an interesting xc session...advice please!

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katief

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OK, so took my share out for an xc lesson on sunday..where to start. To be fair, he doesn't get much jumping or xc on a regular basis anyway so that doesn't help..but he was seriously wild! He has a bit of a thing about clocking a jump, flying at it (but once you're at speed you know you'll get over it...), landing, calming for a few strides and then flying off again! Came off once (my fault as I was actually holding him back too much and he did a swerve out and I bailed..) but could have come off so many more times due to being jumped out of the saddle or him just tanking off!

Any ideas how I can regain some control without having to box him over to an xc course every afternoon? I mean he loves it, but almost loves it a little too much, I'd love to do hunter trials with him but just not sure if I'd have the confidence to! We were in a group of 4 and he was being a little nappy at first, but then it just turned into being overly cheeky!
 
You need to go back to basics and do some jumping at home to regain control - if you have a horse that runs at a solid fence, chances are you will end up having a nasty accident or at the very least, the horse frightening himself. If you think about how the good top riders go XC, while they move at speed, they have the ability to move up and down the gears very easily.
 
I think you probably need to get your flat work established first with a good instructor and then progress to pole work and small jumps in the arena. Once you feel you are in control and not your horse you could progress to having x-country lessons.

It is dangerous to approach a x-country jump at excess speed and it does rather sound as carrying on the way our horse is is an accident waiting to happen.
 
Thing is I thought I was in control...did a lot of pole work and small jumps over the summer and thought it was sorted...ho hum back to the drawing board.
 
I agree you may need to go back to basics in the school with regards to control as others have said. Once you feel in control could you try show jumps on grass (that can resemble cross country fences, skinnies, barrels etc), or maybe progress to jump cross training? That way you can learn to control your horse in a cross country type environment...however the jumps will be forgiving should it all go wrong! Also then get a good instructor for cross country lessons!

Sounds very scary and so dangerous to go into cross country jumps at speed!!!
 
i'm actually going to break with the others on this- am assuming that you aren't a numpty and can actually ride (if you are then please disregard what i am about to say :rolleyes:)
my TB can be a bit- erm- mental on an XC course. he never used to be when i was eventing him and he was out and about all the time- but he's been mostly happy hacking for the last few years so has only done a limited number of outings to XC schoolings/ farm rides etc. Being in a group and stopping/starting would totally pop his small brain (so the farm rides i've done i've ended up being on my own and letting him keep going!)- i would take him XC schooling on your own (with someone on foot for safety obviously) and try to focus on trotting him quietly round little jumps and up steps, into water etc- but keep him moving. once he's settled a bit then introduce canter- but really try to keep him anchored and not let him accelerate into piss off mode-(harder than it sounds i know)- with my fella, the first few jumps are usually a bit scary- not taking off quite where i'd like, contorting in the air and what not - but once i'm cantering i would keep him cantering- slowly yes, but keeping moving, circling between fences if necessary to get control back- and then after a while he'll settle right down and start jumping normally and listening- only then would i consider stopping for a breather and restarting with him. i reckon if you can do a bit of this with him he'll soon remember that its not all about having a hooley around. yes, if you don't have control on the flat and over jumps in the school its not going to work- but if you do then at some point you have to address the problem on the Xc itself. good luck :)
 
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