X Country Help please

[IlovePie]

I am just about to start doing XC on my new pony ( i've never done it before

) Have spoken to her previous owners about her XC experience and they said she loved it!!

Fly (pony) takes confidence from her rider and even though i trust her completly and am not usually nervous i am quite about this.

Are there any tips anyone can give me to make my first experience enjoyable and not too nerve-raking.

 

[dopeesophee]

and me and me...

i want tips too
wilmas a pro at it apparently, but im about to start eventing so nerve busting tips would be great

 

[Scribbles]

Get used to riding around in fields first

My horse is only young and has never done XC, but I regularly ride him in the XC fields, so he is used to the big outdoors.

 

[CorvusCorax]

No advice, but welcome to the forum, and I love your name!

 

[SDH]

Start small!
Let your horse go forward.
Put a body protector on.
Go with someone who has some experience - any jumps you are a bit nervous about - get a lead

 

[somerset-lass]

hi, i had to start using Rescue Remedy !! its brill and really settles my nerves. i love xc when i am doing it , just get very, very nervous before i go . get real buzz when i finish though , so makes it all worth it !!!! k

 

[jumpergirl]

You'll love it! As SDH says, firstly make sure you wear a body protector.

If possible then go along with someone else and their pony. Smile, breathe and just have fun. Try and find a local schooling course where they have lots of small jumps and have a good trot and canter round the field so that you can have had a good look at what jumps there are. Start off just trotting into some small jumps and make sure you give the pony lots of pats when you're over each jump. This will reassure the pony and also help you to relax and enjoy your experience.

Once you feel happy popping a few little jumps then maybe try putting a few together as a small course. If you go with a friend then it makes it much more fun and if you want then you can follow each other and jump fences beside each other etc and generally just have fun.

Hope this helps?? You'll have to take a willing person with a camera too so we can all see the smile on your face when you're having so much fun!