Honest opinions.....XC...

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H-J

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How hard do you have do you have to ride your horse/previous horse XC - What I mean by this is, does your horse just take you, do you have to really kick/whip???

Just after your honest opinions on how bold your horses is XC, would be nice to know the ages of the horses you are talking about too
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I have to really ride Shad into every fence.
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She's never been that bold but she's lost her confidence a bit so I'm going to do some smaller stuff with her. SJ she usually pulls me into the fences though! She's nearly 11 btw.
 
Ok here goes

PK - 8 yr old TBx forward going took you into jumps in a snaffle no whip even carried.

Tilla - 4 yr old 14.2 alot of leg needed only take you into fence if she is confident otherwise alot of leg and sometimes whip required.

Woody - now 12 but had since 4 always been very bold never needed much leg and never needed whip

Frankie - now 9 had since 5, when he was 5 he ran out of everything especially if it was a double, always went forward then ran out at last minute, leg and whip needed. Now very bold and novice eventing, takes you into fence, no longer carry a whip.
 
Only ever been to one XC on my mare and it was only 2'6 but she flew round, i was holding her back all the way. Everyone was telling me to event her but i'm a SJer i'm afraid!!

Not sure what she would be like as it go bigger though but she is quite a bold little madam and only usually stops if she is in a mood rather than coz she is scared.

She has just turned 5yo by the way.
 
Last year my horse gave me the rides from hell - he was horrible - spooky, backwards, could not canter and lacked all round spark. This year he has got better and better. Really takes me and holds his lines now he locks on. He is just 8 but started eventing at 6 and was very very green.
Every now and again he still needs a reminder to get on with the job but is 100% better in every way and wants to do it. He even recognises the word Go!
 
Lets just say I am very, very used to riding at jumps like my life depends on it!
Paris - not a very natural jumper-legs on and whip in hand is needed-will never go bigger than PN. Hunting has helped his scope and he has found increased enthusiasm for jumping through hunting-doesn't suit every horse though! Also had a lesson every week when I was competing-gridwork, bounces, xc clinics. However I know he doesn't have natural scope.
Morrissey - flipping enormous jump, but not at all fluid. I have to ride him very postively lets say! He is getting better and I can't blame him as he is a mans hunt horse, so used to jumping from a standstill. He actually is a very effective showjumper and hates hitiing poles. I do ride with spurs on and carry a stick because he's what I call sticky.
I am aiming for novice with him, but still along way to go-got it all there, but lacking style and technique-so abit of a project. Off to school him tonight!
 
Castle literally goes for everything if he's in pairs at a competition, but if he's in singles at a competition he can be a bit of a brat! Haven't tried Ali out cross-country yet, hoping to bring him schooling but when I'm jumping him over poles at home he goes for everything.
 
Dan well on his few pathetic attempts I had to force him over all the jumps (all 2ft of them!!) but the cantering part he could do that happily even if not at proper gallop. he was between 8-10 at the times of my 'attempts'

Fleur is 7 and learning still XC wise. Overall she will take me to and over the fences but some she needs to be ridden forward into and somewhat encouraged. Sometimes if very unsure she will stop but 90% of the time will jump on second attempt once she has had a good look. She will also occasionally stick her feet to the floor through sheer stubborness but this is also improving. Hoping she will grow in confidence and start taking me to the fences for the entire courses soon (when I'm actually able to get out XC again!!)
 
My horse is 9yrs old. He is quite bold XC but also spooky (quite diff to describe really), he flies out of the start box but has to be sure of the fence before he commits to jumping, as soon as he lands he's off again! I have used my whip at corner fences as he can back off them but everything else just needs positive riding. He's very straight and seems to know where we're going. We don't get time faults at Intro and PN so him being cautious is not a problem!! I think he jsut needs me to be confident and then he's fine
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Sicco- He is quite a bold horse but at things which are a bit more spooky i.e Ditches and steps into water, he takes quite a lot of riding, but this isnt helped by the fact I am not the greatest jumper in the world and he is still quite green
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He is 7 and a KWPN
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My 11yrs once off start and over first couple of fences locks on and will pull like a train, BUT if i take my leg off his confidents can go, so i've got to be big and brave aswell and then he's brilliant. Out hunting hisjust the bravest thing out and i do have problems stopping him, but that his fav job
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My 7yrs has just started ODE and hoping to BE later on in season, OMG has just developed his target system and i really do have a problem slowing him up, BUT it has taken a bit of time too see if he would BE. I basically haven't xc him for nearly yearly sorting out flatwork and not jumping very often at all. Took to rc camp and he flew xc fence really shocked me, that i though really he would never develop target sytem, oooo but he has in. Total taken nearly 2yrs tho
 
Most of my horses have usually just gone round normally - neither pulling me into fences or me having to particularily kick them on, if you know what I mean! My last horse was a total brat to start XC, he would nap like a b*tch at the start and back off the first 3 or 4 fences then suddenly he'd be away and would tank round. My 2 current horses - one is a 6yo but still very green XC so he does need some riding (although not whipping!!) as he backs off things and is generally still spooky. My other horse is fine, he gallops along popping things fine but he's much more experienced.
 
Onyx: once he got over his napping problem, he would take you round as long as you had your leg on but would be stupid stops in for no reason

Honey: only did once xc course when she was 5 and was fine but did have stops at the water
 
Cowbag - she was not the keenest. Just about coped at Novice - always made the time as was full TB, but she never gave me the best "feel" in the world. Best result was 7th in a novice at Bicton yonks ago. She was OK, but I was spoiled XC wise with the horse below....

Horse before that was a 15hh XC machine that I did JRN on. He was awesome XC, was a hard puller but boy he was ace - a mini Murphy Himself. I have a pic of me jumping a fairly hefty paralell on him XC and he took off a good 2 strides early - in the pic we are at full flight and stretch and we are not even at the jump! He would have been amazing had he been able to "listen" and not take matters into his own hands so much. He took me to PC Champs a few times and I schooled him round Bicton Intermediate one year...

However, ones like that are hard to find!

JB xx
 
Moon needed a fair amount of encouragement at her first couple of events, never stick and particularly kicking but lots of holding leg and directing then she was happy enough to assess it and jump. Sunshine who is 9 needed a lot of help at her first couple last year, had to slow into a trot in front of every jump but always did jump.
I actually never use the stick unless it really is a last second 'in case' You shouldnt have to chase them round as that indicates theyre not enjoying it but equally, you can forgive a baby for being a little unsure.

Some horses are naturally bold and good xc (eg Boss), some start off not so bold but with encouraging riding and trust in their rider, they pick it up (eg Moon). Others never are bold, they are not eventers!! (well, not beyond PN level anyway)

If its a baby and it has got the scope and you can see it's potential, it's worth just plugging on building confidence. Another few months down the line and if they still havent learnt to be a bit blase, maybe you call it a day with pursuing dreams of higher stuff.
 
B has just turned 7 and has always been a XC machine. he will jump off any stride, over anything, and always gives me the best ride. He knows the difference between warming up and schooling and competing and is stuffy when you do the first two but awesome when you compete. I have honestly never sat on anything like it - if you point him at it he will always try. The only times he needs a reminder is at ditches, but he has never stopped, just gets a bit looky, and at our last event he sailed through the coffin without needing a reminder. I got him when he was rising 6 and this is his second season of eventing. He's always been bold jumping though - although it has taken me ages to learn to ride him SJ he has never once looked at a filler or been spooky. I adore competing him and suspect he is my horse of a lifetime.
 
G is an a*** sjing, very looky, but is great XC. He is still incredibly green, but when he is in the mood, will just sail round. WHen not, is sticky and looky, but getting better as he gets more mileage. He is a wimp about everything in life, but once it has clicked it really goes the other way and he is cocky about everything! Just keeping him going to build confidence, and i have every confidence when it does click, I will be sailing round with no control!!
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He is 5.
 
Well my mare is an absolute star, jumps anything and is much easier to control since I put her in a jointed pelham. In her snaffle she was all go but now I have much more adaptability in her canter, still takes every fence with minimum effort from me, I use my leg if I remember to! She does get a little excited in the start box though so I have to keep her moving. Oh, and I never carry a whip.

She is 3/4 Tb 1/4 Cleveland and is 13.
 
god no dont need to kick-he flies over eveything without encouragement!Although i do kick if before a trakhener etc-but he is already in full unstoppable gallop so its quite hard to pursuade myself to kick him!
 
Buzz was unbroken when I got him and he just did XC, never questioned it, water ditches the lot, he is Advanced now so he probably was a bit special. He was 4 when I had him and Dutch.

Wilmer I had a go at XC on him when he was 7, he hadn't done it before either, but he never looked at anything either, just got on with it, although he wasn't the quickest horse in the world. I took him Novice though after about 4 runs. But he was the sort of horse that was always going to jump, he never pulled and he just popped round. He was Swedish.

Olympic I think was 10 the first time he set foot on a XC course, he probably needed riding the most at the start but once he got the hang of it if I had an amateur moment he would take me over.

If you are worried about one of yours as long as they are enjoying it you can forgive the odd blip.
 
Willough just gets on and does it, i think due to 6 or 7 years of hunting, she just loves to jump.

Jasper knows his job but can be a little wise and thinks he knows best, he sometimes thinks it is easier to go around, lazy git!.

Both seem to love their job (Willough detests dressage though and it shows in her face, she is far to polite to really object though) They are both 13.

If horses are thinking backward a bit I get out and do some pairs stuff and make it fun, they soon want to go again.
 
Rocky is an absolute star x.c never really have to kick and is really bold and loves his jumping (dressage is a real problem though) but he always thinks he knows best when coming into combinations .He's 8 and is an ISH

Previous horse was completly opposite ,had to really kick and used a lot of vocal encouragement ,she was better after she had hunter and began to enjoy it a lot more after that and also in pairs classes
 
hmm depends on the horse's make up and what level of training they are at. One needed very little effort, just pointing really and maybe a bit of a kick when he was just about at his limit (Int) and i needed my pointy spurs (the one in the avator). Another, who was a bit of a headshaker but brilliant, xc just totally pointing really, and he never got out of his comfort zone. One young horse was a bit stuffy and I had to work like a dog to get him round a PN but he got better and went advanced in a year (unfortunately I sold him by then!) My 4 year old now about to just start some xc schooling but sj, very willing just needs leg on. Depends on their age and experience and i don't think how they are as youngsters is particularly a measure of how they will be in a few years time.
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My mums horse Caf is brill XC, never had a fault. He's not mega fast into his fences but doesn't really take any kicking, just likes to sort himself out.

Badger frightened me a little bit to begin with, he used to think he new it all (SJ and XC) but had a tendency to duck out at the last minute if he saw anything scary (at speed) and I'd go out the side door!
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Lots of sore arse situations! He's now grown up a lot and after lots of hunting he seems to be taking things in his stride this year. Lets hope he keeps it up!
 
Shrimp is generally forward going and pretty much takes me into the fences. At the moment, he will happily fly round a PN and not question a thing and hence we have a few brake problems
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but now that we've moved up a level, he backs himself off more and sometimes just needs that little bit a reassurance from me to say 'go' and he responds. Also, like us humans, he has off days like three weeks ago when I retired because I could tell he wasnt happy as he wasnt taking me and was backing off alot which we now think was due to the ground.
I trust him alot more now though and will tend to take a few more 'risks' shall we say. I wont jump an alternative unless i really think we may have a problem at the straight option.
He has given me some amazing rides xc and i hope that continues
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Once I'm having a brave day so is he - he's rising 6 ISH and this is the first year he's done much so am happy with how he's coming along...once he 'locks on' and we're in a rhythm then we fly but if I start to bottle it he knows immediately and that's that....which is good in a way means I have to be brave!
 
12yr old eventer-think ours is the first non-pro yard he's been in.

Would barely dare touch him with a stick! Bombs across country, although occasionally will back off and has had a tap but that's it.
My sister has to kick on a bit.
My pony(7/8) was v. bold etc. and didn't need touched.
Other pony has to be 'convinced' the whole way round, but is getting better-aged 12/13.
 
otto will take you round xc although he sometimes needs a reminder to concentrate on the job in hand as if he is in a place he hasnt been to before he does like to have a good nosey on the way round! he is 9, ID x and only been in proper ridden work for 15 months.
 
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