Any tips for making the time cross country?

[Paint it Lucky]

I never seem to manage it, am always too slow. I think partly it is because I waste a little time steadying my horse before some fences so we can get the line right (eg. for narrow or corner type fences) and partly because once he has cleared them I give him lots of pats and tell him how wonderfull he is! I do try to gallop on between fences but it doesn't seem to be enough. Has anyone got any usefull tips? Horse does normally go clear now or almost clear so prehaps I just need to trust him and ride on more?

 

[undertheweather]

When you land after every fence, KICK! Bring your horse back to you for fence, and as soon as you land he must be galloping again. Those few seconds after every fence will add up!

 

[Polonaise]

Firstly it's not usually about galloping faster it's about not wasting time, any horse can make the time at BE100 and below if given the chance.
The easiest place to save time is after the fence, as soon as you've taken off you're horse will take care of the next bit so start focusing on getting to the next fence, look where you want to go, be ready ask the horse to land on the correct leg and tell him/her where to go and to go forward before their feet hit the ground. Cut the corner after the fence rather then before it.
Beware of downhill, narrow or wooded sections, it feels like you're going quicker then you are when in an enclosed space.
Given time you'll learn to jump easier fences out of a forward rythym or even at a slight angle to shorten your route.
Practice going between a forward seat/canter and slightly more collected one and back again so that you can be confident you can do this on approach and not have to apply the handbrake in the previous field.
Always think ahead, the last fence is done, forget it, there's nothing wrong with a quick good boy/girl but say it whilst in the air or give the pat 2 strides later once your back in your rythym.
Good luck and keep safe.

 

[MagicMelon]

When you land after every fence, KICK! Bring your horse back to you for fence, and as soon as you land he must be galloping again. Those few seconds after every fence will add up!

As above. This is what started to get me making the time at novice. By all means tell him he's good but do it vocally, dont faff about patting him. Otherwise, get your horse listening to you as quickly as you can coming up to a fence but dont slow down too much far away or you'll waste loads of time. Try to cut corners if you can anywhere on the course, ie. dont come really wide to things as this will save time too especially on a horse who doesn't have a big gallopy stride, mine is only a little horse so we can easily cut corners unlike the bigger horses (who dont need to as much anyway).

 

[Lyle]

School the gallop! You need them to be responsive to the half halt. You will save heaps of time at those straight forward fences if you just need to sit up and half halt to rebalance, but still keep travelling. You don't need to come back to a short bouncy canter for everything, only things that have a technical element.

TBH, I'm not a fan of the big kick-on after a jump. Yes, sometimes you want them to land and keep travelling, but other times you will want them to land and wait. I always recommend land, wait a few strides and then accelerate.

I've never had trouble making time on those horses that have excellent come rebalance responses. It's the strong, fast, wooden horses that need heaps of time to rebalance that will make you lose time!

Agree with the don't pat him after every jump A 'good boy' then keep moving is all he needs. His job is to do the whole course, not just one jump!

 

[kerilli]

I agree with Lyle, I don't want horses to learn to land and scoot away from the fence in anticipation of a kick... sometimes you want them to wait and turn, wait and think...
Rhythm rhythm rhythm. You need the horse to rebalance as you sit up (but not necessarily down) and bring your shoulders back. This way you can take a lot of fences 'in your stride' which saves seconds at every fence. The fast rounds aren't necessarily the ones where the rider kicks on fast between fences, they're the smooth ones.

 

[stencilface]

Save the pats until you've moved on after the fence - I always think to msyelf 'land kicking' as mine is quite happy to saunter round at a comfortable canter. He doesn't scoot off without the leg aid first though, and you might be setting up for a combination etc. I think havign the mindset of land kicking helps move you on after the fence too. When you walk the course don't just look at the fences, look at the approach and the lines around the course, if there's somewhere you can save time and not jeapordise your next fence by taking a shorter route then do

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Thanks everyone, I will try to bear all of that in mind next time we go out. I think my horse falls under the wooden category as he has always had quite a flat canter that's not terribly adjustable, if anyone knows any good schooling exercises to correct this please share! He does have a cheeky run out in him which is why I tend to play it safe and set him up a little before most fences though I am trying to do less of this as he becomes more genuine (touchwood!) He doesn't have a particularly long stride and will happily saunter along if I let him so think I do need to get after him a bit more. Will definately try to cut corners after fences where I can too.

 

[Carefreegirl]

I went on a XC clinic a few years ago and the instructor had marked out 500 metres and made us ride it in our normal xc pace whilst she timed it. It was interesting the variations in speed. She had based the time on BE Intro (told you a few years ago ).
Is there anywhere you could mark out a set distance and ride it with someone timing you ? Most mobile phones have a stopwatch on them now if you don't have a proper stopwatch.

A fews days out Hunting would also help no end if you can.

 

[BronsonNutter]

When walking the course, pay particular attention to where the ground is best - at Hutton this year there was a big open hill, perfect for galloping on, and yet everyone seemed to have galloped up the same space, turning that into a bog - and yet people were still going up that, slowing their horses down!
Also, look at which fences you could possibly take on an angle, which corners you can cut etc. A lot of people choose to go up the middle of the track, when riding alongside the ropes is often shorter and therefore quicker!

And the final, very obvious, one - make sure you and your horse are as fit as possible!

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I should do that sometime Carefreegirl, it's just difficult as don't have anywhere near me long enough to gallop for that long and generally am at yard on my own so don't have anyone to help either There is a gallop you can hire out not too far away (though still a bit of a trek), will try to hire it again sometime, it is divided into furlongs I think so could time myself galloping them.

I took him hunting a few times as a youngster and he was good. Couldn't go for a few years for various reasons then took him again last winter and he was such a nutter I'm not sure I dare go again! He just ran straight through the bridle and I had very little control, could only steer round people to avoid crashing into them as there was no way I could stop! He was in a tom thumb gag at the time which is normally enough for him cross country. Have tried dutch gag and pelham before, neither of which worked. Also drop noseband which he hated, currently he's in a flash. He came to me as a bolter who had just learnt to run through the contact, stronger bits just made him worse. Took a lot of reschooling work but now he does listen to me in most situations, but hunting I guess is too exciting now! Not sure if once they learn they can run through the contact they will do it in any bit no matter how much you'd think it would hurt them?

 

[Carefreegirl]

I'd give the hunting a miss then

Is there a Bridleway or headland you can measure ? Although as you say not very easy if you're on your own.