Totally technical
Get your horse’s cross-country technique down to a tee before taking him out on grass next spring. Olympic eventer Laura Collett shows you how
In this feature. . . ➤ Reap the benefits of bounces ➤ Introduce your horse to arrowheads and skinnies ➤ Ride a corner perfectly
The off-season’s often viewed as an opportunity for eventers to improve their dressage and showjumping skills before being able to get back onto grass for natural fences come spring. But, there’s no reason why you can’t make the most of your arena to improve your horse’s cross-country abilities, too.
So much of a horse’s aptitude for cross-country comes from practising focused flatwork, polework and gymnastic exercises, but there are technical fences you’ll find on course that are worth perfecting on a surface first. By working on these fence types in the arena, you can introduce and progress them in a controlled and confidence-building environment before taking your horse out on grass where the adrenaline, even when schooling, is higher. Let’s take a look at three of the types you’re most likely to come across.
On the bounce