To ride the perfect cross-country round you need to think about every element of the course, not just the fences. So, let’s look at some of the different challenges you’ll face and how you can piece them together.
For many riders, water is the most daunting part of a cross-country course – after all, it can be spooky for some ponies and is definitely not the best place to fall off! So, how can you ride through it with confidence and make sure you don’t end up with soggy breeches?
If there’s a jump before the water, it’s likely to be inviting, but remember to keep your eyes up to the other side of it and your weight back in the saddle. Don’t over fold as your pony jumps the fence, especially if he’s likely to hesitate at the water.
Lost your canter rhythm through the water but got to tackle a fence on exit? Don’t worry! Just keep your eyes up, legs closed around his sides and hands slightly forward–he’ll be able to pop the jump from trot and pick up canter again after.
If your pony isn’t totally confident about getting his toes wet, allow him to come back to trot –or even walk – as you approach the water. But avoid letting him stop as it can be tricky to get him going again. Keep your lower leg underneath you and use your voice to encourage him. You might find you need to rise higher in trot to keep the rhythm as you go through the water, but keep pushing him on and, as you come out the other side, pick up canter.
Nina Gill is a BHS Stage 4 SeniorCoach and owner of FancyFootwork Equestrian
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Improving your pony’s ability to bend lays the foundations for his flatwork and jumping and also helps to really elevate his suppleness and balance. So, whether you’re looking to ride the perfect circle in a dressage test or polish your showjumping skills, why not have a go at my bending exercises?
remember!
Always ride through lines in walk first. It allows your pony to learn where you’re going and helps boost his muscle development, too!
We’re going to use the same hexagon layout that we did in part two of my polework series, but this time you don’t need the four outside poles that make up the square. Using 10 3m poles, start by placing four poles in the centre of your riding area to create an X. Then, add six more poles around the X to make a hexagon – simple!
Why not leave this layout in the arena for a week or two so you can enjoy the benefits over a few schooling sessions? It doesn’t take up much room and the other liveries at your yard can have a go, too! Just check with your yard manager first.
As always, the aim of your warm-up is to get your pony fully focused, moving forwards and responsive to your aids. But how can you best prepare your pony for my brilliant bends exercises?
By incorporating lots of bending, of course! Here are three things to try…
• changes of bend – along the three-quarter line, centre line or down the long sides
• circles – of varying sizes, starting off with 20m and working your way down to 15m
• lateral work –leg-yield is a great tool for suppling up!
Why not try circling outside the polework layout and decreasing the size of your circle each lap as part of your warm-up routine?
When asking your pony to bend you want him to do so through his whole body and not just turn his head. To achieve the perfect bend you need to use your seat and legs, as well as your rein contact. By placing more weight into your inside seat bone and moving your inside hip forward, your pony will be able to bend more easily.
Let’s look at what each leg and rein does as you ask for the bend…
• outside rein – keeps your pony’s shoulders straight
• inside rein – encourages the inside flexion
• outside leg – goes slightly back to support his hindquarters
• inside leg – stays against his side to create the bend through his body
Having a pony who’s polite on the ground and easy to handle makes caring for him sooo much easier. Whether you’re leading him around the yard, picking up his feet or climbing on board for a hack, knowing he’ll do what you ask without a fuss is guaranteed to boost your confidence and make day-to-day pony care stress-free. So, I’m going to show you how to create the politest pony on the yard!
Always wear a helmet, gloves and sturdy boots when doing any kind of groundwork with your pony.
While your pony’s tied up or standing in his stable, you need to be able to move him around so you can reach his whole body or get him out of the way while you muck out.
To do this, he’ll need to respond when you push against his side, shoulders or hindquarters and move away from the pressure. Have treats on-hand to reward him when he does as you ask, or you can use a scratch in his favourite itchy spot if you prefer. Practise pressing against his side to ask him to step over – remember to praise him as soon as he does so, because this will encourage him to do it again in the future! If he isn’t responding, you can use a whip to give him a very light tap to help him understand what you’re asking.
It’s super-important that you can easily pick up your pony’s feet – and that other people can, too. This will make your farrier and vet’s jobs easier because he won’t fidget when they need to trim or check over his hooves.
1. Start by standing next to his shoulder, facing away from his head.
2. Run your hand down the back of his leg and squeeze gently below his knee to ask him to pick up his foot.
3. If he’s reluctant, you can lean against him slightly to help.
4. Remember to give him plenty of praise when he does as you ask.
Ask lots of different people to practise lifting your pony’s feet so he feels more relaxed about it when the vet or farrier tries.
For the hindleg, the process is the same except you run your hand down the front of his leg instead – this will prevent you from getting your arm caught if he were to kick out.
If you’re really having trouble, ask your yard manager to have a go and see if he’ll do it for someone else –they can then show you what they did to make him pick it up.
did you know?did you know?
Reluctance to lift his feet could be a sign that your pony’s uncomfortable, so ask your vet, farrier and physio to check him over if you’re having a lot of trouble.
Is there anything more frustrating than a pony who won’t be caught? Chasing him round the field, especially when you’re in a rush, won’t do anything besides wind you – and him – up. So, here are my tips to make it easier...
• bring him in for pamper sessions and feeding so he doesn’t associate coming in with being ridden
Pony nuts or balancer pellets can work well as low-calorie treats for rewarding your pony.
• leave a field-safe headcollar on until he’s more consistently catchable
• bring some treats with you to tempt him
• loop the rope round his neck when you get near him so he can’t dash off when you try to put the headcollar over his nose
• pop him into a smaller paddock to help make catching him easier to start with
• bring his friends in so he’s more tempted to come with them
