| Author | Message | ||
     Janet Pilling Member Username: Janetp Post Number: 39 Registered: 03-2007 |
We also have had a selection of cheaper watches which cause nothing but frustration. The big chunky watches are best, they are easy to read, stop and start when asked and my Optimum has lasted for years. I use it daily to time how long my ponies are warming up, schooling or just hacking round the village - it is mounted on the second rail on my 'dashboard' so the reins don't interfere with it and it is a useful tool when doing fittening work. | ||
| Frances Collings Member Username: Victory Post Number: 18 Registered: 03-2007 |
We use the Optimum Time Stopwatches ourselves and also sell them and very often people come to Ian and he sorts out which battery they need for which model depending on the age of the watch. For more info email: frances@fcollings.f9.co.uk (Jack in a Box) | ||
| Julie Hoskyns Member Username: Julieh Post Number: 30 Registered: 03-2007 |
My backstepper and I have one each on our wrists plus I have one (a cheap one) mounted on the seat rail beside me, both of us can see it and opperate it. I have mounted this one very crudely with tape BUT I have put a piece of foam under it which absorbs the vibration - we can both read it easily. | ||
| Vic Kusin Moderator Username: Vic Post Number: 29 Registered: 03-2007 |
Good shout Fiona. The Bennington watch looks good - nice and big and pretty solid. It would certainly be worth supporting our carriage manufacturer and getting one of their watches. As a matter of interest, how do people mount their watch ? We have tried brackets on the carriage (home made, not the Bennington one) as well as Velcro or insulating tape and found the vibration of the carriage made it really difficult to read the display. Usually this happens just as you need it the most, like when you're hurtling down a stony track towards the finish ! In the end we find on the backstepper's or driver's wrist being the best. One watch on each hand. It's also useful to carry a third emergency watch, which just shows the time of day, so that if both your main watches should fail or are stopped accidentally (yes it has happened !) you can still work out when you need to finish without getting penalties. Just make sure you synchronise it with the "official" event time. | ||
| Fiona Powell Member Username: Fionap Post Number: 90 Registered: 03-2007 |
(psst...this watch is only £35 from Bennington Carriages, extra £30 for a bracket to fix it to your carriage... +p&p http://www.benningtoncarriages.co.uk/home/carriage-driving-accessories/stopwatch)  | ||
| Vic Kusin Moderator Username: Vic Post Number: 28 Registered: 03-2007 |
Although most cheap stopwatches "will do", there is no doubt that you get what you pay for. We have gone through many cheaper models and found that they will fairly likely develop problems with stopping unexpectedly or unintentionally, or the buttons become unresponsive and intermittent, often because of water ingress. Even if you protect them from the worst of the rain, condensation can form inside the display glass and obscure the numbers or make the buttons not operate when you push them. The Optimum time Watches are of very high quality and we have had the same two for a number of seasons. All you need to do is to put in a new battery at the start of the season. The time-clocks and stopwatches used by timekeepers at most events are made by Optimumtime. Go to www.optimumtime.co.uk and look under "products" for the OE Jumbo Event watch in the Equestrian range. The only slight inconvenience is that you need a very small jeweller's crosshead screwdriver to remove the eight screws from the back when changing the battery. But I guess that's what keeps it watertight. | ||
| Joe Hodgson Member Username: Joehodgson Post Number: 83 Registered: 07-2010 |
There is no set rule you need to use a specific stop watch for driving trials, any normal waterproof stop watches do the same job and much cheaper but it depends what you want really. | ||
| Julie Hoskyns Member Username: Julieh Post Number: 29 Registered: 03-2007 |
The Optimum Time Ultimate Event Stop Watch...on ebay from £42.90 | ||
| lorraine tullett Member Username: Ingebing Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2011 |
Just wondering which stop watch is the best for horse driving trials. I am looking for my Christmas present! |