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Anna Perkins
Username: Annap
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 09:05 pm: | |
Thanks Mike. You've been a fabulous help. Ro and I are looking forward to "having a go", 'tho' I suspect that for both of us, once we start, we'll become addicted..... Once again, thank you, from Anna, and Rosie. |
Mike Watts
Username: Mikew
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 10:20 pm: | |
Anna, Thanks. For measuring vehicles indoors it's really a matter of doing them at events [and only rarely there...], we don't have a flying measuring person. Outdoors they measure either by
- standing the vehicle on a flat surface and putting two cones against it [or bricks would do], taking it way and measuring the gap,
- or with a purpose made big caliper thing set at the width.
Sally would be your arbiter, but sounds as if you'd be fine anyway for starting out and h/c if needed.
(At an outdoor event this year we were eliminated - one wheel had buckled and so we were just under width. People used to ensure they were a little over width to avoid just that.) |
Anna Perkins
Username: Annap
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 04:24 pm: | |
Mike that's brill. I think I understand that bit completely now. Glad you got your head around my rather long-winded question, so thanks. Please be patient, but I have another question for you. At this rate, you'll be becoming my long-distance, IHDT Guru!!!! I picked up my new exercise carriage today. Its a Hillam, with pneumatics. I was told by Sally (from Midland group) that if it was under 125cm track-width we'd be eligible to compete HC in Club Classes, which we'd be delighted to be allowed to do, but on getting my new carriage var/www, I've measured track width at floor level 3 times now and get a measurement of 124 to 125 cm, so who do I get to do the official measuring, and when?? Also I am about 4 miles from Moreton Morrell, which is hacking distance for somebody with no transport, so thanks so much for the offer, but I don't think my dear sweet pony would make it all the way to East Anglia!! I've been going to observe at Moreton Morrell, and I'm learning loads, and have found Sally (organiser) really approachable, and helpful, if not exceedingly busy. |
Mike Watts
Username: Mikew
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 09:37 am: | |
Anna, you're right, once you've driven through a gate correctly it's 'open' and you can drive through it again backwards or forwards as much as you like.
If you make a mistake e.g. ABD, no gates count until you're back on course, so you can drive through any gates any way to get to C in this case. You're through a gate when the whole rear axle crosses the gate line - so if you just put the pony's nose through the wrong gate, that's not an error.
As regarding circling the obstacles - no you don't have to, as long as you go in the Start, do the obstacle, out the Finish, what you do between the Finish and the Start of the next obstacle is pretty much up to you. The organiser or steward might have a scheme, might encourage you not to circle the first obstacle, just to save time..
Easiest way to get to know it is to watch, or go along and see if someone would like you to groom .... hope you enjoy the sport. We run a 'Club' class for people starting, or with new horses, and training sessions in East Anglia. |
Anna Perkins
Username: Annap
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 09:26 am: | |
Right, so, I'm slowly getting to grips with finding out about this sport. But, please bear with me whilst I ask a probably never-ending stream of (I expect) very daft questions, as, if we ever do take to the arena, we don't want to look like a couple of bananas!! Well, one big banana, and a little banana!
So, here goes. Silly question number 1...... In driving an obstacle gated A,B,C,D, if for the sake of arguement, you have already correctly driven gates A, and B, I understand that it is taken as error of course if you were to then drive through gate D (in the correct direction??) in order to then drive C, and then D. But once a gate has been driven correctly, can you drive back through it in the correct direction, or the opposite way??(without incurring the wrath of the judges, in penalties, or elimination.) Does anybody understand any of that, 'cos I think I am more confused now than when I started this thread!! Right, stick with me here, because, here we go with silly question number 2.. I was reading the organiser's information last night (sorry, hope this is'nt a restricted area!!) and I read ""The competitor then circles obstacle 1 once before tackling obstacle 2 on exactly the same terms. The 2 scores achieved are added to the standing score of that person, the positions in each class will be reversed , i.e. first going last, for the final two obstacles. "". This is only outlining what is permitted? You don't HAVE to do the circle bit before commencing to drive the obsacles, surely?? Because that would be a long old treck for some of the more vertically challenged ponies?? (I have a vertically challenged pony!) Anyway hopefully somebody who understands this thread, could enlighten me ? Many thanks, and watch this space, because I have many, many more silly questions, you lucky people you.......
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