Jumping on soft ground - help please?

minesadouble

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18 June 2005
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We are having an unaffiliated show at our farm tomorrow and am getting concerned about the state of the ground for jumping. We have had loads of rain but we are on good draining soil, even so I know the ground is going to cut up.
When I was a kid we jumped on grass all of the time regardless of the conditions, I distincly remember a W.H.P. class at one county show where the ground was an absolute quagmire and no one thought twice about jumping on it - are we just softer now or is it today's compensation culture?
Anyway, we could move the jumping onto the all-weather but it would be really tight - our school is only slightly bigger than your average 20 by 40 arena.
So what would you do - move it to the all-weather over a shortened course or just go for the grass option?
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SpruceRI

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3 July 2006
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I'd leave it on the grass.

I do all my schooling on grass as don't have a school and my mare loves soft ground. These days Unaff people are still used to jumping on grass in the summer, most people use studs these days and if they come from your area they'll know what to expect of the ground conditions.

You could just be more careful especially in the Novice classes that you don't make the jump off courses too tight and twisty which may cause falls if people turn too tightly
 
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