How long is the equestrian cross country course

Cross-country equestrianism is a horse riding endurance test that forms one of the three parts of the sport of eventing the others are Dressage and Show jumping.

The sport tests the speed, endurance and jumping ability of the horse. The cross-country course is usually between 4. The aim is to complete the course with as few penalties as possible. The lowest score wins. Approximately 21 miles per hour for the horses which will finish without penalties. They will go faster at some points of the course than others, tending to speed up in between fences and slow down for the jumps.

Each horse and rider tackle the course separately. It is not a race — they do not run and jump alongside each other. The horses and riders in Tokyo will be set off at three-minute intervals, so in general there will be three pairs at different stages of the course at any one time.

However, there could be less than three if a pair are eliminated or retired so leave the course before getting to the finish or more if a combination are particularly slow getting round.

At some of the difficult fences, there are longer and shorter routes. There are no penalties for taking a long route provided the horse and rider do not fall, refuse or run-out , but it will be time-consuming, so the rider will have to weigh up the risk of the shorter route against the time-penalties they may incur.

The jumps in Tokyo are numbered one to 23, but if there are several fences close together, they will be counted as one number, with the different elements denoted with letters of the alphabet, for example fence 23a or 14b.

If a horse takes all the direct routes round the course, they will make 36 jumping efforts. While the goal of some competitors may be a ribbon, many compete for the thrill of completing.

All equipment must be in excellent condition. Before you begin, you will be given an "order of go". You will be signaled to start, usually in a start box, and you choose your pace according to the optimum time. When you finish, you will remove your horse's tack , cool him out using cool water, sponges, and a sweat scraper, and present for inspection local rules will vary. The ideal score is "0", meaning no penalties or time faults.

Cross-country jumping is also known by some as endurance riding. Fitness is a very important element, both to compete successfully but safely. A tired horse or rider can mean obstacles are negotiated poorly, resulting in stumbles or falls. Tired muscles can become strained. If you are riding most days of the week, doing flatwork and jumping your horse will likely be fine for the lowest levels. A new addition for The two fences can be adjusted for height, and the combination can be jumped in both directions.

Bucklebury Equestrian offer 60x20m and 40x20m grass dressage arenas and two all weather arenas for flatwork schooling, dressage test practice or as a venue for a dressage competition. Read more. Bucklebury Equestrian's show jumping paddock has a variety of BSJA jumps from simple cross poles to fillers, water trays and a wall with the course changed regularly.

The Course length is over 1.