xc course 'situation'

RuthnMeg

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Just helping a friend regarding re-building a course. Question we are debating, we have an option of building three different heights, but which height?
Either - 1' (lead reiners/novice) - quite a few novice adult riders who want to have a go at jumping xc.
AND - 1'9''
AND - 2'3''
OR
2'3'' , 2'6'' and 2'9'' (could possibly build 1 or 2 3ft fences, but these would be limited). This option was mentioned simply because it may attract more people who want to come and have a school around the farm.

Opinions please on which 'option' would be more 'popular'.
Thanks
 
i would say 2"3 2"6 and 2"9. simply because a 1ft xc jump is hardlys worth building imo. xc imo is meant to be a challenge but fun, and with bigger heights i think there is a challenge
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I don’t know what would be best but all I know is that HTs I have gone too the Novice (1ft-2ft ish) classes have always been the busiest, but I think that’s because you just don’t get many of them.
 
i would say 2'6 at least - i know some people wanna have a go but i think 2'6 is still low enough for most people to pop over without too much worry.
 
Depends on whre you are and what else is available locally. Generally there are hardly any tiny courses and they are often popular with children, young horses and nervous riders.

I would say the most popular would be 1'9", 2'3" and 2'6". With a few poles on the ground 1' if you have the space and an option to put some of the 2'6" jumps up with a rail on the back if possible!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Depends on whre you are and what else is available locally. Generally there are hardly any tiny courses and they are often popular with children, young horses and nervous riders.

I would say the most popular would be 1'9", 2'3" and 2'6". With a few poles on the ground 1' if you have the space and an option to put some of the 2'6" jumps up with a rail on the back if possible!

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds like a great idea - makes me wonder if I ever have a brain that works!! The poles on the ground might work well for 1ft options, but will have to be very clever and plan the option of bigger back rails - as no-one would be strong enough to alter them once built!
 
Could you not do a bigger range?? Maybe the 1', 2'3 and 2'9"?

Maybe by making some of the jumps pairs with two of the height options 'side by side' with one or the other being adjustable and a well thought out route where different height options could include some of the jumps and miss out others this would be possible?
 
along the same lines as LauraWinter, could you not build like 1'9", 2'3" and 2'9" or something like that?
or as suggested a combination of all the different heights?
personally having a very green horse the need for smaller jumps then the ability to jump slightly bigger ones is essential rather than having to start with fairly big ones.
 
Six months ago I'd never jumped xc, now I love it. I wouldn't go any smaller than 2' for your jumps, even a nervous rider could stop and climb over that if they wanted to.
 
I would say 1'6 instead of 1ft - not a lot of difference in the jumping but a more worthwhile size, and they can still be very easy simple designs

2'3 - a big enough size for a more experienced novice and a big enough leap up from 1'6

and then something bigger 2'9/3ft with more challenging jumps for the braver ones out there (I'd be on the tiny course I'm afraid) but i do agree that in my experence with kids it is the little 1'6 classes that are the busiest at all the HTs I take my kids to, and the bigger later classes are much quieter.
 
Definitely have a 1ft 3/6 option, i know dwi says even a nervous rider can climb over a 2ft jump but seriously have you tried climbing over a 2ft jump with a 12.2 pony............. not gona happen unless ponio has springs under his butt and then small person on top is going flying lessons rather than jumping!

And there are plenty of us adult pony riders who appreciate the smaller jumps especially the adults schooling small ponios ready for smaller people - LOL
 
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