Trials always a stiff test

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33878, 25 June 1975, Page 11

Trials always a stiff test

All horse trials offer stern tests to any rider because they involve three disciplines of riding — dressage, speed, and endurance — in the one event. The trials include two phases of roads and tracks, steeplechase and cross country, and show jumping. They are intended to ; show the rider’s ability, | boldness, and knowledge of j training his horse to obtain its best performance across I country, and to show the ] obedience, courage, jumping j ability, stamina and speed of the well-trained horse. Training for three-day trials begins three to four months before the event and is a gradual process of

exercising and training to enable the horse to reach peak fitness at the right time.

Although advertised as three day horse trials, the event actually involves four days, as an extra day is devoted to the official walking of the course (morning) and the first veterinary inspection of all horses (afternoon). That evening the riders are briefed on the speed and endurance phases and the cross country fence judges are also briefed. The first day of competition involves dressage only, where the horse’s ability to perform a test, moving freely forward with calmness, suppleness and obedience, as well as being in complete harmony with its rider is tested. The speed and endurance competition on the second day is designed to prove the speed, endurance, and jumping ability of the true cross-country horse. It should also, demonstrate the rider’s knowledge of pace and the use of his horse across country. There are four separate phases which are decided on time, and penalties are incurred for exceeding the maximum time of any phase and also for mistakes at obstacles.

Competitors start off with the first roads and tracks of approximately 7466 m, and this phase is normally carried out at a trot or slow canter. The steeplechase of 4155 m follows and this should be carried out at a gallop with the horse being asked to stand off at his fences and jump out of his stride.

After the third phase a longer roads and tracks of about 10,617m —the second veterinary inspection takes place. Also in this 10 minute (compulsary) break the horse is sponged down and thoroughly checked over before starting the final and most testing phase—the cross - country which can have up to 32 numbered obstacles over a distance of about 7500 m. The over-all distance, for open event is about 29,738 m (17 miles), and for the intermediate event, about 13 miles.

The immediate problem on the show jumping day is to get the horse past the veterinary inspection, as it is very frustrating for a rider to be side-lined for the final phase, through lameness or unfitness. The sole object of the show jumping phase is to prove that, on the day after a severe test of endurance, the horses have retained the suppleness, energy and obedience necessary for them to continue in the competition.