Talk to me about rider scarers!

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frankieduck

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I am stepping my horse up to Novice in a few weeks and I am aware one of the XC fences is a whacking huge hay wagon.

I do not like jumping wagons. I don't know why I don't like jumping wagons. I know they usually jump nicely and it's really no different to any other jump on the course -they just rattle me!

So, to make me feel better and just for lighthearted fun - please tell me what jumps make you clench your bum cheeks, no matter how illogical. For example, I have a friend who hates roll-tops, they are my favourite jump on the course as easy and inviting, but she says they always look solid and huge 😁
 
It is going to sound absolutely daft but I hate jumping logs XC....

If the log is suspended over something (so kind of like a trakenher) I'm totally cool with them, but if it's a single log on it's own - nah I'm out thanks!

Again following the same theme - if the logs are on a roll top kind of fence, I'm cool with that too 🤣

In the few photos I have of me jumping any single logs, I always have my eyes closed and look absolutely petrified - which my non horsey relatives always ask why my face looks like it does if I enjoy riding so much 🤦‍♀️
 
AppyLover1996 said:
It is going to sound absolutely daft but I hate jumping logs XC....

If the log is suspended over something (so kind of like a trakenher) I'm totally cool with them, but if it's a single log on it's own - nah I'm out thanks!

Again following the same theme - if the logs are on a roll top kind of fence, I'm cool with that too 🤣

In the few photos I have of me jumping any single logs, I always have my eyes closed and look absolutely petrified - which my non horsey relatives always ask why my face looks like it does if I enjoy riding so much 🤦‍♀️
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If it makes you feel better my horse agrees! I always think "oh a nice straightforward log, lovely" but my horse always backs off a single log and treats it with great suspicion 🤷‍♀️ 😁
 
For me it's drops (but not steps). Oddly I don't so much mind a drop into water, which of course the horses tend to dislike more. Might be partly related to going round Hambleden 15+ years ago, 6 weeks post baby, not realising how my pelvic floor had weakened, and having no bladder control... but actually I think I just don't like drops.
 
I was warming up for a small xc years ago, and the commentator was doing his thing right by the warm-up area. He kept saying "Number x, over the big log...", which was the jump I was most worried about. I knew him well so I asked him if he could call it "the small, not scary at all log" instead. Of course from then on he called it the "enormous" log 🙄
 
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Carlosmum said:
Ditches for me, especially trakhener type, my old boy always refused one on a particular course every time. The day he cleared it first go I burst into tears when I went through the finish!
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Funnily enough my horse is not ditchy at all - he has never looked at a ditch once in his whole career. Literally the first time I showed him a ditch he just shrugged and hopped over it like it was totally normal, most of the time I have to almost over-ride a ditch just so he actually clocks it is there and remembers to jump it as he is so unconcerned about them :rolleyes: .... yet I still do not like ditches and would rather they do not exist 🤣
 
I've been scared of ditches, no matter how small, since I had my first pony who did enormous cat leaps over them. I once fell off over his tail when he did it and landed in the ditch to my friend's great amusement.
 
Brushes (especially the ditch-brush at Eland. Even the 50cm one gives me the heebie jeebies, but I would’ve happily taken my old 13.2hh pony over more solid 90 fences) and corners for me!
 
J_sarahd said:
Brushes (especially the ditch-brush at Eland. Even the 50cm one gives me the heebie jeebies, but I would’ve happily taken my old 13.2hh pony over more solid 90 fences) and corners for me!
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I remember having a horse that was an absolute menace in all 3-phases but for his sins had been an excellent hunt horse. I was always rather smug competing at Eland as I knew he would fly over that hedge no problem while it caught many people out 😁 every other fence on the course mind you...... 😳🤣
 
Steps at the old Novice tracks, especially the ones that used to be down the side of the tower hill at Tweseldown in the late 70s/early 80s, v meaty.
Give me ditches, brushes, zig zags, telegraph poles over anything, but please not anything steep to lob down! 😱🤣
 
I hate anything too square! Roll tops all the way here, especially with a nice forgiving brush on top!

Hate this jump at Kelsall, I think it looks huge and horrid in every size 🤣
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Even this one I prefer as it has a nice sloping profile, though I wish I could crop the giant fence next to it so it stops this one looking so small!
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Though I know what you all mean about the Eland hedge-ditch jump 🤣
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Though I did stick on!
 

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Drops, and I could never sit a buck either so potentially related to the same kind of balance issues. Now I know more I reckon more pubic arch support than I ever got from any of my saddles couldn't have done any harm...
 
Trakehners used to give me the heeby jeebies, when i walked a course. My days are doing that are over now so don't need to worry. Out hunting it is common to jump wire fences, something I could never bring myself to do.
 
The nice thing about wagons is you will have jumped them from 80cm+ now several times. They are just an oxer. I am never a fan of open rails to ditch. Dislike steps up as well especially out of water.
 
Drops and jumps downhill as had only horse fall doing drop followed by downhill and didn't balance her and she just got on her forehand so much until her nose hit the ground.
I now trot downhill.
Also brushes as last horse didn't brush through. There was a huge hedge at Borde Hill (RIP) made much bigger when sailing over the top.
Currently all XC jumps as my new horse was evented by a pro at 1000 mph and he terrifies me. 😨 we are working on going at my speed. Eg 🐌 🐌 🐌
 
LEC said:
The nice thing about wagons is you will have jumped them from 80cm+ now several times. They are just an oxer. I am never a fan of open rails to ditch. Dislike steps up as well especially out of water.
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I know it's irrational! I hate them at any height! I don't like anything with a big gap underneath it for some reason, I like them to be solid from the ground up 🙈
 
SpeedyPony said:
Rails or (wooden) stiles. I can't shake the fear that the horse will get himself caught/tangled in a rail. Solid fences (roll tops, hedges, logs) all fine (if within my comfort zone height wise!), but anything 'gappy' worries me.
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I have a friend who hates these also after a horse once stopped at one and slid his front leg through the rail! Sorry that probably compounds your fear, horse was absolutely fine and freed himself quickly btw.
 
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