How far do you travel (miles or timewise) to go XC practice?

[SpruceRI]

And do you go to more than one course before you compete? Whether that be Hunter Trial or Horse Trial?

 

[Leg_end]

Depends what I'm looking for. Baby xc is about 3 miles away but boomerang and tweseldown which have water are about 15-20 miles away. As to how many times before you first go out.. I like them to see everything they may encounter and depending on their attitude we may go once or ten times!

 

[charlimouse]

My favourite baby XC is about an hour away. For bigger I tend to go to either omerford Park, Newton Farm, or Grange-de-Lings, which are 2 hours+. Wish we had something closer!

 

[brushingboots]

Milton Keynes is 30 mins away, Aston-le-Walls, 1h15/30 depending on traffic, Tweseldown 1h45, Boomerang 2h, Lyneham 2h. At the beginning of the season, tend to go to MK a couple of times, then go a bit further afield once the season has started and it's lighter in the evenings, to somewhere like Aston or Lyneham..

 

[floradora09]

Start of last season I needed to do a lot of schooling as had a few ditch issues, and hadn't done much xc before, so in total went out about 5 times I think pre-season? Then did a quick topup before moving up a level nearer the end of season. Closest is boomerang at 40mins and furthest is prob tweseldown at about 1.45 I think? Also do lyneham, swalcliffe, aston le walls.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I have to travel between 2 and 2.5 each way to my nearest BE standard course. I try and go twice pre season with the more experiences horses for the babies I start them over smaller courses nearer home.

 

[Girlracer]

I'm lucky as I'm pretty much in the middle of lyneham, boomerang etc and none are far away. We have some good baby courses a few minutes up the road too!

 

[MandyMoo]

I usually take Monty to Aylesford xc course if i'm practising for a hunter trial or just having a bit of fun; its about 45minutes drive in the lorry from my yard

There is one a lot closer... about 25minutes... but it isn't as nice IMO; Newton XC course

 

[PaddyMonty]

Pretty lucky in that I have MK, Aston and Carlton all no more than 1 hour away plus a couple of baby courses closer.

 

[kirstyhen]

We have Newton, Eland, Aylesford, Fields Farm and Draycott all within an hour of us. I go to Aylesford and Field Farm the most as they are about 15 mins from us. Eland is nice as its a proper course.
We also have an All Weather XC course at Willoughby Lodge Farm about 15 mins away, which is great for practising water and ditches in the depth of winter.
I am very spoilt where I live

Mally went XC schooling about 3 times before she competed, one of those times was around the course she did her first competition at.

 

[ecrozier]

We are lucky, with Munstead Aston tweseldown mattingley boomerang and MK all within 90 minutes/60 miles or so! We also have half a dozen 'baby' courses.

 

[wench]

As little distance as possible... however I find myself very limited as no-one to come with me, so have to go somewhere where I can have lessons.

Have most recently been to Caistor Equestrian, which although is an hour away from me, has nice baby jumps, and costs £25 for course hire and lesson. Admittidly lesson is generally "riding school" instructor lesson, the ones I have had have been nice and done a good job. If I go elsewhere, have to pay instructor £40 a go, course hire up to £20, then fuel £10 - £20, its actually far more ecomonical for me to go to Caistor.

Having said that new horse should be going out to Hoods XC as its a better introduction to XC than Caistor, as it has plenty of plain logs!