First local XC - help, advice, encouragement

[insecure123]

I am doing my first local XC this weekend! I am super excited and nervous in equal measures. As a child/teenager I done some small stuff in various riding schools but this is my first "competition" so to speak. I am doing the novice class which I believe is up to 2'9" which when I worked it out against my desk looks quite big - but isn't really any bigger than I already jump and the nursery seemed a bit too small!

Anyway I am doing it in pairs and on a horse from my riding instructor. Tonight I am having a jumping lesson on the horse I will be taking round the course. I am going to get a new hat tonight (mine has a fixed peak - I could borrow but local shop has good sale and I ride loads so it will be used) got my body protector and washed the white jods! I just don't know what top to wear. Just a plain base layer type?

Anyway does anyone have any advice? Positive stories from their first time? I am super nervous - what if I get tanked? what if I get refusals? all the usual (I am a bi of a doubter of myself) but also so excited because I started working with my new instructor as I wanted to get back into jumping and ultimately to get myself round a cross country course!

No advice, sorry, but I can be encouraging

Sounds absolutely brilliant, what a great opportunity I’m envious!. Don’t stress over what might go wrong, just dig deep and give it your best.

Then come back and tell us how you got on. With pics/video, obvs.

My first time I was told if in doubt sit up and kick on! It's actually really good, helps you ride positively forward and remember not to hunch (as we do when we're nervous) because it makes it harder for the horse to take off.
I used to wear a rugby shirt or a plain sweatshirt- I'm sure there's much fancier stuff available now but I never had it.
Did you say you're doing pairs? If so you can get a lead from the other horse to boost your confidence.
If the horse is from your instructor I wouldn't worry too much about it tanking off - she wouldn't lend you an inexperienced horse, she'll have already worked out the bitting and she knows you're capable of riding it.
It's a good idea to put a neck strap on (an old stirrup leather is great) so you've got something to hang onto if needed. Some international eventers use them so don't think it makes you look like a beginner, you're in good company.
Walk the course on the day and make sure you're certain of the route. Imagine how you'll ride any combinations or any tricky elements (eg jumping from light into shade).
It's fine to trot to rebalance and sort yourself out, don't feel you have to go hell for leather.
Above all enjoy - smile!

Thanks so much!

It is a great opportunity and I feel so lucky! Without going into a big woe is me I lost alot of confidence after an abusive relationship and when I started to be "me "again i got right back into it and I really really wanted to an XC couurse but didn't think it would happen as I didn't have my own horse so I feel very fortunate things have worked out this way!

Thanks Hollywhiskey. i keep telling myself she would never give me a horse and let me do this if she didn't believe I could and the horse was confident enough on a small course. I don't think i will be getting anything fancier. probably just a plain long sleeve top. Yes it is pairs but I am paired with a teenager from the riding school. She is an experienced rider and has done the course before so I think we will probably take turns leading.

My instructor always has neck straps on the horses so that is a good wee security blanket.

Without going into a big woe is me I lost alot of confidence after an abusive relationship and when I started to be "me "again i got right back into it

It’s kind of a big deal, getting yourself back. Well done for getting out of the relationship, and getting back in the saddle

Also have no advice to offer, just encouragement! I did a tiny bit of XC schooling for the first time last summer and the high after was amazing.

The only instructions I can remember were ‘sit up (or stand up), grab a handful of mane and/or neck strap and kick on!’

Pop a neck strap on, kick on and keep your heels down.
And if In doubt take one (or if you’re my horse about 53) out.

Thank you for the encouragement! I had my jumping lesson last night on the pony I am taking round and it was fantastic! She is a little flying star (literally flies - had a neck strap but the mane got grabbed alot) Really excited now!

Yes last night I was told "sit up sit up kick on"

So excited to get there now! going with the instructor and some of the young uns she teaches to walk the course at the weekend and even looking forward to that!

Well done for getting out there again OP!

In terms of clothing you definitely need a skull cap and body protector. Any base layer or even fairly fitted jumper would be fine. You will only see the arms really with your body protector over the top.You will probably need a medical armband and some venues will require you to provide your own number bib, so you might want to check ahead of time so you are not stressing on the day. I always take a change of clothes too (this is after having an embarrassing incident with a water jump and having to stay in wet and therefore see-through white jodhs all day!)

With regards to preparing and riding the course I would echo the advice that you have already been given. Definitely put a neck strap on - it will make you feel much more secure even if you don't use it. I also personally put spurs on too, just in case I need a bit more leg before something scary. I try and walk the course before and tend to video / take pictures so that I can go over the course at home and plan my route and how I'm going to ride each fence. I also try and get to the event in enough time to walk the course again before my round if that's allowed so that it's fresh in my mind and I can see how the ground is. At a particularly scary course last year my friend gave me her hip flask and told me to have a few good swigs. That certainly helped too!!

When you are riding the course try and relax and breathe - when I'm walking the course I try and pick points where I will be able to consciously re-group, roll my shoulders, take a breath and re-balance the ponio if needs be. If in doubt sit up, kick on and use you 'growly voice'

If it does go a little bit pear shaped just keep going! There's nothing wrong with missing out a fence too if you feel that's the best thing. I'm sure that you will absolutely love it - I am out cross country schooling next weekend and can't wait!

Thanks fanfckintastic

Very helpful! I have the body protector and hat sorted. Also ordered white cycling shorts for under my white jods as I am panicky about my "comfy riding pants" being seen through them lol

I have a long sleeved "base layer" type top that I wear running which I wore under my body protector at my lesson last night (I wanted to get used to riding in the body protector) and it was comfortable and stopped me getting too hot) so I am thinking that will do? My brother is coming to take pictures so at least I will be easy to spot as it is bright reflective type yellow ha

Never thought about the number bib eek! I'll need to check that thanks so much!

Neck strap will definitely be on but I tend to grab the mane before the neck strap - always have I don't know why! We are walking the course today but I was hoping for a chance to walk again on the day just to refresh my memory! The instructor and I spoke last night with the girl I am doing it with and we have agreed we aren't "competing" as such - we are happy to just get round it. If that means a slower time or missing a fence where we have had refusals and the like then thats ok. We just want to get round and enjoy it.

So excited

You didn’t ask for discouragement, I know, but if it were me I would be a lot more cautious about this.

How much XC experience do you have in general? Do you feel confident about steps, ditches, water, etc?

When you say you had a lesson on this horse, was it XC or SJ? The best route to a safe XC round is to know the horse well, have jumped SJ a lot and had training sessions over XC courses with your instructor there’s. Then you know exctly what to do in open spaces, how to slow down, how to approach a fence, where to sit up, etc. Taking horse you do not know around a XC course you do not know is quite ambitious.

I don’t think you will manage to take it in turns leading. It all happens very quickly and if you keep trying to ovetake each other, you will either wind the horses up who will start racing, or lose your rhythm (rhythm is quite important XC). Experienced pairs have a lead that works (I haven’t ridden XC in decades but when I used to I would not pair two horses and riders that did not know each other well either - how well do these two horses know each other?), they only swap if there is a fence that is a problem for the lead, and, of course, coordinate for gen photographer s fence! 😃

Best of luck, but be cautious with XC. Falls XC start becoming potentially more dangerous.

Also keep in mind that if you are doing a competition you are not allowed to miss fences and if you have three refusals you are eliminated and have to walk quietly back to the start/finish. If you attempt fences after being eliminated the judge will get out of her car Andy give you a serious bollocking.

I think other posters may have done fun rides where you can do as many or as few of the fences as you wish. Fun rides are an easier entry into XC than hunter trials.

If this is unaffiliated it probably has 2.3 2.6 and 2.9 classes. If you are doing 2.9 see if you can change to 2.6, XC fences are bigger than equivalent SJ just because they are scarier!

It is not affiliated. It is a very small local course. Nothing scary/above anything I have done before - other than there will be many more people doing this and it is technically a competition. Pony is experienced and done the course many times and we have since established I will be leading on the route. We won't be eliminated or "bollocked" It has all been explained. It probably falls more into the fun ride category you are talking about (but there is a seperate "fun ride" at the end of the HT and XC classes.)

I think you are maybe thinking this to be more advanced/competitive than it actually is :)

Good luck! Sounds fantastic

Sit up, weight through your heels, if in doubt be positive and don't forget to breathe! Seriously, the number of times I seen first timers get round having only taken 3 breaths on the way

My instructor said the same about breathing haha....I do hold my breath over jumps as it is lol. "breathe, take your time if you need to and I guarantee you will cross the finish line smiling"

She knows about all the personal stuff I have been through and how much I have wanted to get back to this so she has been great with me.

Because it is unaffiliated the venue may have whatever rules they like. Some allow you to continue after 3 refusals, some do not. Most are erring on the side of caution nowadays, but if they are happy to let you continue then fine.

Why are you not doing the fun ride instead? It's much less pressure and will give you time to organize yourself.

Please do be more cautious than you seem to be, falls XC are potentially very dangerous.

I appreciate your advice Boo but believe me I have and am being cautious. This is a very very big thing for me and something I have been working towards for a while.

I have done low level XC before albeit a while ago and due to personal circumstances was out of it for a while.

There are a group of (mainly young - much younger than me!) riders from my instructors yard doing this. I was specifically asked if I wanted to be part of this team and I do. if I wanted to do the fun ride, I would be doing the fun ride. But we are doing this as a school/yard and all taking part.

I appreciate your concerns but really this has been a long time coming for me and after working through alot of self doubt etc and overcoming any concerns I had I am going to remain positive about it.

OK best of luck.

I in no way wanted to undermine your positive attitude. It's just that I have seen too many accidents after too many years with horses. Hope you have loads of fun.

Seen a fair few too! Been riding for 26 years with just a short break somewhere in there so I am definitely not going into this blind and inexperienced

Thank you

Ooh exciting, good luck, you're braver than I am! What you are planning to wear sounds fine especially for an informal local event, my only advice would be that many horses, even forward going confident types can be a bit sticky over the first couple of fences XC, especially if they have to leave other horses behind in the collecting ring (although being in a pair should help), so be prepared to ride very positively towards the first few (a bit of vocal encouragement can help!). Make sure to sit well up on the approach to fences, being a bit behind the movement is preferable to hunching or being over the horses shoulders, keeping your weight well back gives you the best chance of sitting any jinks or stops and should keep you balanced if the stride is a bit wrong and she chips in or takes a long one, so long as you give with your hands it shouldn't hinder the horse from jumping...

Come back and let us know how it goes!

Thanks maxelly. Appreciate that. She is generally a very honest jumper and has done the course before but instructor did say the same thing. Keep giving encouragement to get over the fence and sit up. She also has a particularly large jump for a small pony....... which is...fun :)

Ha! My little fat loan pony is like that over showjumps (Not got as far as XC yet.) it can be...disconcerting.

Haha yes that is the correct word squirrell! this is a little cob type too. Only 14.2hh - absolutely leaps over fences! Jumps for fun. A handful of mane is my friend!

Lol sounds a lot like my mare who also loves her jumping (haven't been brave enough to take her XC yet but maybe one day!). She's of unknown breeding, just barely 14hh on her tip toes, hairy and solid fat but I like to joke that one of her parents must have been someone's prized hunter/show jumper who had an unfortunate liaison with a small cobby type, because she certainly has some pop and an awful lot of self belief to go with it too! With that type you have to be a bit careful because they can lull you into a sense of false security and you half want to be taking them back the whole time, but when they do wobble at something new or unexpected they really need you to say go!

Its funny you should say that because the other night she did have a little wobble at one of the training fences. Bothing major but she did put a little stop in and would have refused it. I got her over it but I think a split second slower pushing her she may have thought twice. So I won't let her lull me into a false sense of security. It's a 3 refusal and move to the next fence course and the other rider and I have discussed that we aren't being competitive ie not to worry about letting the other down if it doesn't go completely smoothly so that takes some pressure of somewhat