Cross-country : water jump

[beckie]

I'm going to be setting up a cross-country course (small!) in one of our paddocks for training Deej for the summer when he's fitter, The actual course i'm doing in July has a water jump and I don't know how to make one for practising! He goes through water, but I dont want to turn up and look and idiot if he refuses! how can i make one? I dont want him to slip and can't think of any way to do it? what have any of you done?
help!

[rosieee]

SSound slike a bit of an impossible task to me! why not transport him to a XC course to practise water jumps etc a few times before the actual event?

[sulasmum]

must say I was going to suggest the same thing as Rosiee

[beckie]

ok, I'll try it, not sure where to find the course or transport but we'll do it!

[emi]

You could just wait til it rains and take him through a few deep puddles at walk, trot, canter etc, to keep him used to water?

[pip]

It is really worth finding a proper cross country course if you are going to do several competitions, and have a good practice run first. Most courses let you have as long as you want. I don't mean that you gallop round and round, but it does mean that you can spend ages just paddling backwards and forwards through the water. Get off have a rest, and then do it again. It is best if you can go with someone else whose pony will give you a lead. At a proper course the water will be big enough so that your pony can play in it (don't let it roll though!). The courses should have a whole variety of jumps of all sizes. Sometimes riding clubs hire a venue for the members.

The only thing to watch out for its that you don't go on too long and the pony gets tired and fed up or can stop or even fall if too tired.

[jen1]

in hand get him leading over a sheet of plastic , if you can, then progress onto four pole on the ground securely in a square and fill with water walk through in hand and maybe jump close by, then see if you can ride over it, in walk and then trot then jump bit at a time, if he is scared of the plastic, get a plaggy bag and start rubbing his body with it screwed up smallprogressing to bigger as he gets more used to it, bum bum!