In this exclusive article for H&H subscribers, top trainers share their tips and advice for cross-country schooling
Three-time Olympic medallist Tom McEwen cross-country schooling on Brookfield Benjamin Bounce. We all know we need to get out and practise cross-country before the eventing season starts, but are you really making the most of your schooling sessions? We asked some top experts for their cross-country schooling tips to help you up your performance.
Whether you’re aiming for your first unaffiliated event or lining up for your 20th season, there’s bound to be something here you can take away and put into practice when you next head out cross-country schooling .
Cross-country schooling tips
1. Choose your venue
Work out what you want to achieve and choose a cross-country schooling venue accordingly. “If you need to rebuild confidence over ditches , go somewhere with plenty of tiny ditches. If you want to practise skinnies, choose a venue with lots of flagged narrow fences that have wings and guide rails to help you,” says British eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood .
Don’t steer clear of mud. “Cross-country schooling is as much about training horses’ reactions and footwork as it is jumping tricky fences,” says Italian Olympic event rider Vittoria Panizzon . “There’s no point in getting to your first event and moaning about the mud if you haven’t trained on wet ground .”
Avoid only schooling on a surface. “[If cross-country schooling] on a surface, you will naturally jump off a shorter stride because you are riding at a more condensed pace. This can be counter-productive,” says top Irish coach Eric Smiley .
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"}
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