| Author | Message | ||
     Guy Benest Member Username: Guybenest Post Number: 14 Registered: 05-2010 |
Can only speak for our club level, but we try and make the cones a challenging part of the event, but not too daunting so as to cause upset of the ponies / horses (or competitors for that matter). We always try and get a mix of open flowing cones and a few technical ones in there to keep things interesting. End result is normally around 10% achieving a double clear. Main thing is we get round safe, whilst giving competitors something to think about whilst enjoying themselves | ||
| Lorraine Davies Member Username: Leakys1 Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2007 |
As Patti says, the fast speed required is not really in the spirit of the rules. If the time is to be kept so tight then the technicality of the course needs to be addressed. I also agree that if you can drive fast and accurate you should be rewarded and the only way to do that is to give penalties for a slower time - BUT I believe penalties for a ball down should go back to 5. Only 3 penalties - equivalent to 6 seconds - is encouraging us to go for speed at the expense of accuracy. | ||
| Daniel Snow Member Username: Snowd Post Number: 18 Registered: 07-2011 |
Surely, if everyone finishes within the time then you are not rewarding the ones that can do the course faster? | ||
| Patti Atkinson Member Username: Pattia Post Number: 44 Registered: 03-2007 |
As shown by the World Championships for single horses getting the time in cones is really difficult (2 only out of 75) Now the boring bit Article 950 GENERAL The object of Competition C – Obstacle- Cone Driving – is to test the fitness, obedience and suppleness of the Horses after the Competition B, and the skill and competence of the Competitors. 951.1.5 Courses must be laid out so that Competitors have a chance to maintain a reasonably fast pace throughout the major part of the Course. Certain Obstacles, and combinations of Obstacles, will inevitably slow down the pace, but such a layout should be limited to a small proportion of the whole Course (refer to Annex 7 for the dimensions of Multiple Obstacles). 952.2.6 There may not be more than 3 of the following Multiple Obstacles in any course. Serpentine, Zig-Zag, Double Box, Double U and Double L. There is no restriction on the number of stepovers and turnbacks which slow progress even more than a Zig-Zag. I call on the FEI for the interpretation of these rules by cones course designers to be clarified. |