What Is A Cross Country Horse Race?

Cross-country horse riding — sometimes referred to as just cross-country, “XC” or as Hunter trials — is an equestrian sport that sees rider and horse tackling a long course with jumps and other obstacles designed to simulate riding at speed across the countryside.

How does cross country work horses?

Cross-country is a part of the sport of equestrian, where riders riders are required to jump over 30 to 40 obstacles within a fixed time. Riders incur penalties for exceeding the allocated time, or if a horse refuses to clear an obstacle.

What’s the difference between cross country and showjumping?

Another difference between show jumping and cross country is the variable terrain that is an essential part of the cross-country course. The change in terrain means that you must become adept at jumping up steep banks and down drops.

What horses are used for cross country?

Most horses that compete today are Thoroughbreds, Thoroughbred-crosses (including the Irish Horse), and lightly built Warmbloods, or Warmbloods with a high degree of Thoroughbred blood, such as the Trakehner.

How many levels are there in cross country?

Levels of competition – There are four levels in most cross country races. Each level competes in its own race and is scored separately. Most invitational races and our league meets use the following levels: Varsity, Junior Varsity, Sophomore, and Freshman. Some invitationals will use a grade-level format.

Do you gallop in cross-country?

Cross-country riding is basically galloping across the country, jumping various obstacles. The ability to transition from the gallop to the appropriate speed and balance for the upcoming obstacle is an essential skill for riding cross-country.

Do horses gallop in cross-country?

Each horse and rider pair go round the cross-country course, in canter or gallop, jumping over solid obstacles. These include features such as water, ditches and steps up and down and also technical tests such as jumping narrow fences and fences at an angle.

Is cross country harder than track?

“Cross country is much harder than track,” Lusitana said. During the tough times of running, looking for support from each other is very important to the team. Running for miles side by side creates a bond like no other sport.

How long would it take to ride a horse cross country?

If the United States is roughly 3,000 MILES long and you’re covering about 50 MILES a day, that’s 60 DAYS on the road. Add 10-20 DAYS for mountainous terrain, inclement weather and other unforseen complications, and you’re looking at 70 to 80 days to cross the United States by horse.

Do you have to run fast in cross country?

To be good at cross country requires running pretty fast for a pretty long time. Most cross country races are between two and five miles in the US, though they can be as long as 12K (7.4 miles) at the elite level. This requires the stamina to endure racing at a high intensity for an extended period.

Why do they put grease on cross-country horses?

Your Stories. Event Grease has been developed to provide premium protection for your horse while out on the cross country course. Highly effective, long lasting and water repellent, this tough grease lubricates the skin allowing the surface to glide over jumps to reduce impact.

What do they put on horses legs for cross-country?

Nunn Finer® Eventing Grease is formulated to protect and lubricate the horse’s legs during the rigors of cross country events. Our event Grease is long-lasting and water repellent to stay in place during competition but is easily removed by washing with a little shampoo and water.

What makes a good cross-country horse?

The above qualities of bravery, soundness, ridablity, trainability, a good work ethic, a forgiving nature, and a natural uphill balance make for an event horse that is nice to ride.

How long are runs in cross country?

Cross-country is a team running sport that takes place in the fall on a measured 5000 meter (3.1 miles) High School course or 2 mile course for the Jr. High over varied surfaces and terrain.

How many laps do you run in cross country?

Athletes complete three to six loops, depending on the race. Senior men and women compete on a 10 kilometre course. Junior men compete on an 8-kilometre course and junior women compete on a 6-kilometre course.

How many laps are in a XC race?

XCC consists of a 1km to 1.5km circuit course, with the race lasting between 20 and 25 minutes and having on average six to eight laps. Each lap is around two to three minutes long.

Is cross country harder than road running?

Road running is relatively straightforward as each stride is pretty much the same. Cross-country courses are generally uneven, hilly and wet. This means you will need to pull your feet out of the mud and your legs (especially your calves and Achilles) will be under greater strain.

Do you run hills in cross country?

Hills are an important part of cross country. Not only are they a tough part on the race course, but whether running a short burst uphill or a long, slow climb, hill workouts are a great prep for cross country.

Can a horse jump while galloping?

Some people (usually those who profit from jumps racing) would like us to believe that horses love to jump. Again, this is incorrect. Horses only jump obstacles at full gallop because they are forced to do so.

Is galloping faster than cantering?

The canter is a controlled three-beat gait, while the gallop is a faster, four-beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses’ trot, or ambling gaits. The gallop is the fastest gait of the horse, averaging about 40 to 48 kilometres per hour (25 to 30 mph).

How long can a horse with rider gallop?

In full flight (in a gallop) a horse can cover up to just over 3km before it begin’s feeling fatigued. However if gaits are varied with canters and trotting, a well-conditioned horse can cover 30 to 50km in a day (while giving the horse multiple breaks in between to regain strength).