Cross country on hard ground

[Horsegirl25]

What’s everyone’s opinions on running cross country on hard ground.
We are entered into a hunter trial this afternoon (80cm) with little to no rain all week, I walked the course yesterday and thought the ground was ok. It was firm and dry but that is to be expected, I personally didn’t feel it felt like ‘concrete’. It is also very flat not rutted, good grass coverage in most areas and sand take off and lane points.
However, a few people have now commented on the events Facebook page re ground conditions and withdrawing.
I’m stuck now between wether to go or to withdraw!

 

[Bernster]

Now I’ve had first hand experience, much more cautious! I did an ode on firm ground. It seemed ok, had good grass cover and wasn’t rutted. I hosed and cooled his legs afterwards but he ended up with two fat front legs which took a while to recover. So now I’ll be way more careful of the ground I run him on if we ever compete again (he’s kind of off games for a while).

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I withdrew from a ODE last year due to hard ground. My friend went. Knackered her horse up , she hasn't been able to ride it since. Of course the horse may have had something underlying which the hard ground exasperated but still not worth the risk in my opinion. But by now you may/ maynot have been!!

 

[Nicnac]

Did you run?

We w/d after dressage and sj today. Not worth the risk although sods law ground would have been perfect tomorrow after all this rain today.

 

[paddi22]

not worth the risk for a hunter trial. there's been so many people with lamenesses recently after running on hard ground from what I can see. if it was a championship final or something I might take the risk, but if it's a non essential event I wouldn't

 

[Red-1]

I think some of it depends on how the horse is conditioned. If you usually hack at walk on the roads and school on a surface, then I would no way run on hard ground.

I would always go on the side of caution anyway. I have been XC schooling on the hard ground but we have just been trot and pop, small fences and not many of them. If there has been a long stretch, we have walked it!

 

[LEC]

There are a lot of different circumstances that need to be taken into account.

1) the horse - it’s conformation, it’s fitness and how it covers the ground. Long pasterns for instance are bad on hard ground. A horse with a active front action etc

2) The soil, grass cover and how much prep has been done to the ground. Is it hard and rutted in front of jumps or have take offs and landings been done? Loamy soil for instance breaks up under an aerovator much better than clay. I wouldn’t be running where no groundwork has been done at all. Old parkland tends to hold moisture better than on farmland which is cultivated or grazed all year round.

3) what the purpose of the run is? Is it a bit of fun or does it have to be done and is the above good?

4) how much prep has been done fitness wise - do you cross train on grass or spend 90% of your time in the arena? If you spend 90% in an arena the horse won’t be conditioned for it with joints and tendons.