Know your horse.

• Know your horse.
• Know your horse’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as what they can and can’t do. This is especially important if you are going on a cross-country ride with a new horse that you have not ridden before, or if it’s been a while since you last rode your current mount.
• It is also very important to know the personality of the animal under you. Is he/she relaxed or tense? Does he/she like to run fast? What does he/she think of other horses around him? Is there anything that scares him/her?
• If there are water crossings on the trail route for example, find out beforehand if your horse has ever had problems with them in the past (they might be afraid of getting their hooves wet) and whether this could affect his safe riding ability during such crossings.

Know the course.

• Know the course

Before you go on a cross-country ride, it’s important to know what kind of terrain you’re riding in and how hard it will be on your horse. Always ask for advice from experienced riders, but don’t feel like you have to go with their advice just because they’re experts. The best thing is to walk the trail yourself first if possible and make sure that both rider and horse are comfortable with what they’re getting into. Being able to assess the difficulty level of a course beforehand will help keep everyone safe during the ride itself!

Know yourself.

• Know yourself.

It’s important to know your own strengths and weaknesses, and also to be aware of what you’re capable of. Don’t push yourself too hard or go beyond the limits that are safe for you. Your horse’s limits should also be respected; don’t expect him or her to do things they aren’t physically capable of doing, especially on an unfamiliar course. If your horse has any past injuries or health issues that could affect their ability going forward (such as recurring lameness issues), seek the advice of a veterinarian before beginning cross-country riding training.

• Know your horse’s strengths and weaknesses:

It’s important not only to understand these yourself but also communicate them to other riders so they know what type of course is right for everyone involved (especially if there are multiple riders). For example, if one person is better in corners than others then perhaps avoid those areas during cross country training due its sudden changes in direction which could cause trouble for some horses but not others depending on their skill level at this type of maneuvering around obstacles such as trees etcetera.”

If you’re prepared, cross-country can be an incredibly fun event.

If you’re prepared, cross-country can be an incredibly fun event.

Practice is absolutely critical to becoming comfortable with cross-country riding. Make sure to ask your trainer or instructor for help preparing your horse for the course and make time for plenty of practice rides.

Make sure that you have the right gear: boots, gloves, helmet and any other safety equipment that’s required by your organization or venue.

Keep in mind that this is a team sport – both rider and horse will need to work together to be successful!