Has anyone here been on the Rockbourne Ride???

[leo_04]

Hi everyone, I am hoping to take my horse on the Rockbourne ride in Hampshire on 20th April to do something different with him. Just wondering what the fences are like and if anyone else has done it or doing it this year??

 

[RachelB]

The fences are a mixture, mostly fairly small to encourage people to have a go. If you have an advanced eventer don't expect to do anything interesting! But that's not what a fun ride is about anyway.
When I went (about five or six years ago) everyone was very polite, everyone asked to pass instead of just passing at speed, and it was generally a nice experience. Apart from the fact that I forgot my body protector and so couldn't jump!

 

[ickelshadow]

hi

we went on one last november at rockbourne (18 months ago) - have to say that there are not many polite people at these things, which really didn't help my then 26yo from standing on her back legs the whole way round! (excitable isn't the word)

i loved the jumps though

most were at the end which was kind of shame as she was tired at the end from of her antics, there were steps, water, ditches, logs, tyres, all sorts, a really nice training area really, wuld have been nice to be about 1/2-3/4 of the way round but i suppose that would also create issues!

am trying to go this year as well, i may see you there, probably with no front feet on the ground or going sideways at speed!

 

[mememe]

i did it about 3 years ago with a group from PC. we where supposed to go round with insructor calmly and jump what fences we wanted. only half the group wanted to jump so instructor sent five of us of without her to jump. we galloped flat out round all of it and the jumps are a bit of a blur!

from what i can remember they where nice but nothing to technical, a few hedges and drops where probably the most 'scary' but generally really good fun!

 

[Tanta]

I dont know where you live - but the VWH ride near Bibury is really lovely - fab country and good ground when we did it last year. Much better than the Rockbourne Ride from what I remember, as jumps better built and more interesting countryside

 

[splatty]

Have done the ride for the last 2/3 years, very popular best to go early or at end of day, very busy full of all types of riders/horses, alot of horses milling about some really good jumps, the ride in the autumn is best as they let you actually jump all the xc jumps and water complex which isnt always open on the spring ride. Jumps range from 2ft upto 3ft6 on the proper course. It still is a nice day out but like i said can get very busy which doesnt suit all horses, like someone else said can get quite a few bad mannered people/kids there, i suppose you could call it organised caosis but can be great fun.

 

[Madam_max]

I really liked it. I must say my mare is pretty hyper, but didn't have any problems with other riders. That being said I cantered and trotted most of the way and got round in about 50 mins, so nobody overtook me.