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26 S U M M E R 2 014 U N TAC K E D Remember when "wheeling your course" was a thing in the world of eventing? You'd see young riders marching along with care, brows furrowed in concentra- tion as they tried to listen to their coaches while also steering their meter wheel along their exact route. Professionals were out there wheel- ing too, probably on walk No. 2 or 3, as by that time they knew the line they wanted, and now it was time to get those minute markers squared away. When I got serious about eventing, I too purchased a meter wheel, and I used to roll it out for the competitions that re- ally mattered. But since downloading the CourseWalk App, my wheel has accumu- lated far more dust than meters. e concept behind the app is simple: Use GPS and your smart phone to walk your course and take photos of your fences. Even for the most technophobic rider, this app is a super way to gather a lot of information about your cross- country course. You start by entering the course information—pace and time allowed at a minimum—but you can also enter the distance, location, level and other de- tails. Hit the record button as you leave the start box and proceed to walk your course. As you approach a fence, touch the fence button to snap a photo. e app pauses the GPS recording automatically until you touch the save button on the backside. Don't like the photo? Delete and try again. You can also put the app in standby mode at any point if you're going off your line for some reason. Save the course as you walk through the finish flags, and voila, CourseWalk fills in your minute markers and takes you through the course, fence by fence, with photos to help you remember ex- actly what the nondescript log at fence 7 looked like. Make a mistake while you're walking your line? You can pause the recording and undo your last recorded points with the eraser feature. Disagree with the de- signer on the distance of the course? e CourseWalk app will autocorrect minute markers based on the optimum time. I use the app far more than I ever used my wheel. I carry my phone with me wherever I go anyway, so as long as I have time, I always record my course now in order to learn if my planned route is shorter or longer than the course design- er's intended way and to find my minute markers, not to mention being able to review it at my trailer if I suffer a nerves- induced brain fart. And although the course-walking feature is this app's main function, it also provides a number of other useful tools for competitors and organizers. Curious about a course you haven't seen before? Check MyCourseWalk.com to see if some- one else has uploaded it. ere are about 1,500 courses saved there from around the world. Forgot your dressage test or didn't have time to learn it? CourseWalk app provides links to tests from many coun- tries, and scores too. Organizers and course designers can also use the CourseWalk app to find the optimum time for cross-country and show jumping and print maps for the com- petitors. Some kind organizers even post courses ahead of time on the event's web- sites with the CourseWalk app. If you're a combined driver, try the CourseWalk CDE app for similar features. Available for iPhone, iPad and An- droid. Download from the App Store on iTunes or Google Play. $9.99. —Sara Lieser, Managing Editor TECH REVIEW The CourseWalk App PHOTO COURTESY NICOLAS HINZE Revel in wäter. #swedishstyle MountainHorseUSA.com Developed in Sweden where Mother Nature can be harsh, our Forest Highlander Boot is uniquely designed to protect you from the elements. 100% waterproof, rugged and comfortable, these versatile, all-purpose boots are packed with intelligent technical features and impeccable style. All to keep you dry and happy so you can do more of what you love. Client: Mountain Horse JOB #: ERS-14102_Revel_COTH Untacked Agency: PRIMER180 AD: D. Christensen AE: M Hirschman/ S Donnell Date: 3/31/14 AD Size: Full Page TRIM: 9.25x11.125

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