Pulling a horse from a hat
Modern pentathlon show jumping is very different to normal show jumping and I often get asked how the process works. In Modern Pentathlon, the Pentathlete cannot ride their own horse in the show jumping competition – rather, the country running the competitions supplies the horses.
The day before the competition, the owners of the horse will do an owners round to prove the horse is capable of jumping the course. Then on the day of the competition, all the athletes choose a number out of a hat, which links up to one of the horses provided. The number you pick is the horse that you will jump with.
Once it’s your turn to start we get only 20 minutes to warm up with the horse, which includes 5 jumps. Then we have to do the 12 obstacle course. This is one of the events I get most nervous over, because I’m getting on a new horse I have never ridden before and am unsure of the horse’s nature – you never know how it could turn out.
Having said that, it is also my favourite event, as I love riding!
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