We are heading off to Hickstead for the Sunshine tour next month with the pony that myself and my DD share. We've both qualified so will be doing a variety of different classes between us. It's the first time that we are going and we are really looking forward to it, however I've had a sudden realisation that the WHP class that I'm doing is likely to include a water or worse....the dreaded ditch. The local classes that I've always done have only ever included rustic fences, hedges etc, which have been fine.
Pony is brilliant in all ways and very genuine, however the dreaded ditch is his absolute nemesis. He's seems to be genuinely petrified and will literally run backwards from anything remotely ditch-like. We've done some x-country schooling a few times and have managed to get him over small ditches but it's not without a lot of hard work and numerous attempts. I've also ended up in both the ditch and the water too, which I'm sure doesn't help my view of them, or the way that I ride them!
Does anyone have any tips for helping our pony conquer his fear of ditches? Unfortunately our opportunity to go out to X country courses are really limited so it's got to be work that we can do at home.
Any suggestions? Or has anyone done WHP at Sunshine and can let me know what to expect?
Thanks in advance x