Blackdown Hills Cross Country

Wishing you the best for the 2007 cross country season

Sadly, opening has been delayed this year by the heavy rain but once the weather settles, we'll be open as usual. Keep an eye on the website for further information! There has been no increase in schooling rates this year so you can be sure of good value every time you come.

2007 calendar of events

You will see that we have competitions and clinics for riders of all abilities and ambitions. You can download a clinic booking form here and you will be able to download schedules for competitions from the website closer to the event. Click here for our full calendar.

Clinics

Last year, Lucinda Green taught for a day in the rain in March. Hopefully the weather will be better for Mary King this year on March 26th. Lucinda will be coming back in July.

Places are filling for both already, so call for a booking form or book online now.

Michelle Matthews has taught at the course regularly and is always popular. If you want to build up your confidence at the beginning of the season or a helping hand with a young or nervous horse, her clinics will be ideal.

Riders will be grouped according to ability in all clinics.

Last year, Jenna Rosewell wrote a great review of Lucinda's clinic for us - click here.

Horse Trials

This year, British Eventing have moved our horse trials to the 6th of May. We need your help on that day - from scoring to jump judging, if you'd like to get involved please get in touch. Its Badminton weekend - if you can't make it to the show jumping day come soak up the eventing excitement at our horse trials.

We will feed and care for you very well and all helpers get free schooling passes.

British Eventing are organising free Fence Judge Training days at Stonar School, Wiltshire on 17th February and Wilton on 25th February. If you'd like to brush up on the rules or just learn more about how a horse trials works, download details here or call Anthony Ffooks on 01749 812994.

Booking schooling

Last year we tried a new booking system for schooling. Feedback has been very favourable and we will continue to use it this year. We introduced the system because it is important that you call and book schooling before you come but should you want to book at the last minute and can't reach us, there is an obvious problem.

Now, to book schooling, you simply call us on 01823 681450 and at the voice menu, press 1. If the course is closed due to bad weather or in preparation for a competition, there will be a message to tell you so - otherwise, simply leave your name and the number of horses coming and you can consider your session to be booked.

Of course, if you would like to speak to us in person, simply press 0 instead.

2007 Calendar of Events

You can download a clinic booking form here and all schedules will be distributed by email to the newsletter subscribers and will be published on the website as soon as they are available.

Lucinda Green Clinic 2006 - by Jenna Rosewell

On a very soggy 27 March, I with several others set out for a two hour training session with Lucinda Green. I was in the first group of the day, which I feel was to my advantage due to the slippy and wet ground conditions, but on a plus side, this added to Lucinda's approach of 'Learning the Safe Way'.

The session commenced by working the horses over small poles, focusing on technique, encouraging the horses not to rush, concentration and improving rider cross country 'safety' position.

We then when out on the cross country cross to test the new and more stabilised skills which were practiced over the show jumps.

Lucinda put riding techniques into a different, more 'management' context, for example imagining your horse is a 'toothpaste tube and you are squeezing the energy out'. Lucinda's approach was also to encourage the horses to think for themselves and the rider to act more as an aid, focusing a lot on allowing when necessary and maintaining consistency. This was especially emphasized at the Cornish Banks, where we were told to walk the horses up and over the banks. This caused much confusion for some horses who were used to rushing and always taking a bank as a jump - therefore causing minor (?!) damage to the banks - much to Walters disapproval! This was a great exercise at it taught horses to think for themselves, riders to allow and riders to be in a secure, safe position in anticipation of a big jump.

After many more technical exercises at various fences, at the end we were allowed to go round the course in pairs, a great way to finish the session.

I would definitely recommend a training session with Lucinda Green. And her motto at the end of the day was 'If in doubt, Kick to get out'!