Has anyone done the ODE/XC at Pachesham

Vickijay

Vickijay

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Has anyone done the ODE at Pachesham?

I might see if I can take my baby horse there but didn't know what the 70cm course was like. Is it easy enough to wobble round?! Do you have to jump into water? Ditches? Is there anything else scary?!

She hasn't done much xc and never at a party so just trying to be cautious the first time out!

Thanks

Vicki
 
Yes I have done the ODE there. I have to say the xc was one of the "oddest" courses that I have ridden. I think I did the 80cm? And the second fence was a step down, which felt like a question too soon? My horse was quite experienced (I wasn't) and he coped fine but it was quite twisty turny and didn't flow that well. The water is very spooky...because it is closed in and down in a hollow. If you go on unaffiliated xc photos page on fb - they have pics of all the fences I think. Don't get me wrong I like Pachesham a lot as a venue, very friendly and it was well run and on that day we actually won (:)) so I have no axe to grind - just for me I would prefer an open confidence giving course for a young horse to gain confidence jumping out of their stride but I guess, as all of these things, it depends on you and your horse and your preferences as a team.....
 
Oh and no jump into water and think there was a ditch or two but I didn't do the 70cm so not sure (70cm was a much shorter course). take a look on fb..might make more sense than my ramblings.... :) Good luck if you do go...
 
We are going there on Sunday - my daughter is doing her first ODE :eek: - so will let you know after that what it's like!

If you go on Pachesham's website and hover over the results heading, you can click on course plans and see all previous xc courses plans. And as mentioned, there are photo's on Facebook :)
 
The water isnt the nicest as the run down is quiet steep and its gross water. They don't have any particularly nasty or spooky fences, although the courses arent the nicest, theres nothing wrong with them either. There might be a small ditch/trakehner
 
Caramac71 said:
We are going there on Sunday - my daughter is doing her first ODE :eek: - so will let you know after that what it's like!

If you go on Pachesham's website and hover over the results heading, you can click on course plans and see all previous xc courses plans. And as mentioned, there are photo's on Facebook :)
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Best of luck to your daughter . . . what class is she doing? If you see us, please wave/say hi . . . Kal is grey, lorry is royal blue, he'll be wearing a grey numnah for stressage and black numnah/dead sheep for SJ and XC. His jockey will be wearing navy blue for DR and SJ . . . black and white for XC. I have dark red hair which will be in a ponytail and I'll probably be wearing a red Mark Todd jacket. His comp name is PolarSkye.

P
 
I took a horse xc there that had never been xc schooling/ seen a xc fence and, as soon as he got the idea he was actually allowed to 'jump out of a field' he went clear. A few bits are windy and there's a jump into the woods for the whole light/ dark thing, and one of ours spooked at the water given the change in ground colour, but generally we found it a nice, inviting course and great for a first timer. To be fair, I've not been for several years though!
 
I've schooled over there years ago and have watched friends jump there. Personally the course quite twisty to make the most of limited space but i think you will still get a fair leg opener, i never saw anything overly scary jump wise. The water thou isnt nice, its at the bottom of a hill in a dark corner and as above the water is a bit grim.
Also there will be a jump into and out of woods so be aware of that as the tracks are small and its all a bit dark.
Its nice enough, i dont really do xc but im not sure its somewhere i would go even thou its round the corner.
 
Thanks everyone.

I've just put a late entry in to go to Wheatlands as think the water at Pachesham might be a bit of a problem for our first go and I don't want to do the 50cm!!!

Looking at the pics I think I'll go there for the June event when she will of hopefully done a bit more.

Thanks :)
 
They might also include the silver barrels which is normally a great show stopper for most horses! I always thought the ground was not great so prefer not to run there.
 
Good luck! Very exciting to get out, glad the season (appears) to be getting better weather-wise :)
Would say, however that the ground can be really, really horrible there. You should be alright after the amount of rain we've had, but just in case - hopefully they'll put wood chips down again if it gets that bad! But then I hate hard ground, so I'm probably over-reacting!
Wheatlands is SO nice, very flat/fair cross country - fences are quite colourful though, little boats and benches and things :)
Have lots of fun - look forward to a report? ;)
 
Vickijay said:
Thanks everyone.

I've just put a late entry in to go to Wheatlands as think the water at Pachesham might be a bit of a problem for our first go and I don't want to do the 50cm!!!

Looking at the pics I think I'll go there for the June event when she will of hopefully done a bit more.

Thanks :)
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I think a good call, FWIW...good luck. :)
 
Vickijay said:
Thanks everyone.

I've just put a late entry in to go to Wheatlands as think the water at Pachesham might be a bit of a problem for our first go and I don't want to do the 50cm!!!

Looking at the pics I think I'll go there for the June event when she will of hopefully done a bit more.

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

wheatlands XC And water complaex ther eis lovely
 
Vickijay said:
Thanks everyone.

I've just put a late entry in to go to Wheatlands as think the water at Pachesham might be a bit of a problem for our first go and I don't want to do the 50cm!!!

Looking at the pics I think I'll go there for the June event when she will of hopefully done a bit more.

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Good choice! i'll be there too :)
 
Megan97 said:
Good luck! Very exciting to get out, glad the season (appears) to be getting better weather-wise :)
Would say, however that the ground can be really, really horrible there. You should be alright after the amount of rain we've had, but just in case - hopefully they'll put wood chips down again if it gets that bad! But then I hate hard ground, so I'm probably over-reacting!
Wheatlands is SO nice, very flat/fair cross country - fences are quite colourful though, little boats and benches and things :)
Have lots of fun - look forward to a report? ;)
Click to expand...

If there is someone to take snaps then yes!!

almostthere said:
I think a good call, FWIW...good luck. :)
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Yes I think so too

naza said:
wheatlands XC And water complaex ther eis lovely
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Yes, she has been schooling there too so a nice play to go for her first XC based party!!

ZoeeT said:
Good choice! i'll be there too :)
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Which class are you doing?
 
i've entered the 80-90 but if it keep raining I won't compete as horse i will be riding is very fussy on the ground, so I may just end up being a 'groom' aka slave :rolleyes:
What class are you doing? will say hi if I recognise you and am brave enough!!
 
paddy said:
I took a horse xc there that had never been xc schooling/ seen a xc fence and, as soon as he got the idea he was actually allowed to 'jump out of a field' he went clear. A few bits are windy and there's a jump into the woods for the whole light/ dark thing, and one of ours spooked at the water given the change in ground colour, but generally we found it a nice, inviting course and great for a first timer. To be fair, I've not been for several years though!
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Weeellllllll . . . that'll be an excuse for GreyDonkey to have a stop then ;). Bless him.

P
 
ZoeeT said:
i've entered the 80-90 but if it keep raining I won't compete as horse i will be riding is very fussy on the ground, so I may just end up being a 'groom' aka slave :rolleyes:
What class are you doing? will say hi if I recognise you and am brave enough!!
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I'm doing the 70-80 as its her first go!! It will be easy to recognise us because my pony is teeeeeeeeeeny and very spottie!!
 
how exciting!! either way i'll have my camera and my friend is in the same class as you so can take photo's if you would like? good luck :D
 
ZoeeT said:
how exciting!! either way i'll have my camera and my friend is in the same class as you so can take photo's if you would like? good luck :D
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As long as you say hi and don't laugh at my extreme baby pony wobbling of doooooom!!!
 
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