BE - good first courses

[Leg_end]

Both horse and I are total newcomers to BE but plan to start next season. We are based in berks and I'm looking for recommendations on a first few early runs that will ease us both in with as little trauma as possible!! Horse is full TB with plenty of gallop but he is pretty green XC still and can back off until he gets into the swing of things!

Have got munstead, wiltshire college, Merrist wood and BCA as possibles but would love your recommedations.

 

[TiaPony]

Munstead is very very inviting! You look like you'll be heading to the same places as me!

 

[little_pink_piggies]

Wilts college is lovely, I really like Belmont aswell... the ground was hard this year but the xc course is really nice for first timers provided the ground isn't rock hard, the first year it ran (06) the ground was on the soft side which was nicer. In 06 I tooik a horse to do his first pre-novice and in 07 I took a baby horse to do his first ever ODE and had lovely rides both times!

Larkhill was also quite nice

 

[ihatework]

Also consider slightly further away West Wilts, Aston le Walls, Larkhill.

But Mattingly is lovely !!! Definitely one to do

 

[LEC]

Wilts College very straight forward and so is West Wilts.

 

[archoak]

Burnham Beeches good for Intro and PN

 

[Leg_end]

I'd forgotten about Mattingley and its only down the road!!

Very straight foward is good

Hopefully we'll move up to PN at the end of the season but who knows!

 

[lifeslemons]

It's a real shame that Spire Park has stopped, as that was a lush first timers course.

 

[Wiz]

I did Munstead as mine and horses first intro last year and we survived! It's definitely nice first time event alround not just the xc I felt as it's not got scary distractions and plenty of room for dressage warm up. Sj warm up bit tighter but nothing too scary in the fillers department either.
Last season I also did Moreton Morrell, BCA, Milton Keynes, Pulborough (shame it's a the end of the season as that's straightforward) I would say they were all easier than Mattingley - only got as far as wlaking Little Mattingley before it got cancelled so maybe it would've ridden ok but seemed stiffer than the others.
Also look out for unaff intro and PN at Tweseldown - usually in April and run very much to BE standards

 

[Leg_end]

Thanks wiz - I was due to do the unaff intro at tweseldown in sept but yard got strangles so couldnt go