Jun 05, 2020

USEA Podcast #259: Sinead Maynard's Recipe for a Successful Return to Competition

By USEA

The return to competition upon us! This week on the show Nicole Brown is joined by Sinead Halpin Maynard to talk about how you can make sure you and your horse are prepared to get back to competing.

  • First up, Nicole and Sinead discuss the importance of making sure your horse’s fitness is adequate for the level you will be competing. Sinead stresses that it is better to get to the show and feel overprepared than it is to arrive and realize you’ve not done your homework properly. Treating this first show back as more of a “fitness check” than as a competitive outing will give you a chance to set yourself up for success for the rest of the season.
  • To make sure you’re prepared for the dressage, Sinead suggests memorizing your dressage test early! This gives you the chance to practice specific movements ahead of time and make sure you’re fully prepared to put it all together on the day. Or, staging one lesson as a “dress rehearsal” where you practice your warmup and then go through your test can give you a benchmark for where you’re at.
  • When going cross-country schooling, Sinead’s advice is not to try to do everything in one schooling session. Set specific goals for what you want to accomplish during your schooling and stick to them so you don’t overwhelm your horse with too much information.
  • Sinead’s recommendation for show jumping are to make sure you jump a full course at height or slightly larger prior to making your trip to the show. Don’t be afraid to break out your measuring tape and make sure your heights and distances are accurate.
  • Make sure that housekeeping items such as updating your coggins and vaccinations, having the farrier out, renewing your memberships, and other such items are all taken care of before you set out. Need help checking all the boxes? Take a look at the USEA’s Return to Eventing Checklist.
  • Don’t forget, while our horses need to be fit and ready to go, we as riders need to as well! Be sure that you feel fit and ready to compete before you sign up for your first competition.
  • As we return to competition with a “new normal” due to the COVID-19 pandemic, be aware of the new restrictions and safety precautions that have been put in place for your own and others’ safety. The USEA has a collection of COVID-19 resources available on the website that competitors should familiarize themselves with before returning to competition.

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Saddle Fit Simplified

Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?

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With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.

Dec 20, 2024 Sponsor

“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.

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