Tips for making/jumping ditches?

[aidybex]

Hello all,

Went off this morning for some xc training. It was my first time jumping xc with Hugo and we had a fabulous time. He felt really brave and bold at absolutely everything I pointed him at, other than a ditch. Silly thing is he has only hunted his whole life so has jumped 100's of ditches! But I presume a ditch with poles on either side doesn't look like a field ditch. He genuinely didn't know what to do, span and I came out the side door! Cue my first fall off him, which was loooooong overdue as I've had him 15 months. Landed flat on my back (thankfully wearing a body protector) but top of my leg landed on the ditch rail - ouch and think I may have concussion just for added pizazze!! I've had a banging headache all day since.......also been a bit wobbly too!

Anywho.......I carried on with the rest of the course but wasn't feeling up to the battle of pushing him over the ditch today. I was more bothered with enjoying the day and going away with something to work on. Do you wordly wise people have any excellent tips for making ditches at home - I'm all for trial and error? I was thinking 2 poles and a plastic bag on the ground and starting lunging him over it?

Obligatory pictures of our brill outing:

- Leg position awful and to far forward (I know!!)

 

[CrazyMare]

I use banners/tarpaulins under fences, or with poles each side as 'ditches' in the arena.

 

[aidybex]

Thanks - I'll see what I can find 'lying' around.......wonder if I could cut a ditch sized piece out of a tarpauline without it being noticed.......!

 

[alwaysbroke]

Hope you are feeling better after your fall.

At home we use a sheet of roofing felt, or black pond liner to simulate a ditch. You can fold it out and adjust the size, put poles on the edges to make it look like a xc ditch or put it under jumps. As it is quite heavy it doesnt tend to blow up in the wind and scare them. We do tend to loose school/lunge over these 'ditches' as well so the horse can work it out for themselves, if they put in a massive leap there is no rider on top to interfer or fall off

 

[DollyDolls]

As suggested above, use tarpaulin, then try the real thing. Start really narrow, then get wider. If you try too big, you'll never get the trust. Here's a few pics of my horse jumping her first set.

 

[aidybex]

Brill - that's my plan of action for this week then! Ditch building and lunging to start with over them! Thank you all, not to sore after the fall thankfully. Still have a slight headache 24 hrs later but no stiffness!! Also must ensure I check my hat - but it's an excuse to get a new one I guess!