Jet went XC schooling

21 Nov Jet went XC schooling

Jet has been doing really well. We have done a bit of hacking, jumping, schooling and groundwork.

Now when it gets dark early I have mostly had to ride him in the dark in the evenings. Apart from when we have been out hacking. We do have lights though so I’m not riding him in the dark with a torch, haha.

Unfortunately I ride him on my own most of the time so that’s why I haven’t posted any videos about him for a while. He is going well and we have our first dressage coming up this week! Very excited!

He is a lot more relaxed about jumping at home. So I thought it would be good for his training to have a go at cross country.

I think he enjoyed it and it was a very good variety in his training. And yes I know he is not going to be an event horse but that doesn’t mean he can’t pop over a log out on a hack or go through the water, jump over a ditch etc. He was really brave about it all so I think he is definitely capable of doing a little ODE one day.

Any horse I take XC schooling for the first time we always start from the ground! That’s where you can really put that groundwork in use and it gives them so much confidence. Because they can just figure it out by themselves and once you ask them to do it when ridden it’s usually not a problem at all. Jet was a very good example of that.

When I think that they might be worried about the obstacle I never force them to go over it straight away. Like the ditch! Most horses are worried about jumping the ditch for the first time or going into the water.

I send them between me and the scary obstacle at first while approaching it. Once we get near it, I let them investigate it and as soon as they do I actually back them away from it which is a release of pressure. Every time you do it, it builds their confidence. It’s almost like it makes them feel like you don’t want them to go over it which makes them even more curious about it and eventually they want to go over it. I know it doesn’t make any sense to us but it does for the horse!

There is a good example about it in the video when I first introduce the ditch to Jet. This is where you feel and timing is very important.

Jet did really well on the ground so we didn’t do loads when ridden but everything I asked of him ridden he did straight away because he already got confident on the ground.