Horse Tack

Tack is an essential part of horse sport. It plays an important part in the performance of the horse, allowing the rider get the best out of their horse. There are many different components of a horse's tack but I will be focusing on the main part - the saddle , and where it come from.

The saddle

The first saddles (around 4,000 years ago) were merely a piece of animal hide on the horse's back. There purpose was to make riding more comfortable for both the horse and rider. They evolved to become more decorated cloths with straps similar to modern girths upon which soldiers went into battle. The first real saddles originate from Asia, when people became more concerned about the welfare of their horse and developed something to improve their comfort. The tree of the saddle kept the riders' weight off the sensitive withers of the horse, and helped the rider remain balanced and 'quiet' while mounted. Saddles have come a long way since then, but still have the same purpose. There are all kinds of saddles in the Equestrian world today, with individual styles developed for each sport. In regards to eventing, riders will have a different saddle for all three stages. The jumping saddle keeps the riders' leg in a more bent position, allowing them to move into the jumping position more easily. The dressage saddle, on the other hand, allows the rider to keep straighter legs to sit deeper in the saddle. Most saddles are made by original craftsmen. For example, Berney Bros. is one of the most popular brands in Ireland. Their leather is of premium quality and they are said to be the longest lasting saddles in Ireland.

Dressage Saddle
Author: BLW

 

Jumping Saddle

Author: Danielle M 



Source: www.equisearch.com

International Event Competitions

Eventing is a tremendously competitive sport. International events are held all over the world but there are of course a few key events in the eventing calendar. International eventing has two categories: CIC (Concours International Combé) and CCI (Concours Complet International). The difference between the two was that there were four phases of cross country (A,B,C and D) in CCI and only one phase in CIC, which was just the 'D' phase. However, the FEI have since abolished the four phases in CCI eventing and replaced it with one longer phase. CIC has fewer obstacles and different distances than CCI, making CCI the higher level of competition. Each of these is split into levels indicated by stars, with 4* being the highest in CCI and 3* being the highest in CIC. The most prestigious competitions are the CCI**** competions, with only 6 held each season. These are the Landrover Burghley horse trials and Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in Great Britain, Luhmuhlen CCI**** presented by DHL in Germany, Les 4 Etoiles de Pau in France, the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in the USA and the Australian Internation Three Day Event in Adelaide.

Philip Dutton at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (CCI****) in 2007
Author: Ronald C. Yochum, Jr.

Event Horses

 To become a top class eventer, you must have a top class horse to work with. There are many factors of what makes a good event horse. Breeding plays a big part, as well as conformation and temperament. The most popular breeds of Olympic event horses come from all over the world. There are Irish Sport Horses from Ireland, Belgian warmbloods from Belgium, Hanovarians and Holsteiners from Germany and the selle francais from France. As you can see all of these horses are European breeds. This is because most American breeds were bred for or have bloodlines in Western riding, more focused on endurance and agility, meeting the needs of cowboys. They have not been bred with jumping and dressage in mind. Temperament is also an important factor when looking for a successful event horse. Event horses must be brave and courageous but careful, especially for the cross country. They must be extremely well disciplined and balanced for the dressage and must have scope to jump large courses. As well as temperament and breeding, the horse must have a good conformation. Conformation is important because good conformation will result in a well-built, sound and balanced horse. This will allow the horse to stay fit, jump higher and perform better in the dressage ring.

Sources: www.theequinest.com

The Origins of Eventing

Eventing was derived from the testing horses underwent when being selected for the cavalry. Horses for the cavalry needed to be strong, fast, balanced and well-disciplined. This reflects the objective of today's eventing. Event horses must be very well-disciplined in all aspects of there riding. As eventing is an English equestrian sport, it is most common in Europe and certain parts of the U.S.A and Australia. One of the first events (or a competition which closely resembles our modern events) was held in France in 1902 at the Championnat du Cheval d'Armes. Again, this was to test the cavalry horses for fitness and suitability. Dressage was used to show the horses' suitability for parades and to ensure they had the ability to perform well. This proved obedience. Cross-country was used to display stamina, courage and bravery. The horses must prove that they can cope over hazardous and challenging terrain, representing the battlefield. Finally, the show jumping on the last day proves the horses' fitness after the cross-country and dressage days. After this, eventing became an Olympic sport for the first time in 1912 and, from then on, became increasingly more popular. The individual events have changed slightly through the years, but have ultimately resulted in the three disciplines in modern eventing.

Lieutenant Adolph van der Vooort van Zijp
Gold medalist at the 1924 Olympics in individual and team eventing

Sources: www.discovereventing.com

What is Eventing?

Eventing is one of the most challenging equestrian sports. It demands a high amount of strength and fitness from the horse and rider. Event horses are some of the most disciplined horses, and must be strong, fast and balanced, and possess all attributes expected of those that compete in separate show jumping, cross country and dressage. This is because eventing consists of the three main English disciplines; show jumping, cross country and dressage. Competitors must compete in all disciplines and the competitor with the best score will take the win. At amateur level, competitors usually compete over one day. However at higher levels, there is one day allocated to each event. The riders compete in dressage first, followed by cross country and, finally, show jumping. Riders can compete in multiple levels ranging from introductory classes and pre-novice and novice to international advanced eventing. Eventing is also an Olympic discipline and riders from all around the world represent their countries. Eventing is also one of the few sports in which men and women compete together. This is because, although there is an important physical aspect, neither men or women have an advantage, with each individual possessing different important attributes.

Showjumping
Author: Eponimm

Dressage
Author: Fotoimage

Cross country
Author: Thowra_uk

 



Introduction

Hello,
my name is Abby O'Sullivan and one of my greatest passions in life is horse sport. I have been riding horses for about 8 years now and I have developed a keen interest in eventing. In this blog, I will share my research with you about the geography of eventing. I will cover what it is, where it comes from and I will then focus on event horses themselves. I hope you enjoy it.