Shazzababs
Well-Known Member
I went to Toomer Farm to a Hunter Trial on Saturday, its a new venue around here (Sat was only their second event I believe). Anyway someone asked me to post a report on the course and here it is!
First let me say that it felt like a really friendly place. Its not a BE course, but they have made an effort, the fences are well made and well sited and the ground was as good as could be expected for an ameteur course on fields which are obviously used as grazing some of the time.
OK the course, I was doing the 2'6". Lower than usual because the mad CB has been trying to kill me XC recently. This was the second of the 4 heights (2'3", 2'6", 2'9", 3'0"-3'3") Most of the fences are the same for each course, just at different heights, I'll try to say what they were if I can remember them.
Fence 1 - Straw Bales going up hill. Nice
Fence 2 - Friendly Chair with a roll top.
Fence 3 - Step up to a bank, and then down a slope and over a log (2'3") or over a log and off the drop.
Fence 4 - Roll top with a 'fake' ditch in front filled with flowers, this was fairlt spooky as you couldn't see the flowers until the last stride.
Fence 5- 2'3" = Another roll top. 2'6" - An up to height but friendly tiger trap. Others a nice Trakener going up the hill.
Fence 6 - 2'3" - An Open Ditch. 2'6" - A very upright fence made from sleepers with a MASSIVE ditch behind. This caused a lot of problems and IMHO I thought it was too technical for the height of the course as the upright meant that you couldn't give it the 'welly' required to clear the ditch with confidence if you were riding a true novice. 2'9"/3'0" - something ditchy, it was further up the hill and I didn't go to look!
Fence 7 = An up to height phesant feeder going downhill on a pretty decent slope.
Fence 8 = 2'3" - A Roll top with a drop and a large ditch behind.
Others - A Ski jump, larger 2 courses also had a ditch behind. The drop from the back rail was a good 5'. Again IMHO this fence was well built but I though was too much for the novice height of the class.
Fences 9 - 10 - A Suspended log followed by an brush. Lovely.
Fence 11 - The Water, 'tiny' step in and out. Rode well all day. Largest class has a palaslade 1 stride from entry.
Fence 12 - 2'3" - They had a wall. Other classes had an angled double of uprights. Not up to height and rode well.
Fence 13 - 2'6" - Log Pile with a big drop. Bigger classes had an up to height wall with a big drop. (2'3" go on to 14).
Fence 14 - Big square hedge, fairly tight turn from the previous fence though.
Fence 15 - Coloured barrels
Fence 16 - Corner for the largest 2 classes, double of uprights for smallest. Friendly with groundlines for all.
Fence 17 - Small steps up (2'3"), with palislades, top only for 2'6, bottom and top for bigger classes. Need to bounce the distances really.
Fence 18 - Sleeper upright with a groundline.
Fence 19 - Tyres.
With the exception of fences 6-8 (which I missed out because I wanted a forward round with no fights
) its a nice course. However unless your horse is really bold and doesn't like to look at his fences I would drop at least one height the first time you go. If I'd had time to walk the course on the Friday I probably would have done the 2'3", something I've not done for several years!
It would also be a great place to go ditch scooling as I think they have about every variant going! I'm definately going to go before the autumn events, as I don't want to be missing out fences then.
Oh and BTW, my boy flew round, and jumped everything I asked him too really well. No upturned turtle impressions (from me), and only one cat leap. He was really pelased with himself, and kept putting in little excited bucks after each fence. He felt like he did before our enforced 12 months off for a miriad of sick horse, rider and truck problems! Yea, back up to the normal height for Moreton in a couple of weeks. He likes it there
.
Well done for getting to the end! If anyone fancies going ditch schooling here I am happy to arrange a session.
First let me say that it felt like a really friendly place. Its not a BE course, but they have made an effort, the fences are well made and well sited and the ground was as good as could be expected for an ameteur course on fields which are obviously used as grazing some of the time.
OK the course, I was doing the 2'6". Lower than usual because the mad CB has been trying to kill me XC recently. This was the second of the 4 heights (2'3", 2'6", 2'9", 3'0"-3'3") Most of the fences are the same for each course, just at different heights, I'll try to say what they were if I can remember them.
Fence 1 - Straw Bales going up hill. Nice
Fence 2 - Friendly Chair with a roll top.
Fence 3 - Step up to a bank, and then down a slope and over a log (2'3") or over a log and off the drop.
Fence 4 - Roll top with a 'fake' ditch in front filled with flowers, this was fairlt spooky as you couldn't see the flowers until the last stride.
Fence 5- 2'3" = Another roll top. 2'6" - An up to height but friendly tiger trap. Others a nice Trakener going up the hill.
Fence 6 - 2'3" - An Open Ditch. 2'6" - A very upright fence made from sleepers with a MASSIVE ditch behind. This caused a lot of problems and IMHO I thought it was too technical for the height of the course as the upright meant that you couldn't give it the 'welly' required to clear the ditch with confidence if you were riding a true novice. 2'9"/3'0" - something ditchy, it was further up the hill and I didn't go to look!
Fence 7 = An up to height phesant feeder going downhill on a pretty decent slope.
Fence 8 = 2'3" - A Roll top with a drop and a large ditch behind.
Others - A Ski jump, larger 2 courses also had a ditch behind. The drop from the back rail was a good 5'. Again IMHO this fence was well built but I though was too much for the novice height of the class.
Fences 9 - 10 - A Suspended log followed by an brush. Lovely.
Fence 11 - The Water, 'tiny' step in and out. Rode well all day. Largest class has a palaslade 1 stride from entry.
Fence 12 - 2'3" - They had a wall. Other classes had an angled double of uprights. Not up to height and rode well.
Fence 13 - 2'6" - Log Pile with a big drop. Bigger classes had an up to height wall with a big drop. (2'3" go on to 14).
Fence 14 - Big square hedge, fairly tight turn from the previous fence though.
Fence 15 - Coloured barrels
Fence 16 - Corner for the largest 2 classes, double of uprights for smallest. Friendly with groundlines for all.
Fence 17 - Small steps up (2'3"), with palislades, top only for 2'6, bottom and top for bigger classes. Need to bounce the distances really.
Fence 18 - Sleeper upright with a groundline.
Fence 19 - Tyres.
With the exception of fences 6-8 (which I missed out because I wanted a forward round with no fights
It would also be a great place to go ditch scooling as I think they have about every variant going! I'm definately going to go before the autumn events, as I don't want to be missing out fences then.
Oh and BTW, my boy flew round, and jumped everything I asked him too really well. No upturned turtle impressions (from me), and only one cat leap. He was really pelased with himself, and kept putting in little excited bucks after each fence. He felt like he did before our enforced 12 months off for a miriad of sick horse, rider and truck problems! Yea, back up to the normal height for Moreton in a couple of weeks. He likes it there
Well done for getting to the end! If anyone fancies going ditch schooling here I am happy to arrange a session.
