How competitions work

How lovely that you want to start competing. Pay & jumps is a brilliant way to school both you and your horse for proper competitions.

The lap of honour: Usually you have to keep track of the lap of honour and the prize-giving yourself. Nobody comes to fetch you from the stable or the horsebox, so it helps to bring a friend or parent who can keep an eye on it. If there is a lap of honour and you have already taken the tack off, you will need to put it all back on quickly. How much of a rush this is depends on how long there is between your round and any prize-giving.

Waiting time for the horse: While you wait, let the horse rest, and take the tack off if the wait is a long one. If you are competing somewhere other than where the horse is kept, the horsebox usually works as a resting place. At larger competitions with longer breaks, it matters all the more that the horse gets time to relax without its tack on.

Competing with a licence and a green card: If you plan to compete officially in future, you and your horse will need a competition licence, and you will need a green card. This certificate shows that you understand how competitions are run. You do not need a green card for pay & jumps, but it is worth taking a course if you want to start competing more seriously later on.

You can read more about getting started with competing on the Swedish Equestrian Federation (Ridsportförbundet) website.

Good luck, and do ask if you are wondering about anything else.