Thoughts on Badminton XC course 2019?

Don't like the spindly thing at 26 but (given that I'd never have been capable of riding round it, ever), I don't think it looks any bigger than the usual humungous.
 
Difficult to know until you walk the lines .... first impression is not too bad though, a much nicer profile into the lake than of late. The V looks like a clearer question.
 
This is obviously coming from my own set of thoughts, but I think we are perilously close to tipping over the edge of asking too much. I watched all the videos that they posted and saw the pics. I do believe that horses will get around, I am not so doom and gloom to suggest that it's unjumpable, but I think in a few places we have asked a bit too much of a willing animal.

Examples:

1) I am myself not a fan of open topped corners, even with frangible technology why do we have an open risk?
2) The jumps on the trailers by the water jump. Old fashioned though I may be, I just think this could be a problem in the unthinkable scenarios
3) the 4 verticals in a row where you must choose one to jump. This is me naggling but that seems like purposeful confusion. I didn't think the goal of the sport was to confuse a horse, but rather to prove it's obedience.

Don't get me wrong there's lots of good fences but I wish we could have a bit more bravado fences, and a bit less hidden and trappy questions.

Em
 
BunnyDog said:
This is obviously coming from my own set of thoughts, but I think we are perilously close to tipping over the edge of asking too much. I watched all the videos that they posted and saw the pics. I do believe that horses will get around, I am not so doom and gloom to suggest that it's unjumpable, but I think in a few places we have asked a bit too much of a willing animal.

Examples:

1) I am myself not a fan of open topped corners, even with frangible technology why do we have an open risk?
2) The jumps on the trailers by the water jump. Old fashioned though I may be, I just think this could be a problem in the unthinkable scenarios
3) the 4 verticals in a row where you must choose one to jump. This is me naggling but that seems like purposeful confusion. I didn't think the goal of the sport was to confuse a horse, but rather to prove it's obedience.

Don't get me wrong there's lots of good fences but I wish we could have a bit more bravado fences, and a bit less hidden and trappy questions.

Em
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I think the only comment I understand, but not sure if I agree with or not, is the open corner one.

Comment 2 - do you mean the haycart?! If so that is a let up fence, lol!

Comment 3 - I disagree (with the caveat I need to walk it first). That is testing the horses obedience. The jump in blind & bold and then have to be ultra obedient to the rider. If they are and they stay on the line the rider puts them on then they won’t be confused. If it goes wrong the fence profile is soft and it will be a soft 20 pens. These are the types of fences the Americans are generally crying out for, punish the rider not the horse when they screw up.
 
ihatework said:
Comment 2 - do you mean the haycart?! If so that is a let up fence, lol!
Click to expand...

Here's the pic. And with the pic I will amend my comment a bit because if you watch the video with Lucinda the trailer bed that the jumps is built on is obvious. Now it's been fully decorated and is not either as obvious, or even in play. I can't tell but on this image now it thankfully does not look like a pile of evergreen on a flat bed aluminum trailer as it did in the video.

https://ccappcoursephotos-bf5.kxcdn.com/B7ED091E-4FFF-408D-8F77-14E8F3D90C35?width=640

Em
 
Yup the trailers definitely look to have disappeared. Given that I don't imagine they leave the trucks there until it starts it would make sense to have the jumps being a separate entity and just looking like they are trailers.
 
shortstuff99 said:
My worry for the course is the weird indecipherable rule of 15 penalties about knocking a flag. With all these skinnies how much is that going to come into play? How long will all of the inevitable objections take?
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I agree, it will be interesting to see how this rule pans out! Ground jury will earn their keep 😂
 
BunnyDog said:
This is obviously coming from my own set of thoughts, but I think we are perilously close to tipping over the edge of asking too much. I watched all the videos that they posted and saw the pics. I do believe that horses will get around, I am not so doom and gloom to suggest that it's unjumpable, but I think in a few places we have asked a bit too much of a willing animal.

Examples:

1) I am myself not a fan of open topped corners, even with frangible technology why do we have an open risk?
2) The jumps on the trailers by the water jump. Old fashioned though I may be, I just think this could be a problem in the unthinkable scenarios
3) the 4 verticals in a row where you must choose one to jump. This is me naggling but that seems like purposeful confusion. I didn't think the goal of the sport was to confuse a horse, but rather to prove it's obedience.

Don't get me wrong there's lots of good fences but I wish we could have a bit more bravado fences, and a bit less hidden and trappy questions.

Em
Click to expand...

But it’s the top of eventing, it’s going to be hard and it takes an exceptional horse to even get to that level. Usually they are masters at XC so I suspect the riders prefer a strong XC to stop it being a dressage comp. the horses are well used to courses that ask a lot.

Trailer jump is actually just the trailer holding the brush that’s been made into a jump. Nice option and forgiving coming out of water.
The 4 verticals option is very clever - makes the rider ride! Eg, some horses jump and then aim for the flags - here they need to wait for the rider to show them. Will be interesting to watch, especially some of the more head strong horses.

imo it looks a good course, wouldn’t have said it’s stronger than any other year. Of course the going and weather also decide for that, but asks a variety of questions.
 
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