The Oakhurst Farm
Three-Day Event Clinic/Competition
What is a Long Format 3-Day Event
Qualifying for the 3-Day Event Clinic
Entering the 3-Day Event Clinic
We have tried to answer some common questions for the first-time 3-Day Eventer below
Please don’t hesitate to ask any of the organizing committee or clinicians more questions during the clinic!
In Barn Inspection
(Wednesday 1:00pm – 5:00pm (Any In-Barn Inspections not completed before 5:00pm may be done before the Briefing Thursday morning)
Riders are to be with their horse for their In-Barn (Arrival) Inspection. The horse should be clean and rider tidy and workman like in their appearance, but horses do not need to be braided. At this inspection the Vet or Vet Assistant will take a horse’s vital statistics (temperature, heart rate and respiration) as well as make note of the general condition of the horse and any existing blemishes the horse may have.
The purpose of this inspection is to give the Vets and Ground Jury a base line with which to compare a horse’s health over the course of the competition.
Rider Number
Packages and Numbers may be picked up from the secretary on Thursday morning starting at 9:00am. After the Competitor Briefing and official Welcome at 10:00am on Thursday the competition is considered to have begun and horses must wear their number at all times while outside of their stall.
In your package you will receive a bridle number only. Pinneys for Cross Country day will be given out on Friday after the completion of Dressage. In order to receive your Pinney you must present your Medical Armband insert to the secretary to verify that the information is current. In the cool out area at the end of Phase D (cross country) there will be a Pinney return box. Bridle numbers are to be worn for Horse Inspections, Dressage and Show Jumping.
Wristbands
At the rider briefing each rider will be given a wristband to help the Organizers, Vets, Ground Jury, Clinicians, Officials, Photographers, and Sponsors easily identify the riders. Grooms will also be given a wristband, but of a different colour. Only grooms with wristbands will be allowed in the 10 minute box on Cross Country Day.
Colour coding of wristbands you will see at the 3-Day:
Riders: Red
Grooms: Yellow
Officials: Green
Sponsors: White
Horse Inspections
Practicing the Jog will be very helpful to performing a successful Horse Inspection. Horses should be braided for the first inspection, dressage, and the second inspection (on Show Jumping day), as well as being spotless, wearing a clean bridle, and no boots or studs. It is customary to “dress up” a bit for the inspections – khakis and a nice shirt, jacket and tie for men, etc. Remember, however, that you will be RUNNING to keep up with your horse, so wear sensible shoes, and avoid anything that might fly away such as unsecured scarves or hats.
Riding Phases A, B and C
How do Phases A, B, and C work?
At your designated start time, you begin Phase A, trotting through marked gates ("A1" "A2" etc.). You will go through the last gate and then walk to the start box for Phase B, steeplechase. Phase A is 2200 meters long, ridden at a speed of 220 meters per minute taking just under 10 minutes. Time penalties for Roads & Tracks (Phases A & C) are 1 penalty per second. So it is important to be on time.
Riders have a fixed start time for Phase B, and will be counted down in the start box the same as Cross Country. Phase B is one and a half laps of the Steeplechase field (950 meters). For the ¼* competitors the speed is 450 meters per minute, so phase B will take them 2 minutes and 7 seconds. For the 1/2* competitors the speed is 500 meters per minute so it will take them 1 minute and 54 seconds. The penalty points for Steeplechase are 0.8 per second.
The finish of Phase B is also the start of Phase C. Just after beginning Phase C (which is just like Phase A only a little longer and slower) you will pass into an area marked Authorized Assistance (discussed a little later). Phase C is 2340 meters long and will be ridden at a speed of 180 meters per minute taking just under 13 minutes.
You will finish Phase C and go directly into the "Vet" or "10 minute box" before D.
How will I learn the track and gates for A and C (Roads & Tracks)?
Hack it! You are allowed to hack roads and tracks on the days prior to endurance day. It is a great way to learn your track and settle your horse at his new location. Be on the alert for how many gates are on each phase – you will need to pass through ALL the gates IN ORDER on endurance day.
How do I plan/time and ride phases A, B, and C?
As you walk Phase A you will notice signs saying "AK 0.5, AK1, AK1.5, and AK2", these are kilometer markers, and are in addition to the mandatory gates you must pass through that will say “Start of Phase A, A1, A2, A3, Finish of Phase A”.
This is critical for pacing yourself.
Here's how that works.
You will get a start time for A, B, and D, optimum times/speeds for all phases, and distances. You then need to do some math, and make yourself a cheat sheet that you will put on your forearm (or jacket arm) for reference while you are riding. It needs to be easy to read -- you will look at it a lot!
So you might be given times of: A 9:00:00 AM, B 9:11:00 AM, D 9:36:30 AM.
This means you will go out on A at 9 AM. Your cheat sheet will read something like: A = 4 gates, 10 mins @ 220 mpm. K1= 4 mins K1.5= 6 mins K 2=8.5 mins (NOTE: All math in these examples is purely imaginary, including the number of gates!).
So you are looking for 4 numbered gates; make sure you keep track! When you pass the sign that says "K1" you should be at 4 minutes. If you are too fast, SLOW DOWN. You do not want to burn up energy on these phases. You can walk if you need to. If you are too slow, now is a good time to pick up a little canter or hand gallop to wake your horse up before steeplechase. Then check on your next "K" marker, etc.
Since you are starting B at 9:11, you want to be pulling into the start box just before 9:10. Give your horse a breather, shorten your stirrups if needed, and return your watch to Zero. You will go around the track one and a half times.
After you cross the finish line, slowly ramp back down to a trot. The clock does NOT stop, and there is NO break between B and C. Just keep going and head for the first C gate. There will be an authorized assistance area right near the beginning of “C” where you are allowed to have your groom waiting for you - ONLY in that area can they in any way interact with you. In this area your groom will be waiting for you with a small bucket and sponge, a bottle of water, your horse’s spare shoes and anything else you think you might need. Most riders will walk through this area and take the bottle of water, have a couple of sips, pour some on their horse’s neck, or get their groom to sponge their horses neck (without getting the reins wet!) and check to see that the horse has the same amount of shoes he started phase A with. If you are missing a shoe, your groom should note which shoe is missing so it can be taken care of in the 10 minute box. You can keep walking slowly, while your groom works on your horse. You have some extra time on this phase. Your groom should check your galloping boots, bell boots, and if there is anything you will need to replace/fix in the 10 minute box s/he can get a head's up now.
Keep going on C. It's just like A, only longer and slower. You will have your same cheat sheet. Again, you want to go only as fast as you have to to arrive at the box 2 minutes early. Any faster is just wasted energy.
According to our schedule, you should be arriving at the vet box just about 9:26:30, but an extra minute or so your grooms would probably appreciate.
The 10 minute box
What happens there?
You have 10 minutes which you must spend in this box. The main goal here is to make sure the horse is sound and has all its gear intact (especially shoes), give yourself a mental break, and COOL THE HORSE DOWN. The horse MUST be cleared by the vet, who will see it jog and check its temperature, pulse, and respiration. If the horse has not recovered sufficiently in 10 minutes you will not be allowed on Phase D.
This is where all your conditioning comes in handy, along with quick work by your helpers to cool the horse. Once cleared, you mount up and head over to the start box for Phase D, which is just like Cross Country at a regular horse trial. You will finish back at the vet box and get checked out one more time before being "released" to leave.
What do I do in the 10 minute box?
Trot into the box on a loose rein. Hop off immediately. Go sit down, get a drink, and if you feel rested and cool, help your team with the cooling process of your horse. After about 6 minutes the vet will do another TPR check, and have you jog the horse. Reset any tack as needed, hop on, and go on down to the start box for D.
What do I need to bring with me for endurance day/ the 10 minute box?
In addition to your regular horse trial/away show “gear,” endurance day requires a few extra items, including:
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Waterproof marker and index card(s) - you will want to write your gates/times and distances for A, B, C, and D on the card and attach it to your forearm, so you can refer to it as you go.
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4 extra shoes for your horse, labeled (i.e., RF, LF, etc. Your farrier can put small notch marks on each shoe that will be instantly recognizable). On endurance day, put in appropriate studs for your spares, so they can be quickly tacked on in the 10 minute box
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Full “cooling kit” for the 10 minute box, including sponge(s), scraper(s), buckets, towels, etc. EVERYTHING you bring for the box should be clearly marked with your name in waterproof marker.
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Stud kit should come to the 10 minute box, with the studs you are using marked or separated out so your grooms can quickly replace any that have gone “missing.”
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Drinks for you while you are in the box
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Extra ANYTHING that might break on phases A, B, C (boots, bells, stirrup leathers, etc. etc.)
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Cooler or anti-sweat for your horse if the weather demands it
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Spare halter and a lead rope
What does my "10 minute box crew" need to do?
Your crew should keep track of your time in the box to make sure you are ready to jog for the vet after 6 minutes. Your crew will:
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Check all gear – boots, shoes, tack, studs.
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Replace/repair as needed, including taking the horse to see the farrier in the box.
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Cool, cool, cool the horse. This should begin the moment you arrive in the box, and continue up until the moment you present back to the vet.
If possible, you should have 2 or 3 people on hand to help you. Some horses are very wound up at this point, and can be a handful. Spend a few minutes thinking about your cross country course, zero out your watch again, and then go out and enjoy a great phase D!