John Michael explains the hows and whys of marking cross country jumps for safety. Course designers want the horses to be able to clearly see the top of the fence as well as where a jump begins and ends. He also explains some safety features of the jumps.
Up Next in Cross-Country
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The Same Jump Can Be Different Heights
John Michael answers common questions about why cross country fences appear to be different heights and how the same jump can be used in different divisions. He explains how course designers measure cross country jumps and shows how placement of the jump on the ground (uphill vs. downhill) can ch...
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Colors of Cross Country Jumps for Safety
John Michael discusses how horses see color and what colors they can see easily. As a result, cross country course designers pick colors of their fences for the best contrast and clarity for the horses. For safety reasons, they want the horses to be able to easily see them, especially the tops of...
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Safety Tips for Galloping Cross Country
John Michael demonstrates a safe way to gallop at speed through trees. He emphasizes staying balanced over the horse so as to not throw the horse off balance. He also shows what can happen to the horse when the rider makes abrupt changes in position.
