Advice for first time XC training PLS

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bluemoon123

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Myself and my coblet are going xc training for the very first time tomorrow!

He's going brilliantly at the moment; was xc schooled twice by a semi-pro for me; but never with me. I spent my winter doing xc lessons on schoolmasters - but both me and the coblet are pretty green where xc is concerned. But we have to start somewhere - and hopefully this will be the first of many days out :-)

For the lesson tomorrow, if we can jump one small log, I'll be delighted. I'm not going to push him too much or engineer any situations which are negative or stressful for him.

But advice please - what tips would you give me for first time xc training? (Take it as a given that he's well in himself; and we have the necessary protective gear etc).

Thanks in advance.
 
I was always taught one of the most important things with your XC is the warm up, especially if youre on a little tiger. Dont waste time trotting and cantering around in little circles, get out right round the edge of the schooling area and go for a good forward canter. Not bullet out of a gun, but start like you mean to go on.

Last week when i was xc schooling i was sharing the field with Jeanette Brakewell and i overheard her bol**cking one of her working pupils for trotting round in a little circle warming up.

Get that canter right, forward going but try and stay relaxed and it makes what will follow 100 times easier. It also gets you into the swing of things a hell of a lot quicker than if you were tight and tense doing 20m circles in a corner away from everyone else.

Good luck! Im sure you'll have a great time :D
 
Thanks for that - really good piece of advice.

Funnily enough when planning for going riding tonite at my yard, I was going to work on that principle of a forward going canter (we have a massive outdoor all-weather arena). It's a great point also because no doubt he'll be eyes out on stalks tomorrow so you're right - I shouldn't be trying to restrict him from the beginning as it would send the wrong message. Thank you.
 
Don't overrate yourself, only jump what you are confident to jump (the horse will pick up if you aren't convinced!), sit up, kick on, have fun!!!:D
 
Nice forward going canter, but keep horse nice and compact, if hes strung out, it will be harder for him to jump.

Not dressage outline, but on his hocks pushing weight forwards, rather than clawing along on the forehand
 
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