# Showing in the Rain



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

So I have a one day event tomorrow. Overnight we're supposed to get about and inch of rain and the heaviest stuff should be falling about the time I ride my dressage test. I've never gone to a show while it's raining before. I've also never trailered my horse in rain. Any advice (including don't go) is appreciated on what I should look out for and bring with me. The stadium round and XC (obviously) are both on grass, so I'm a little worried about traction. We're only jumping 2'3", but my horse has just plain old shoes on. I just want to have all my bases covered. Hopefully this whole storm will move about 30 miles north and the state above us will get it. (sorry Massachusetts!)


----------



## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

If you don't feel confident riding on the wet ground; don't go.

Even if you get to the event and see that the ground is just too wet and unsafe for you to ride on - it's a lot more safer to pack your horse up in the trailer and take him home. Walking the course is a really big help; think about things such as;

How many riders will there be before me? How chopped up will the ground be?

If you do decide to ride, remember to think about things as you walk the course like - how fast should I go through here? How fast will the ground allow you to go? Keep your turns steady and any hilly areas, going fast is not worth a slip.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

We'll be the first group on XC, so that's good I guess. It's a pretty hilly course, so it might be a problem regardless. I've never even attempted to ride on wet grass, so it put some serious doubts into my head. I guess it's just a common sense thing. I'd rather lose my entry fee than hurt my horse. There are 3 hours separating the dressage test from the other phases, so maybe I'll do the dressage and decide from there. For once their rock hard crushed rubber dressage ring will come in handy. This just sucks. We're just finally hitting our stride as a team. It's always something!


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I have never evented before, so can't help you out there, but I have shown in the rain (& during a snowstorm), & yes it just sucks! Show management has called shows I've been at because of safety issues, so if you're confident & ok with getting wet, I suppose it's about as safe as eventing can be? Hauling in the rain should be ok, I've been it many times, had no problems what so ever. Just make sure you always go 10 miles an hour under the speed limit, even slower if need be. I will keep my fingers crossed that your forecast is wrong, remember a good weather forecast is only correct 50% of time.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

waresbear said:


> I will keep my fingers crossed that your forecast is wrong, remember a good weather forecast is only correct 50% of time.


Thanks! I am at advantage there. Forecasters around here are almost never right. I do see a huge swath of rain coming that's currently in PA, but I don't see much behind it. Maybe it'll all come through tonight and dry out before my XC at noon.


----------



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

If in doubt on approaching a jump, simply trot it. What level are you riding? I would take time penalties any day over slipping. 

In the future. if going training or above, consider drilling and tapping your horse shoes for caulks. Below that I ALWAYS recommend having your farrier weld borium spots on the bottom of the shoes for added traction.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Allison Finch said:


> In the future. if going training or above, consider drilling and tapping your horse shoes for caulks. Below that I ALWAYS recommend having your farrier weld borium spots on the bottom of the shoes for added traction.


Hee hee. That won't be a problem anytime soon. We're just doing elementary level at shows and schooling BN. We still have kinks to work out. 

Got lucky. While it did pour like nothing else on the way up, the back edge of the storm was just passing through when I got there. I rode my dressage test in a light drizzle and it was sunny by the time we got to XC which was luckily 3 hours later. The ground was in great shape for XC, so I was able to just ride at a nice brisk canter. The stadium course was a little slick, and my naughty horse used the standing water as an excuse to opt out of the first fence, but it was otherwise a good day. Overall we really lucked out with the weather. We got 4th, and I accomplished my goal of of staying out of my poor horse's mouth when jumping. Got two pics to confirm it from the professional photographer who was there. Only about 17 more fixes to make before we can move up!!


----------



## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

You're a trooper.
Congrats!:clap::clap:
I hate the rain.


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Glad everything was okay. Our county fair was last week, and it stormed every day...it was awful. Excel, who has never refused a jump with me EVER, was disqualified from 3 refusals and I scratched him from the rest of his classes. It doesn't help that the arena has absolutely no drainage :?.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Congrats! How was your drive down, no problems hauling in the rain?


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

waresbear said:


> Congrats! How was your drive down, no problems hauling in the rain?


Nope did well. Luckily it was mostly all highway so it was just a matter of keeping the speed down and finding the white lines on the road.


----------



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

FANTASTIC!! Woohoo!

Wait a minute.....hmmmm...you did mention two photos....right?


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Stacie C. Lynch Photography - E-mail Address Required

Can't post them directly cuz they're copyright for sale. Here's the link. I'm the 3rd one in the top row and 1st one in the bottom row. Navy and wine colors.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Nice action shots! You gotta buy at least one of those.


----------



## rlcarnes (Jul 12, 2011)

Nice pics!!! *Wishes she was not petrified to jump*


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I was bummed. She got all the other riders in good action shots. She missed our mid air jump both times. Also, my stupid helmet kept tipping over. It was kind of funny. There's one really big hill in the woods. As we were hauling *** up it, my helmet came down completely covering my eyes. I tried tossing it back with my head, didn't work. Tried to put the reins in both hands, but ended up dropping the left one. Fixed the hat, hit the next field while still trying to grab the rein, barely settled my horse before the next fence and then cantered an interesting zig zag down the hill to the next one. Definitely had some moments yesterday besides the rain. Sometimes he's like riding a squirrel.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Stacie C. Lynch Photography - XC

I think I'm going to buy this one. It's from another show at that same place. My position isn't as good, but horsey looks like a big shiny chocolate bar. He's so cute it kills me.


----------



## rlcarnes (Jul 12, 2011)

MyBoyPuck said:


> Stacie C. Lynch Photography - XC
> 
> I think I'm going to buy this one. It's from another show at that same place. My position isn't as good, but horsey looks like a big shiny chocolate bar. He's so cute it kills me.


That is a really good pic! He does look like a chocolate bar


----------

