Cross-Country

What is cross-country?

Cross Country is an equestrian event consisting of an obstacle course across a field. This equestrian event is one of the three Olympic disciplines that make up the Eventing Competition.

The planks and obstacles used in this cross-country exercise are usually obstacles found in nature that can be moved from one location to another. For example, they can be tree trunks, puddles of water, bridges, river crossings or jumps created with elements of the countryside, etc.  Since obstacles are not always possible to find, at Equspaddock have a wide range of cross country jumps.

The aim of this type of equestrian cross country is that the rider and the horse are able to successfully overcome different exercises such as jumps or bridges in the shortest possible time and with the highest quality and precision. These exercises will be refereed by the Obstacle Judges and Timekeepers.

The Cross is a perfect occasion to demonstrate the connection, affinity and knowledge that the rider has on the horse by showing what both are capable of demonstrating together on the track.

What are the events of cross-country? 

Cross-country is the most challenging and exciting event in equestrianism because of the demanding ability and preparation it requires, as it is necessary to adapt to the track, the obstacles and the difficulty of the competition itself. In addition, there are many influencing factors such as terrain, natural obstacles, weather, course design, previous training and so on.

The precision and quality of each exercise depends on all these factors at the same time. Therefore, this part of the competition examines the ability of the pair (horse and rider) in jumping, as well as the trust and affinity between them.

What is Eventing? 

It is a competition made up of three equestrian disciplines: dressage, cross country and show jumping. These events are held over three days, with one of them taking place each day.

In this type of championship, it is necessary to successfully pass the first round in order to be able to take part in the next one. Consequently, only the best pairs make it to the third day, where the final demonstration takes place.

This competition is undoubtedly the most complete and demanding competition for riders and horses. Both must have experience and knowledge in all riding disciplines. In addition, these tests also demonstrate the affinity between them, the time dedicated to the preparation of the exercise, etc.

Cross-country event characteristics 

• Obstacles are usually objects that can be found in nature, or cross jumps. All of them are used for the horse and rider to overcome.
• In this type of event, there are different levels.
• Previous training is necessary to be able to perform in this type of competition.
• It is a demanding test for both horse and rider.
• It is necessary to take care of both the previous preparation and the recovery. Especially to avoid further injury to the animal.
• Horses competing in the higher categories must have a high capacity for speed and endurance to successfully complete the entire circuit.
• There are certain mistakes that will result in elimination from the competition. For example, jumping over obstacles in the wrong order, jumping a fence in the wrong direction, failing to perform a compulsory obstacle, etc.
• Similarly, the fall of the horse or rider results in direct elimination.

Maximum dimensions of the obstacles of the Cross Country event – 2022 

It is important to emphasise that all obstacles must be marked to be valid. It must be marked with red flags on the right side and white flags on the left side. In addition, each individual race contains a corresponding letter or number to indicate the type of exercise to be performed.

The obstacles can be either movable or fixed, depending on their function and appearance. In fact, sometimes constructions and decorative elements are used to hold some of the objects to resist jumps and bumps. For example, a movable obstacle is securely fastened to the ground so that it does not move in case a horse hits it while jumping.

In general, cross-country events always include at least one water-related event (crossing a river, a ditch, etc.). It is essential that the water obstacles are firm and consistent throughout the entire exercise and must not exceed a depth of 35 cm so as not to damage the physical integrity of the horse. In addition, the distance between water obstacles must be taken into account. For example, they must not be less than two lengths from a water exit or less than three lengths from a fall into the water.

Obstacles and their constructions may not contain sharp or square edges, except for hedges which may have up to 20 cm on their solid part. Normally, the size of the obstacles is measured taking into account the average size of the participating horses.

The exact measurements can be consulted on the FEI website.

Cross Country Event Speeds, Times, Distances and Number of Efforts – 2022 

Approximately, 35,000m2 is the total size of the Cross Country course. The number of obstacles can be defined according to the size of the track, the terrain and the requirements of the competition. Roughly speaking, it usually contains between 24 and 36 obstacles over a length of about 6 km. This is defined by the technical delegate or the course designer.

Certainly, each competition has a different terrain that gives rise to one type of obstacle or another and, therefore, the difficulties are many and varied. From flat circuits with many jumps to others with more inclination due to hills and more complicated obstacles.