.

The footing on which you choose to exercise your horse plays a huge role in your horse's soundness. Use common sense to keep the pounding on your horses legs and feet to a minimum as you build fitness for your destination event. 

Commonly seen, especially at the upper levels, is the utilization of cryotherapy on the horse's legs and feet after strenuous exercise (conditioning/jumping) to reduce heat and inflammation. There are many versions of cold therapy (whirlpool boots, ice boots, compression wraps with freezable gel inserts, etc), each with pros and cons, so pick whichever works best for you and your horse. The footing, horses age, conformation, hoof quality, known issues, etc, will all factor into when and how often you may consider icing. A common rule when utilizing ice is 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off as there is research showing that standing a horse in ice water for longer than 20 minutes can cause damage. 

You can also use hoof packing for horses without pads as working on the dry, hard, summer ground in our area can cause a lot of concussion. Check your horse's legs and feet (for heat and pulses) daily and know what is normal for them. Additionally, checking your horse's back and hind end daily for soreness can also be useful to alert you to any issues that may need to be managed. Lastly, generally, if you notice heat or filling in the legs that is not usually there and there is no obvious cause, such as a small cut, you are better off stopping work immediately and involving your vet. Catching small strains early is paramount to preventing a serious problem.

We hope you found this post helpful, comment below if you would like any other topics covered as we enter the fall season. In the coming weeks look for posts on packing for The Classic, what to expect on endurance day, and how to prepare your horse for the jog! 

                  

Only 10 Weeks Until The Waredaca Classic Three Day Event!

Last week we discussed planning your competitions and schoolings to arrive at The Classic in top form. This week's post is about conditioning!

There are many ways to arrive at The Classic with a fit horse (and rider!), so work with your coach to develop a plan that works best for you and your horse. Remember that every horse is an individual and there is no one size fits all schedule. Last week we mentioned Jimmy Wofford's book "Training the Three-Day-Event Horse and Rider" as a great guide and there are also several resources to be found online (like this sample schedule). Following Jimmy’s guidance, he suggests working back from The Classic about 6-8 weeks out, planning a conditioning day roughly every 5 days (a one day event or XC school counts as a conditioning day). A paper calendar can be helpful while you map things out, we suggest writing in pencil so edits are easily made. He suggests a 5 day schedule of dressage, jump, dressage, condition, walk hack, and repeat. Obviously this can be altered to suit the needs of your horse, riding schedule, and planned (or unplanned!) days off, but it is a great place to start. His conditioning days always started with a warm up at the walk, followed by three 5 minute trot sets with 2 minutes of walk in between each set. He would then do three slow canter sets (350mpm), with 2 minutes of walk in between each set with a walk cool down after the last canter set. Most horses aiming at a fall Classic 3 Day are currently minimally fit to be able to start with three 3 minute (BN/N) or 4 minute (T/M/P) canters. He would then gradually increase the length of the canters as he neared the event so he could arrive at the event able to canter the length of the XC course (phase D) three times (roughly BN/N 5-6 min and T/M/P 7-8 min, see here for classic guidelines). If you are able to do that and your horse recovers easily, most likely you and your horse are prepared.

These long slow aerobic canters build the base fitness so that you can add some anaerobic fitness as you get closer to the event. Jimmy had been known to say “speed kills”, so ideally you would have a nice hill you can utilize but if that's not possible you can increase your speed the last minute or two of your second and third canter sets. When conditioning, set your stirrups at xc length (or even shorter) to build your fitness in two point as well. A tired rider is less able to help their horse when they need it on endurance day so don't neglect your own fitness. You are half of the team! The type of horse, age, baseline fitness, soundness, and competition level will dictate the lengths and speeds of these canters over the 6-8 week period as well as the number of times you repeat a length of canter set before adding another minute to each set. A seasoned TB will naturally have a better baseline fitness compared to a draft cross, so know your horse and tailor your conditioning program as needed.

Develop a close relationship with your horse's legs and body so you can notice any changes and be proactive at managing their health and addressing concerns should they develop. Soundness is of course paramount so consider the footing you are training on. You are better off conditioning in the ring if the ground where you live is hard as a rock. You can even add trot and canter poles to help keep it interesting!

Finally, don't underestimate the power of adding more walking to your rides. Building up to walking an additional 30-60 minutes each day (in addition to your normal riding amount) will add fitness without risking injury.

We hope you found this post helpful, comment below if you would like any other topics covered as we enter the fall season. Next week icing and aftercare!

 

Only 11 Weeks Until The Waredaca Classic Three Day Event!

Last week we discussed involving your vet and farrier to help keep you on track. This week's post is all about competitions! 

In addition to making sure you have your qualifications in order, talk with your coach now to plan out your competitions leading up to the event. Not every horse and rider needs the same preparation to be successful. Perhaps you or your horse need more confidence with XC or SJ, or maybe you both are jumping machines whose weakness lies in the dressage and some dressage shows may be beneficial. Maybe you are a nervous competitor who knows they need a few competitions to get in the groove in order to arrive at the classic with confidence, or maybe you and your horse are pros who can always deliver and don't require a heavy showing schedule. The age and experience of the horse and rider at the level you choose to compete at the classic is a significant factor in laying out your fall competitions and schoolings. Your coach can help you tailor your schedule for you and your horse's specific needs and don't underestimate the helpfulness of schoolings (such as Taproom Thursdays). 

 

Lastly, and most importantly, now is the time to start thinking about your conditioning schedule and how it will fit in with your schoolings and competitions. Work with your coach to develop a plan that works best for you and your horse, but a tried and true method is Jimmy Wofford's. A great resource is his book "Training the Three-Day-Event Horse and Rider" and many articles can be found online by searching "Jimmy Wofford conditioning schedule." Have no fear though, next week's post will cover conditioning and provide some helpful tips and sample schedules! 

 

We hope you found this post helpful and look here for more information to be posted in the coming weeks. If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like covered, please let us know in the comments. So far on the list we have icing/aftercare and stud selection.

 

  

Only 12 Weeks Until The Waredaca Classic Three Day Event!

You might be casually enjoying the summer and may not be thinking about October just yet, BUT if you are planning on competing in The Classic (and we hope you are!), here are some helpful tips to be thinking about RIGHT NOW as you prepare. 

Now is a great time to talk to your vet about a routine wellness check to make sure you enter the fall season with confidence. Whether you have a young horse you are bringing up the levels or a seasoned campaigner who might require some maintenance, it is much easier to manage issues when they are caught early so keeping your vet involved can only improve your odds of success.

 

Another thing to consider is if you are traveling from out of state, it is important to make a plan with your vet to get a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) or more commonly known as a "health certificate" done for your horse within 30 days of travel to the competition. Additionally all competitors need a negative EIA test (coggins) within a year of the competition, and proof of Equine Influenza Virus and Equine Herpes Virus (Rhinopneumonitis) vaccinations within 6 months of arrival to stabling (Rule Refresher can be found here)

 

Lastly, no one wants to have all their hard work spoiled by a close nail or a lost shoe right before or during the competition. Talk to your farrier now to organize your shoeing schedule so that ideally your horse is shod 2 weeks before The Classic. This may involve slightly shortening or lengthening your horse's normal shoeing cycle once or twice so the sooner you talk to your farrier to plan this out, the easier it will be.

 

We hope you found this post helpful as you prepare. Look for more posts in the coming weeks covering such topics as competition schedules, conditioning schedules, icing/aftercare, stud selection, etc. If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like covered, please let us know in the comments.