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Cross Training - A must for any horse!
I have just returned home from teaching a 2 day ' Trust on the Trail' clinic in the Northern Rivers. The location was a great grounds which included a large Cross Country course, which we used to build the trust between horse and rider. We used bridges, jumps, water crossing, logs, poles, drop downs, jump ups - all scattered through a bush like trail.
The clinic was, as expected, fantastic. The trust that developed between horse and rider was huge! We started on the ground, and then under saddle navigated the obstacles, we really got the horses and the riders thinking about where their legs were, and where the feet had to be in order to safely navigate obstacles.
What we didn't anticipate was how relaxing it was for both the horses and the riders. This group has been training monthly with me for some time, and our last few clinics have all been on the development of our core skills - collection, self carriage, soft feel, focus etc. So while the trust on the trail clinic was challenging at times in terms of navigating obstacles, it was a great 'break' from core skills training that I think we all enjoyed.
I frequently cross train with my horses - beach rides, trails, clinics , arena work, and I believe this is how they stay so mentally and physically balanced.
Cross doesn't have to mean you throw away 'training', it may simply be a different type of training to give everyone a much needed 'break from the norm'.
Food for thought,
Tanja
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