first cross-country lesson

[les gallagher]

HI
I HAVE JUST BOOKED MY FIRST CROSS-COUNTRY LESSON AND COULD DO WITH A LITTLE ADVICE,I HAVE ONLY BEEN JUMPING OVER 2"6 FENCES OVER TROT/CANTER POLES.THE HORSE IS BIG SCOPEY JUMPER SO NO WORRIES ABOUT THE FENCES "JUST THE APPROACH "
WOULD THIS BE THE SAME BUT WITHOUT THE POLES,THERE WILL BE
QUITE A LARGE GROUP OF RIDERS THERE SO I WILL BE A LITTLE
NERVOUS MOST ARE EXPERIENCED RIDERS SO I DONT WANT TO LOOK STUPID


THANKS
LES

[les gallagher]

SORRY HEATHER BUT I USED THE WRONG FORUM, GOT DISTURED
AND NEVER CHECKED FIRST."NO SARCASTIC REPLIES PLEASE"

SORRY

[fionahogg]

Hi Les.
Riding across country is very different to riding a show jumping course. When show jumping, the approach should be a nice bouncy canter with plenty of impulsion and balance to enable the horse to turn tightly etc. Across country it’s a different matter. The canter should be faster, covering more ground. But the horse should be well up in the hand and should certainly not be rushing or flattening into the jump. Keep him balanced and under control but at a faster pace than a showjumping canter. If you're on an experienced horse then as long as you keep the balance and control then don't fidget and worry about meeting the jump - just let the jump come to you. Sit up on the last few strides and wait.
Cross country is great fun :)! I love it!!

Hope this helps!

Fiona.

[fionahogg]

I'm sure I just posted in the 'seminar' forum? How'd it get here?

[Somethingroyal]

I think heather moved it...

Anyway, a couple sugestions for cross country...

Make sure you have your horse in hand throughout the course, sometimes bridging the reins helps to balance horse and rider. Your horse needs to be much more fit to do CC than SJ, so if he seems to be getting tired, pull up to avoid an accident. Make sure he doesnt get on the forehand, otherwise you will have jumping difficulties. AND ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR!! (but I know you know thet:))

[KarlR]

You may find your horse pulls a lot more towards solid fences, but you still need to keep control.

My first ever XC experience was on a heavyweight 17.3hh ID hunter who I could hardly hold - he had always been so sluggish jumping in he school over poles. Better schooled horses should not show this tendency, but they may still pull more. Try to keep it bouncy and with impulsion but don't hold them back (unless approaching a coffin or a water jump!)

[Dizzy]

Wow!! Karl 17.3hh, that's massive, I prefer the littler horse, call me chicken, thats exactly what I am. I take my hat off to you, especially on your first xcountry.

Changing the subject,Is your horse ok now?

Les the best advise I ever got was, don't look at the jump, look past it, where you wnat to land. Put your stirrup leathers up a hole, so that its easier to stand in your stirrups and absorb the stride, and have fun.

Good luck and let us know how it went.

Lesley