Riding Cross Country: A Beginner’s Guide

Cross-country riding is an amazing experience, but its courses, made up of natural and fixed obstacles, carry serious risks. Everyone, especially novice riders, should approach it with special care. In this blog, we help you enhance your riding experience, with a guide to get you get started in the exciting universe of Cross-Country. Also learn about how filming your riding with Pivo‘s 360 AI can help you learn cross-country riding better. Keep reading to learn more!

Start Simple

Like every other equestrian discipline, the best approach to Cross Country is going from the most simple to the most complicated. You, and perhaps your horse, will be dealing with new obstacles and challenges. And riding outside the arena in the open. The most helpful routine in this stage is to film yourself and watch back the recorded footage to analyze and review your performance in the new settings. Below, you will find some pointers to help you organize your learning curve:

• Seek Expert Help: As tempting it might be, never attempt to embark on this journey alone. Ask your riding instructor or an experienced friend for help learning all about the first steps. Also, some courses have tutors, who are often seasoned cross-country riders, course designers, and/or specialized instructors. Who know the course and obstacles like the palm of their hand and will help you take your first steps safely. Pivo Lessons can help you connect with your coach for remote lessons. Or you can also sent your recorded footage for feedback from your trainer.
• Work On Your Riding Foundation: Excellent balance and horse control are crucial for cross-country. You must feel comfortable with your horse and the pair shouldn’t be facing any issues when you decide to start your cross-country venture. Fix any potential problem on the riding arena, which is a controlled environment. Pivo’s ability to pan 360 degrees helps exponentially to study your rides. Along with the stabilization feature that helps stabilize the footage that is recorded in outdoor areas on uneven terrain and windy weather conditions.
• Start With An Easy Horse: As horse lovers, we understand you are eager to take your horse to the cross-country circuit. However, if your horse is spooky, temperamental. Or has behavioral issues that may compromise your riding, lend or borrow an easier horse. This will help you focus on learning the ropes of cross-country better, gain confidence, prevent accidents. And give you the tools to introduce your horse to the discipline when you are ready.
• Ride Easy Courses: Cross-country tracks often have courses with different difficulty levels. Lately, more and more places are building novice courses, especially made for beginner riders and horses. As in every equestrian discipline, always start from the easy to the most complicated. Your instructor, guide, or expert tutor will tell you when you are ready to take the next step and safely raise the difficulty. Use Pivo not only when you’re training alone, but also when your instructor is training you in-person. To keep a record of your valuable lessons, as you go back and watch it at your convenience.
• Attend Special Events: When you feel ready, you can attend special events like open practices or novice competitions. They include on-track assistance and guidance, ensuring a pleasant and safe environment. So you can grow and enjoy the thrill and experience of a competition without the hazards of an official tournament. With your 360, Pivo recorded videos, you can also send in your entries to online events and competitions!
• Use Pivo To Assess Progress: When practicing, use Pivo to capture every moment and track your progress. Watching yourself on video is a great asset to improve your skills, track your areas of improvement. And why not, sharing your amazing jumps with your friends!

Safety First

We can’t emphasize enough that Cross-Country can be risky. That’s why you and your horse must wear proper protective gear. You should always wear an approved helmet and safety vest (check your local regulations to find out the specific protection level requirements in your region).

Unlike show jumping boots, which are open in the front for ventilation and to allow horses to feel when they hit an obstacle, Cross-Country or high-quality hacking boots are more appropriate for this discipline. These types of boots are fully enclosed yet breathable, offering better protection for your horse against knocks and scrapes.

Using studs on your horse’s fore and hind feet is recommended for extra grip and enhanced stability. And confidence throughout the course, especially when jumping. When using them, make sure to use a stud or Cross-Country girth. These girths cover the horse’s belly, helping to protect it from any wounds caused by the hand-studs while jumping or in case of a bad jump. They work as a thick leather barrier between the obstacle and their body. A properly fitted breastplate is also essential to prevent the saddle from sliding back. If you want to add an extra layer of protection, consider using hock boots as well.

As your horse will be using studs on the fore and hind feet for more grip, make sure to use a stud or cross-country girth. These girths cover the horse’s belly from any wounds caused by the hands while jumping. Or, in case of a bad jump, will work as a barrier between the obstacle and their body. Use a proper breastplate to prevent the saddle from sliding back while you ride. And, if you want to add an extra layer of protection, a pair of hock boots are also recommended.

Lastly, always take time to familiarize your horse with the course. Show him any obstacles that might seem spooky, difficult. Or new to build their confidence and avoid surprises, refusals, or hesitation, that could lead to accidents or bad experiences.

Sound, Athletic, And Strong Horses

As you become more involved in Cross-Country riding, it’s essential to build up your horse’s stamina and endurance. In addition to daily exercises that improve your horse’s rhythm and coordination, you should put extra effort in strengthening their muscles and core. Also, you should add more cardio and aerobic exercises. To help your horse endure the high physical demands of Cross-Country courses.

Enjoy Yourself!

Cross-Country courses are wonderful, full of different types of soils, including grass, gravel, water, uphills, downhills, and lots of exciting jumps. They are varied so that you can never be bored. With the help of a qualified instructor, a well-prepared horse, and always putting safety first, you will enjoy your first steps in the discipline and, why not, perhaps venture in the amazing three-day eventing competition experience.
Remember to use Pivo, your ultimate riding companion, to track your progress, capture your Cross-Country adventures, and share them with your loved ones and friends. Also, thanks to Pivo Cloud, you can free up your cell phone from all those horse videos and keep your equestrian footage in the cloud, enabling you to access them from anywhere.

Read more – Why Filming Your Rides is Essential