Change the blue stables layout back to how it was!

[Laura&&MackyDee]

I had an amazing time at equifest, however I didn't like having to walk miles to my stable as I was parked miles away! Every other year I've been able to see my horse from my camp and as i took a fairly new horse i wasnt sure how he was going to act....so as much as I enjoyed equifest the stabling layout was a disappointment but other than that it was brilliant!!

[jaycee]

I quite agree. I am sitting here with "my poor old legs throbbing!!!"
You expect to have a long walk to rings, trade stands etc but the joy of Equifest was always being able to park near to your stables. There was no other champ show quite like it!
We too took a fairly new pony, with no idea of how he would react, as well as two youngish children, who in past years we had been able to leave unattended in the lorry while we fed, mucked out etc.
Please, please consider not everyone takes a car and the walk from one side of the show site to stables at the other is quite off putting.
We did hear a lot of complaints on this subject in the blue area so hope the organisers will listen.

[anna85]

I had quite a bit of apprehension about the stables and I did find them quite close together and claustrophic, however, I thought on reflection this evening that given the small dose of trouble overnight I was quite glad the stables were in one group in a contained area that could be guarded/watched much easier than in previous years and the change seemed to be vindicated with the increased security over the ponies. I didn't really understand the blue wristband thing as it was never checked once on however.

I did wonder whether it would be a better solution to get the best of both worlds by splitting the blue stabling into two separate area/compounds in either corner of the same side of the showground (so either side of the BSPA rings) so not everyone crams down one end and also those that are later arriving don't end up with about a massive walk to their stables several times a day. However, of course that means increased stable managers etc.

As an aside, I really really enjoyed the show this year yet again, the little things like putting out the large tubs at water stand points on the very hot days just showed how much the organisers were thinking about the comfort/welfare of the ponies on site.

[horsecarol123]

totally agree that the blue stables should go back to how they were from when equifest first started spread around in blocks .This gives every one a chance when ever you arrive to get alot nearer to your horses than we were this time .My husband clocked the mileage in my daughters car this morning to the stables from gate 10 where we were parked which was three quarters of a mile to managers office .This idea for scope is ok but not ideal for a showground as big as peterborough.We could not tie outside stables if we wanted too, as the aisle we were in was far too narrow.people were queing for water as the pressure was so low ,by this morning every where looked a dirty muddy mess.A lot of general chit chat to people always seemed to come around to the stabling situation ,this seems such a shame as the show its self runs well but this could be very off putting for people who may have come to the show for the first time .I my self spoke to a lady who said she had never been before and probably wouldnt come again as walking a mile to her daughters pony every time she had to do something was to the extreme .All in all we had a good show ,it seems such a shame to change things that work for everyone .

[pocketrocket1]

Totally agree that water tubs were a fab idea as were announcements about watering ponies and humans etc. My boy really appreciated a good glug on the way back to his stable. Fab idea and v pony friendly!

[b]

I agree with everyone, please put the stables back to how they were.

[mirejaal]

I have competed at champs for years, and have NEVER EVER been sooo exhausted after 2 days!!! I called my husband in tears as with 3 ponies it was just IMPOSSIBLE to enjoy!!! It took 30 mins to go feed n muck out and return, let alone go tack up, return ponies etc etc !!!!
BAD BAD show for us in terms of stable management!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EQUIFEST PLEASE HEEEELLLP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bumblebee]

Have to agree. I was on my own with two ponies and was absolutely exhausted by the end of the week. Equifest was meant to be my holiday for the year but the excessive walking took away the relaxation side of things. For those of us without huge lorries big enough to bring a decent sized wheelbarrow it was near on impossible - my wheelbarrow was so tiny that I ended up having to reload it about 8 times on each trip to the stables as everything fell off!! Have to agree about how close together the stables were too - I relied on tying my horse up outside last year to put hoof oil etc on as had noone to hold him and impossible to do it in the stable with bedding. Unfortunately this year I was unable to do this. Not to mention it's a huge fire hazard having stables to close together (especially when you get some idiots like we encountered on the Tuesday night who were smoking INSIDE the staables!!!). I understand that it was meant to be more secure this year, but tbh noone actually checked stable wristbands etc, and I felt as though anyone could have walked off with my horses this year, whereas last year they were within view of where we were camped so much safer. It's also nice to be able to go and check on the ponies last thing at night etc (especially when taking ponies who have never stayed away before) but due to the amount of walking we had to minimise the amount of trips we made to the stables. I think I will be reluctant to return next year if the same layout is used.

[twiglet19]

late reply as only just home, I know how you feel re wristbands but it was a trial this year, and I am sure Betsy will knock it into shape if the equifest committee decide to run with it again. BUT you would be surprised if you knew that yes it was being watched and the number of times, the stable management team leapt out of the portacabin onto unsuspecting individuals saying " have you got your wristband". We had hoped for a slightly smaller entrance into stables area, but as is often the case, sometimes these things do not happen for various reasons. I know that a lot of people did have them on, and in fact we had many "little people" were coming for a "wristband" maybe it will be the new fad. Hope you enjoyed the show anyway.

[ada]

i too came home exhausted, had a chat with a lady stabled near us and parked near us, she had a pedometer, had clocked 22miles up to fri night!!!!!!!
would agree stable layout was better in previous years, could stable numbers not be sent out with confirmation and more staff available to check people in to the right stable?
i would prefer to be nearer to the stable and be our own security.

can anyone throw any light on the commotion on sat night about 1.30am, lots of yelling and shouting in the blue stable box park?

[meld]

I heard all the shouting saturday night, wondered if someone would mention it, was starting to think I was dreaming

[mayhem]

Being near you horses is so much easier, so far away from parking. what a mess, taking ponies to book them in with you. No space between lorries

Why not pre allocate stables put names and numbers on stables like NPS do

[blacksheep]

wristbands?? first I've heard of having to have these and we were stabled in the blue stables. Would really appreciate it if we could go back to the previous layout. We were parked a long way from the stables, our friends and the rings and were so fed up at then being told we had to walk to the far end of the showground to order a bale of hay after the trek to the stable office. We understand classes run late and don't normally mind but it was too far to see how the rings were running, so we had to assume things were on time which meant a lot of standing around for us and our youngster. But he was brilliantly behaved so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

The shouting on Saturday night was probably our neighbours. Some drunken louts thought it would be funny to damage their property, turned out not to be so funny after they were caught and given a right roasting :-)

[natashaw93]

We were in red last year right opposite our stable. This year we were in blue and the walk from where we were parked.... WOW!! And the mud around the stables blocks halfway through the week was so bad! Do people REALLY need to bath their horses all over the place? Not nice when we've got to walk a pony/horse with white legs through it all on the way to classes