Introducing XC

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Benjamin

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Has anyone got any tips for introducing XC fences to a SJing horse?

I am hoping to take new horse for a bit of Clear round SJ this week, (so he can teach me a thing or two
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) but I really want to get him out xc. I am just a little worried about how he will react. Anyone got any tips??

Thanks
P x
 
Obviously go schooling first, try going with a calm school master and taking things really easy your first time. Do lots of little logs and non-technical things but do take the opportunity to push on a bit once he has cleared things a few times.
 
I took my SJ'er xc and he was scared to death of the fences - wouldn't go near them, let alone over them! So I took him to Jumpcross, which is like XC but with poles and in the end he was going really well. It was a good step inbetween I think. I'm going xc with him in a couple of weeks time, so we'll have to see if it has helped him! It certainly helped me, though
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Anyway, where are the ridden pictures of the new boy or have I missed them?

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Erm, haven't put any up yet!
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OH took a few of me taking him out on a hack over the BH but they are not very good. I am going to crack on with him this week, and hopefully take him SJ on Thursday, so hopefully he will get some of me then!!
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I did think of you when it snowed this weekend and wondered if you took him xc.

How's he settling in?

When I took my boy xc for the first time, I went with a schol master type horse that could act like a lead to start with. We built up over the smaller ones then tried some more challenging ones. Anything technical I had a lead first so he could understand what was being asked but once he was jumping I tried to do most myself without a lead.

I would say go hunting to build up his confidence but I can't tell if it worked with my boy yet as haven't had chance to take him xc this year due to injuries
 
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hopefully take him SJ on Thursday, so hopefully he will get some of me then!!
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will keep my eyes peeled on Friday then!!!!
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Oh and you had better put some up of Benj too - wouldn't want him to feel left out!
 
Depends on your horse, how old is he and what jumping has he done? Some just take to xc lie it's no different and some don't. Personally I wouldn't treat it any differently as showjumping to start with - jump them as if you're showjumping. when i got my horse years ago (as a 4 yr old) he'd only don'e SJ and that was it. It took him ages to learn to gallop and jump cos he was used to being set up for his fences. we did climb a few tyre fences in the past!

Mine is extremely spooky too (he's now 17) and still likes to have a look first even now. My sister's we took to his first xc as a 4 yr old jsut oevr 3 years ago - mine was supose dto be the 'schoolmaster' but decided the 2nd (tiny) fence could indeed be a tiger so he stopped while in the meantime my sister's sailed past and decided this was great fun! My sister's now absolutely loves x-country, he's never been as spooky (although hated water but now goes straight in). i think alot fof it's down to the rider, if you're confident the horse will just trust you.

To be honest it sounds like if you are taking him SJ to 'teach you a thing or two', maybe he is pretty confident about jumping anyway and won't see XC as anything different.

good luck!
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hopefully take him SJ on Thursday, so hopefully he will get some of me then!!
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will keep my eyes peeled on Friday then!!!!
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Oh and you had better put some up of Benj too - wouldn't want him to feel left out!

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I will make an announcement!
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Oh yes, I will have to post a couple of poor old Benj!!
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Loves the limelight that one
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Thanks for that Lady T.
Gallop will be another thing. At the moment everything is all one speed. Its lovely, but we won't win anything on time
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He is 7 and has done pure SJ and a bit of dressage (to my knowledge)
He knows what he is doing with the SJ. Just hope he sees xc that way. I have a friend with a horse who will jump anything so I think I will give that a go!
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Hi Nat,
He has settled in really well, thanks.
Everywhere was shut over the weekend, plus I think he has been a fair weather horse so doesn't like the wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail...etc
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Soon change that though
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I am hoping to take him next season, but before then there are a couple of 'country' days i can take him to, see how he reacts!
If he doesn't learn to gallop by then, we'll get left behind
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I'm sure he will learn! I think Essex Bridleways are doing a day round Furness Farm with hounds in april which might be a good experience for him
 
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I'm sure he will learn! I think Essex Bridleways are doing a day round Furness Farm with hounds in april which might be a good experience for him

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Oooh, sounds right up my street. I love Furness Farm.
I have got loads planned for April, lets hope we get some good weather!!

P x
 
I was going to introduce XC to my youngster by hiring the jumpcross course at foxfield farm, Royston herts.... thought that the whole knock down fence aspect was perhaps a good thing!
 
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