Team Chasing

[hel88]

what is team chasing all about?
how would you get involved in team chasing? - do you need your own horse?

[Jojo_82]

I competed in team chasing for over a year.

I did enjoy it at the time, but it's how I had my accident on Phi, and now she can never be ridden again. Check out my website below there is more info and pictures about it. It's a cross between point-to-point racing, hunting and x-country.

The intermediates and opens (and even the novice speed classes) are very fast and furious and the jumps are HUGE!! I personally would NEVER do the sport again. To insure a horse to compete at the sport, it is in the same category as advanced eventing, so it is very high-risk.

The novice bogey classes are smaller, generally abit slower and more fun. I would not recommend doing anything higher on your first go.

Obviously with everything that happened to me and my horse whilst competing at the sport I am pretty against it now, however If you want an adrenaline rush and you have the guts (and a bold, brave, careful jumper of a horse) then try it!

[hel88]

yeah i really want to try it. i've got confidence to spare :P. and i much prefer jumping comps where things arent so stuffy like in show jumping. so i thought its like xc which is great. unfortunately i dont have the horse :P

[Jojo_82]

Well If you're really keen and you know of someone who wouldn't mind letting you compete their horse then go for it.

Although the jumps are x-country style, it's abit more fast and furious than actual xc.

I suppose in all honesty even talking of the sport makes my stomach turn to knots and I feel physically sick, so I'm not going to say anymore. However, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, PLEASE be safe, and check the jumps thoroughly before you compete and make sure you and the horse you're on are insured (I'm still trying to pay off the excess for about £5,000 worth of vets bills for Phi's treatment).

Take care and look after each other when you ride round. Check out my website anyway, there's a link in there for the team chasing site too.

Jo xxx

[hel88]

i'm sorry i didnt mean to make you talk about it!! :(

[burty]

Yes, teamchasing is a fast and exciting sport, and not for the faint hearted....but it is not an excuse to gallop round big fences without care or regard to the horse.

If you look at the top open team, the Forge Flyers, then you will see that their top horses have been running for years, and they do it because they enjoy it. If your horse does not have complete trust in you, and likewise you need to trust him too...then you will crash and burn at an early stage!! :D
Without the brave horses, the teams would not be successful... so most riders will not take unneccessary risks and injure them!

But having said all that, it is an amazingly friendly sport, where everyone supports one another and nobody back bites, something i've not found in another 'horsey' sport.
At the lower levels, it is a fantastic way of jumping as a team,just look at the smiling faces at the finish......even the ones that have had bad rounds!

Have a go, or go and watch an event...if you visit the main site message forum,you can find a team to join if you can't gather enough up yourself!

Teamchasing is great fun, and i'm addicted... :rolleyes: :p

[DavidH]

Hi Burty,
I notice you didn't mention anything about the gin, or whipping boys ;)
Welcome to NR

David H

[burty]

Wotcha Davey boy....! now, don't want the newbies to think teamchasing is full of gin swigging loonies, do we? but every sport has its up side... :D

[Jojo_82]

Hi Burty,

I did the sport for over a year, and yeah without a doubt I did love it, I'd just never do it again now and hate it because of what happened to my beloved mare. Reading back I wrote "I don't personally think ANY of the riders are as safety conscious..." I apologies for that. The majority of the teams are brilliant and their horses are amazing and they love them without a doubt. Crikey, the team I rode for them, my captain would put her life and safety before her horses. :)

Not sure whether it was aimed at me, but I had complete trust in Phi, I would of NO WAY ridden her round the open courses if I didn't, she was brilliant and I trusted her and her ability 1000%.

As I said, the above was written In MY Honest Opinion, that doesn't mean it's true. Some days i REALLY miss the sport, then others I hate it and it upsets me. However, If I had been doing dressage at the time and the accident happened, I'm sure I would be very resentful towards that sport too.

Jo x