Tips for horse's first cross country

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Velvet

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Hi Everyone!!!

I would like your advice on something please. I am entering my little TB into a cross country training show next sunday and would love opinions and tips on a few things please.

More about us...I am an experienced rider and have been riding for 16yrs but I haven't done cross country in a while and never with a youngster. The last time I did cross country, I was about 16yrs old was the "point the horse at the jump and jump it" kind of rider.

Velvet is a 7year old thoroughbred mare. She has done a bit of showjumping and is very brave and not at all spooky, she is very honest and EXTREMELY forward going!!! She has never done cross country but I can't help feeling she would really enjoy it, given her spunky, adventurous nature.

I have no desire to become a professional eventer but I think it would be good experience for both Velvet and myself to do a little cross country.

Unfortunately there are not cross country yards anywhere near to where I am but I have thought of a lot of XC-like challenges that I can practice at home, like corners, chairs etc etc using normal showjumping poles. We do have a step up and down that I can practice on too.

Can you think of any other ideas of jumps I can build at home? I have tires and barrels as well.

I realise that there's only so much you can do to prepare and then you just have to learn to trust your horse and your own abilities but I would like to prepare her as much as possible.

Any imput is most appreciated!!
 
Practice your brakes! Had a Lucinda Green lesson in the summer and she was making us do a line of jumps and before we reached the end of the arena. Lucy Thompson also makes you test your brakes when you do warm up fences - she always tells the kids that she won't allow on the course unless they are in full control.

What's your girl like with water? My horse hates it so I try to find any puddle (shallow or deep) and make him walk through it. Have you got a water tray you could use?

When you build your course put cones out as obstacles so she gets used to jumping with things next to the jump or slightly in the line of the jump - don't forget you won't jump every xc fence dead centre.
 
TBH the best preparation for XC is to find somewhere to go cross country schooling, as fences such as ditches and water are difficult to recreate at home. Given that this is difficult there are things you can do at home and it sounds as though you're on the right lines. You can practise skinnies at home quite well using the barrel on its side - start with 2 next to each other at first if you have them and then when she's happy with that go down to just one, using wings or guide poles to help with straightness to begin with. Has she seen ditches and water before? You can recreate something a bit like a ditch in the school using a bit of tarpaulin pinned down with two poles. Water is more difficult without actually taking her schooling somewhere unless you have any accessible streams or similar near you.

Is there anywhere where you can go for a canter - shorten your stirrups up and practise your cross country position and remind yourself of the feeling of cantering at speed out of the saddle.

What class are you doing at the show? I'm assuming it will probably be a novice class given that your horse hasn't done cross country before, so you probably won't have to contend with anything too complicated. So by all means do what you can at home to practise, however I really wouldn't worry too much - the most important thing for your first time is just to get your horse going forwards in a nice rhythm, jumping out of her stride and generally enjoying herself and gaining in confidence. Go out on Sunday with the aim of just having fun and using it as a confidence-giving practice run. Try and stay relaxed and enjoy yourself and your horse will too.

Final word of advice - with a green horse it is important to try not to get ahead of the movement, so that if they are not sure about something or get spooky and back off you're in a position to ride them forwards and not get out of balance. If in doubt, sit down and use your legs!!! If she gets strong and keen, try not to fight her, where possible use your upper body very tall and upright before the fences to get her back to you.

Sorry that's a bit random but hope it helps a little?!
 
Thanks a mil guys!!!!

She is VERY good with water, I make a point of taking her through puddles whenever I find any and she is surprisingly good about it! I've trotted and cantered her through very deep and large "puddles" without any problems at all, she didn't even hesitate.

I do hack her out and even alone she is VERY well behaved and not very skittish, she may see something she is not familiar with but she does not "shy" at it and usually walks up to it cautiously with her ears pricked forward with very little encouragement from me! lol She handles new situations confidently and I know she trusts me, she knows I would not put her in a situation she cannot handle.

I have jumped ditches on her as well without any problems.

Thanks for the barrel idea, you are going to laugh but I had EXACTLY the same idea! lol She's jumped very narrow showjumps before without any problems. I have also practiced jumping jumps off centre as well as at an angle and she has always handled this with no problems at all.

I do have a water tray that she has jumped many times without incident.

The class is "welcome" level and the jumps will not be bigger than about 70-80cm.

Thank you for your advice regarding my position and style etc etc.

Should my stirrups be shorter for XC than they are for SJ? Or can I leave them the same length?
 
No they should be shorter really. It depends what you're comfortable with but I generally put mine up 2 holes from showjumping, makes it much easier to ride in balance and keep your lower leg in the right place!
 
Good luck - I remember the first time I took my TB XC...was expecting the worst and he was a star. Second all the great advise you have got so far - you sound pretty prepared so I am sure you'll be fine.

My top tips - look to the next jump & don't focus at the bottom of anything....use your legs (even if she feels willing)....if things start getting out of control your seat is your best friend, sit up and grow tall....half halts are needed even at speed...have fun and enjoy collecting your ribbon
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I agree with all the fab advice you've already had above. I am a personal fan of the "ditch" recreated by way of tarpaulin with poles to hold it down.

You sound like you are very well prepared anyway so have fun and enjoy yourself! Good luck.
 
Hi,
Sounds like you are dead prepared anyhoo but something that really helped me with my girls first x/c this year was to keep talking. I have tendency to get very nervous at shows so do all I can to try and keep myself calm and this seemed to help her out too.

I talked me and FiFi round the whole course, which at the time was intended to give her some encouraging sounds but by the time I got to the end I realised that it probably stopped me from passing out also.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for all the great advice guys!

Thanks Kelly! I will do that! I talk to Vel all the time when I'm riding at home but honestly I sometimes stop talking to her at shows, I am sure she will feel more secure if I do! lol (I love talking anyway! lol)

I practised her over some xc-like jumps on Wednesday and she was a star! Did a pop, a corner jump and a water tray and she was very good, I also practised my xc position and let her canter on a bit.
 
my 4 and 5 yo exracers went Xc schooling for the first time last week - I was told to keep it small and simple to start with, sit tall and ride strongly but steadily... worked a treat, both horses enjoyed it and jumped everything asked... got some great pics of them jumping with ears pricked looking like they have been doing it for years!!!

don't ask too much 1st time, you can always go back and do it again and ask a little more....

good luck....
 
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