anybody done point to pointing?

[eeek]

Have been offered a Point to Pointer to lease for next season... Am sooo tempted (as long as I can get a job that will pay for it)...

Point to Pointing has been on my to-do list for a while but I wouldn't know where to start!

Anybody trained one before, or ridden in a race, or know anything about it?

What kinds of costs are there?

[Bek B]

I don't know anything about it.

My friend kept a pointer fit several years ago. She had a full time job at the time and said it nearly broke her! Doing a full shift then having to take the horse out to exercise.

If you've got the time and/or support, I reckon it would be a great experience.

[XenaWarriorPrincess]

Oooh Liz! How exciting!
I would say if you have the facilities/time/money then do it!
I take it you would be entering the hunt members race?
x

[eeek]

What's the hunt member's race? Is that the one where you ride one lap of the track on your hunter? (Or Standardbred...)

That has always appealed to me but I would quite fancy riding in a real PtP!

I have the facilities and could find the time, just not sure what the 'running costs' are. I have a fair idea how much the general upkeep will be because it's probably quite similar to a trotter, but how much does it cost to get your horse on the track once it is already fit and ready to go? Diesel will be a lot more as the races aren't that local, unlike trotting.. What about entry fees?

Also I wouldn't know where to begin! I reckon I could get the animal fit, but I don't know anything about how the rules work, or how to improve jumping technique, or stuff like that... I don't even know what problems will be arising!

[CityLights]

is there a point to point society? im sure there will be somewhere to get you up or rules and meets and stuff,

there used to be a point to point yard near me but i dont think they do it anymore, i always mean to go to cartmel i think that has a point to point on but its like £50 a car to get on!!

[eeek]

£50/car!!!!!!!! These are the kinds of semi-hidden costs I am worried about.. Can easily work out how much food and how many shoes the thing will need, but actually turning up at the races??

Think I may stick to trotting for the time being, will have 2 trotters to train starting in January so will make time very tight.

[Tarka the horse]

Missed this and just looking for the post on towing...!

I worked with point to pointers and raced in 2004. You have to be a member of your local hunt to be able to qualify (or you did, I'm not sure about the rules now with fox hunting "banned"). We had to do 7 hunts then I think to enable us to qualify. If you're a rider who's already qualified, you dont have to be the one to qualify the horse.

It's a LOT of time and you're up against people who do have their horses in professional training yards but they're raced under another, unlicensed trainer's name. If you're just doing it for kicks then go for it, but get lessons from someone who knows what they're doing!!

I loved it, miss it, gave it up as broke my neck qualifying and wanted to ride for pleasure for the rest of my life and not have one more accident and end up in a chair!!

[RacingGirl]

I have many friends who ride and train.... its very competative and many top chasers are on the circuit... (when I have 10 mins and not near 1 am I will write more...just realised what the time is eeek, I have work)

[eeek]

I'm always toying with the idea of trying to get into pointing, but the danger factor usually puts me off.

You hear of so many horrific accidents to both horses and riders. Trotting is not exactly safe but when it goes wrong it doesn't seem to go as badly wrong as you'd think! I have seen 4-sulky pile-ups with horses dropping like flies left right and centre, and 10 minutes later everybody is walking happily back to their boxes and planning next week's race.

What is the casualty rate actually like with point-to-pointing? Maybe I'm exaggerating it?

Also I worry that I wouldn't be able to handle your average fully fit TB, even though I have ridden quite a few so far.. And they might not like my very hilly and windy field very much!

[RacingGirl]

are you looking to riding in just hunt races or other races as most are amateur jocks that have type A or B licences and have done courses at the BRS... can you pm me your email and I can email you with links etc

[eeek]

RG, was actually more interested in training one than riding in a race, although that would probably follow, knowing me!

Hunt races are on non-TB horses right? So I could technically take my trotter.. haha!

[RacingGirl]

will pm you

[eeek]

thank you thank you!