When all you want is to progress and move forward to reach your goals in eventing, moving down a level can seem like a step in the wrong direction and may from the outset feel like a waste of time money and energy. However, in some situations, moving down a level for one or two runs can be productive in more than one way.
Last week I had a run at 90, dropping down from 100. This was brilliant, a great move. What it allowed me to do was to develop my confidence, have fun and consolidate what was learnt on past outings.
As I mentioned before, Theo’s age makes EVERYTHING harder both for me and him so reducing the intensity of the competition for us is an opportunity to develop the confidence that can be lost when he finds it harder to jump the larger fences.
For people who are confident competing at one level yet rarely get placed, moving down a level for a run or two may allow them to get placed for once because they tend to have the odd pole or mess up a dressage movement specific to the level which knocks them out of the placings. This can be a real confidence boost.
For a horse who has had a fall or something which has damaged their confidence, a lower level run can offer an opportunity for them to get out and really enjoy themselves. Particularly useful with young horses.
Having a lower level run has helped me to get out of this stalemate that I was in with my confidence and psychology. I could lose the doubt that I had in my mind about the show jumping and really focus on producing a quality round. I had the ability on the cross country to really play with speed and timings because at 90 the time is considerably slower than at 100. I had a real taste of altering the speeds through the different levels of canter which I normally couldn’t do because i was too busy focusing on making a faster time.
I am going to have another run or two at 90 and I really hope for a placing because I know that we can do it, but ultimately the sole reason I work hard to fund this sport is because I love it and not because I want to come home with a ribbon so at the end of the day if I can finish pleased with how we have done and have had fun I will be happy regardless of the level.
