Rider Frightners...

[only_me]

how do you deal with them on the cross-country? do you not think about them or do you stress about them?

for me, i try to not think about what problems it could cause, instead I think positive and attack the fence - otherwise i am already stopping in my mind.

 

[kerilli]

same here. i don't even walk right up to them now when walking the course, i just glance at them and keep going past, having watched WFP do that walking Burghley years ago!
i try to get a good forward powerful stride and just let the horse jump it. if i missed a bit at the previous fence though, it gives me the willies, and i might pray a bit on the way to a really big one!

 

[Bossanova]

[ QUOTE ]
same here. i don't even walk right up to them now when walking the course, i just glance at them and keep going past, having watched WFP do that walking Burghley years ago!


[/ QUOTE ]

Precisely what I do!!
I only go right up to a fenc eit absolutely necessary, that way I dont realise the extent to which I should worry. The pic of me jumping the ditch/palisade in the other post really suprised me when it came through as I didnt look at the spread as I walked past the fence!!

 

[kerilli]

standing gazing at the width of the ditch is the worst thing you can do!

 

[Bossanova]

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standing gazing at the width of the ditch is the worst thing you can do!

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Definitely!!
I've also never walked an intermediate sj track

and the only advanced track I've (attempted to) jump(ed) I couldnt even get near the ring, had to guess the course from afar!!!

 

[MissDeMeena]

Same here.. walk right on by!!

 

[kerilli]

oh, gosh, i walk every sj course meticulously... if i can't cos of times, i walk the distances of the combinations parallel to the outside fence as well as i can! can't bear just going in and hoping about the striding at I and A!

 

[Bossanova]

[ QUOTE ]
oh, gosh, i walk every sj course meticulously... if i can't cos of times, i walk the distances of the combinations parallel to the outside fence as well as i can! can't bear just going in and hoping about the striding at I and A!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, I've always coped without

 

[kerilli]

i walked a Novice xc course years ago with a real real coward, who stood at a miniscule trak and was saying "ooh, ooh, look, if the horse slipped on take-off.." etc etc and did about 6 Worst Case Scenarios. no wonder she didn't get round!
there's a lot to be said for just walking on by...!

 

[MissDeMeena]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
oh, gosh, i walk every sj course meticulously... if i can't cos of times, i walk the distances of the combinations parallel to the outside fence as well as i can! can't bear just going in and hoping about the striding at I and A!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, I've always coped without

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too.. the only one i walked and even watched loads ride round was Osberton.. and you remember what happened there

(went past a SJ for those that don't know)

 

[ChestnutMonty]

I stew over jumps loads and then jump them fine!
Thinking the 'walk on by' approach is sounding like good advice for when I go novice next year!

 

[kerilli]

i should add, the "walk on by" approach is only for the big single-fence rider-frighteners... if there's a related distance, or a definite line is needed, or something, then i pay them a bit more attention!

 

[tigers_eye]

I just turn them into show-jumps in my mind, and the lip of the ditch (if there is one) make a take-off pole. Do it completely automaticly now and it's not often I think an xc fence looks big.

 

[MagicMelon]

I also don't look too much! I do the same with show jumping if the fences are a bit big or whatever, just keep walking!

tigers_eye - thats a good idea, might try that one! Although Im a bit odd in that Id prefer to jump a big XC fence than a SJ fence... no idea why, I think its the fear of poles falling on top of me!

 

[PaddyMonty]

I tend to rationalise them in my mind. If its a big ditch then I relate it to the distance a horse covers jumping a simple 3 foot fence...no problem.
For treks I ignore the ditch and just look at height of fence from ground level, suddenly doesn't seem big anymore. For spreads I look to see if its an ascending type (usually is) then remind myself that its the easiest type of fence for a horse to jump and just push on at it.

 

[tigers_eye]

I turn it into the type I have at home - spindly little wings and the minimum amount of poles necessary - and unpainted ones!