First Time X-Country

[MadWoman]

I have a 2 hr cross-country schooling session booked with my instructor at the Hilltop course on Sunday. I've never done cross-country before and was wondering if anyone has any advice.

The three of us going jumped lots of logs and gorse bushes on our local common last Sunday in preparation, and Archie got so excited that all he could do was bounce up and down on the spot! He did stay reasonably controlled in his kimblewick, though.

My main concern is that he does occasionally stop, and I'm somewhat nervous of coming off over his head onto a sold jump (once broke my back falling off, so a tad nervous of taking a tumble now.) I will, of course, be wearing a back protector (and Archie will have boots on). What doesn't help is my instructor said I'd be amazed at what I would be jumping, which has of course got me worried about quite what she will ask us to jump!

This sounds as if I'm a complete wimp, but I'm actually really looking forward to it, just want an idea of what to expect!

Thanks everyone!

[Mehitabel]

i'm sure she only meant you'd be amazed at how easy you'd find it, so that you'd be doing great things by the end! you may well find that out in the wide open space of an x-c course he'll get more into his rhythm and will be less inclined to stop (at a jump, not after it!). you'll have a great time i'm sure. personally, i find x-c jumping much easier than showjumping, and the bigger spaces and less turns and so on mean that most horses go better and stop less.

[happyhorse]

i went x country schooling for the first time in 10 years last sunday and had the same fears, my horse loves jumping and gets very eager to , but also throws in stops when i am jumping in the school, somersaulting me over his head!! lol ( many times!!)
So i had the same worries about going x country mainly due to the fact the jumps are so solid and don't move when you hit them!!!

But i was impressed by him, and he didn't stop once while schooling x country and jumped like a dream, even if a little eager!!! i started with the mini jumps, got confident on them, moved on to novice, and even had the guts to jump a couple of open ones, easy peasey for him, but took alot of guts for me to do! it also gives you more confidence when your wearing a body protector!!

you should read my post, it was so good..... he was so good! that was written after i went!

[Lgd]

My older horse dislikes showjumping , under 3ft is fine but once the fence goes over 3 foot she gets very unkeen and has the dirtiest stop imaginable - one of the reasons we ended up concentrating on dressage. She loves cross country and has never stopped even at huge fences that I'm thinking 'Oh C*** I'm gonna die!' I must confess that we don't compete x-c anymore as I don't want to risk her legs, but I do pop over some small stuff occasionally to keep her life varied.

[Tina J]

Back in the days when I one day evented my last horse, I seem to remember that the key was just staying straight on your line, and keeping balanced. Most horses seem to enjoy going x-country so much that unless you put them at a poor line, stopping is the last thing on their minds.

Have fun, and let us all know how you get on.

[MadWoman]

Thanks folks, I'm much encouraged regarding him stopping. To paraphrase everyone, the secret would seem to be to get a straight line, kick on and, in my case, close the eyes and hang on tight!

I'll let you kow I got on on Monday (if I'm fit to come into work of course!).

[Mehitabel]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/discipline/?afw_source_key={C39854AF-A57B-4C7C-B39F-0DDBA3A1F282}

good artiicle from the horse and hound site about cross country riding.

[MadWoman]

Thanks Es, those are very useful.

[MadWoman]

Well, we both survived and had a brilliant afternoon yesterday. We started off over a tiny little telegraph pole, then tried a bank which he took in his stride. Onto slightly larger jumps (at least 1'9"!), and all went well until we tried to jump the chair - Archie stopped dead and dropped his shoulder, and off I came - embarrassed but not hurt. Tried it again and exactly the same happened! Didn't bounce so well that time - can hardly move my right arm today. Sarah, my instructor, then got on him and after some considerable trouble managed to get him over and I hopped back on and we moved on.

Found he went beautifully up steps, and no problem going into and out of water. As I (and he possibly) got my confidence back we tried some more jumps, and ended up going over a 2'6" brush jump and later a similar sized log (in a combination) which I was really chuffed with. On the way back to the start I sneaked off and jumped the chair I'd come off at, much to everyone's horror, but he went over it beautifully - I think we perhaps should have waited untill his blood was more up before trying something he hadn't done before.

All in all, a brilliant afternoon, and I think Archie will be fine doing cross-country with a bit more practice; he certainly seemed to enjoy it and got VERY excited, but was more in control than many of the horses there, who although they were clearing everything, were clearly running away with their riders! Poor Mr MadWoman spent the afternoon being terrified that I would/had hurt myself, though - glad I had a body protector on.

Off to Bredon Hill Fun Ride in a fortnight now, to see if we can cope with some of the jumps on that (and hopefully stay on this time!).