The first group of riders, consisting of starter, beginner novice and novice levels, warm up their horses for cross country. They start on the flat, including showing their galloping positions, and then jump a few low, warm-up fences.
Up Next in Cross-Country
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Group 1 – Cross Country Rider Position
Buck Davidson explains his basic philosophy about the cross-country phase. He has the riders start by galloping and practicing adjusting their horses’ strides. He then talks about rider position and where they should have their hands to best communicate with the horse. Miscommunication can lead t...
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Group-1 - Cross Country Ditches
Ditches can make riders nervous, so Buck Davidson stresses that riders should focus on where they want to go and not where the problem might be.
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Group 1 – Cross Country Banks
Buck Davidson helps the riders school banks. He wants them to focus on trotting straight up the bank, turn around on the same line and trot down the bank. The key is knowing where you want the horse to go and making sure he gets there. The horse doesn’t have to do it fast, but he does need to be ...
