Cross Country Courses at home, general q's

[luckilotti]

Hi,
a general question here for anyone who may have a bit of a cross country course at home

How many acres/fields do you have it spread over?
Do you still graze around the jumps?
Did you do it yourself or get in the pros?
If you did it youself - any hints/tips/photos/things to avoid?

Anything else? We are considering doing a bit of one but not sure of the best way of doing it - have it all in 1 field where you have to go around or over lots of fields which means all the horses have to be out of a number of fields when using it etc?

 

[outoftheblue]

The one at the stables where I keep my pony has a cross country course, it is well established although spread over one field so it is easier to empty the field of horses when its being used.

Grazing/turn out is permitted on dry days as otherwise the areas around the jumps can become muddy which ruins the course during the dry months.

Cross country jumps can be made yourself if you have the relevant skills and motivation, there are various books, one of which is by Mary Gordan-Watson which shows you how to make cross country jumps.

Portable cross country jumps can be purchased or made which is ideal if you do not want the cross country course affecting the grazing area (particularly if you are using a small field).

Best to start gathering materials for the jumps as soon as you can (old tyres, logs, planks of wood/scaffolding boards etc...) so you aren't stuck for when you want to actually build it.

Also wouldn't try and attempt to build one on your own, the materials can be heavy and its hard work maintaining them let alone building them!

Hope that helps!

 

[Orangehorse]

Not sure if you want it for your own use, or to hire out.

If for your own use, won't you soon get bored with the same course? Although it would be useful to have some ditches, water fences for schooling.

If for hiring out, a farmer who wanted to try and make some money was told that to have insurance cover the course would have to be designed and constructed by a "registered" course builder, at mega money of course. Another insurance company might not want that.

If you use portable fences they must be fastened down safely - I expect you have seen the video where the horse trips over a portable fence and it tips up underneath them with the result .............. well you don't want to know that.

 

[luckilotti]

Thanks for the replies.

The field i am thinking of using is about 8 or 9 acres, has a few sloping areas etc. But its a plain old rectangular field so could be a little boring!

I do like the idea of portable jumps, but when i have looked at them online i havent been that impressed, i saw a metal arrow head the other day online and i just couldnt get my head around that one (the gaps were also perfect for a pony hoof to go through!)

It will ideally be for my own use, but chances are, a few liveries will also want a play. We did consider going down the jump cross route a few years back but for one reason or another didnt, but we have just got an additional field so now i am thinking again!

I did but a book about how to construct cross country jumps a few years back so i guess i need to find where-ever i put it! I'm off to google for 'registered builders' for them as i am sure they could offer some advice and maybe if they are reasonable could do a couple of jumps, and add to when needed etc

 

[Mike007]

Find a local estate with a bit of forestry and buy yourself some good larch poles. Not expensive and they may even have a forwarder to drop them off with. Larch will outlast most other timbers and makes great jumps.