When galloping and jumping up and down hills, William stresses the riders controlling their own shoulders and keeping them up and back to help with their balance and their horse's balance. In addition, he wants them to keep the horses's shoulders straight so they stay straight.

William puts together a small course featuring the water complex and wants the horses to keep a relaxed rhythm from beginning to end. He stresses shortening the canter through the water so the horses don't get too long and flat.

William works with a group of riders on young horses. He likes starting the warm-up with low jumps so neither the horses nor the riders worry much. It is easy enough to make the jumps bigger later.

William coaches riders over ditches first and then ditches with fences before and after the ditch. If the horse spooks and stops at a ditch, William wants him to jump it from a standstill. He reminds riders that they don't need to be nervous, but they do need to stay alert on young horses.

William has them jump up and down a bank. He tells riders to imagine it is level ground with jumps and not think of it as jumping up and down. He wants everyone to stay relaxed. He wants the canter to be collected so that even if they get deep they are still able to jump up or down the bank.

When galloping and jumping up and down hills, William stresses the riders controlling their own shoulders. He wants to make sure the horses stay cantering, and they do not come back to trot to change leads. He says that they must learn how to change leads themselves, especially on the cross count...

William has riders canter through the water with jumps at beginning and end. He stresses shortening the canter through the water so the horses don't get too long. He then has them take a small jump up and down into the water, through it and out over a jump.

The riders take their horses through the water complex. Most horses handle it in a relaxed manner. William puts together a small course featuring the water and wants the horses to keep a steady rhythm from beginning to end.

John Michael explains the hows and whys of marking cross country jumps for safety. Course designers want the horses to be able to clearly see the top of the fence as well as where a jump begins and ends. He also explains some safety features of the jumps.

John Michael answers common questions about why cross country fences appear to be different heights and how the same jump can be used in different divisions. He explains how course designers measure cross country jumps and shows how placement of the jump on the ground (uphill vs. downhill) can ch...

John Michael discusses how horses see color and what colors they can see easily. As a result, cross country course designers pick colors of their fences for the best contrast and clarity for the horses. For safety reasons, they want the horses to be able to easily see them, especially the tops of...

John Michael demonstrates a safe way to gallop at speed through trees. He emphasizes staying balanced over the horse so as to not throw the horse off balance. He also shows what can happen to the horse when the rider makes abrupt changes in position.

John Michael talks about the importance of being able to go from a forward gallop to a balanced canter before a jump without disturbing the horse's rhythm. It is important to conserve energy and be as fast as possible. Then Colleen demonstrates galloping up a hill, prepare for, and then jump the ...

John Michael explains and Colleen Rutledge demonstrates the idea of jumping downhill. He stresses the importance of staying out of the horse's way upon landing and focusing on the next fence (if there is one) or traveling across the ground.

John Michael shares details on how to jump uphill for a Novice level horse/rider. He stresses that the most important thing is for the rider to sit up and balance the canter going uphill. Keep the eyes up and allow the horse to find his way to the jump.

John Michael explains his thoughts behind how a keyhole jump is set from a course designer's perspective, and he explains how to ride it. Then Colleen demonstrates how she would ride it.

John Michael explains and Colleen Rutledge demonstrates how to properly ride a corner jump seen at the more advanced levels. He points out the markers that are used to identify the front, back and corners of the jump so the horse can see what he needs to clear when galloping at speed.

John Michael talks about the decision a rider has to make when there is an object such as a bush in the middle of a line. He stresses that there is no wrong answer and explains the pros and cons of each while Colleen demonstrates them.

John Michael talks about getting into and out of water. Especially for beginner novice and novice level riders, he encourages thinking of the edge of the water as a jump. It is important to protect the balance of the canter going in and out because the water will change the horse's rhythm.

John Michael explains how to introduce jumping a fence in water with a horse and rider that have never done that before.  He stresses to ride the edge of the water like a jump, make sure the horse sees the fence in the water, and then ride the edge of the water coming out like a jump. Since how t...

John Michael talks about factors to consider when riding and jumping through water on cross country. Colleen demonstrates how to school the water with a focus on the edge of the water, a jump in the water and the edge of the water on the way out.

Join Phillip Dutton and these fantastic riders as they head out for their first cross-country school in the spring. Watch for how their horses become more relaxed and adjustable as the schooling progresses.

Phillip coaches an early spring cross-country schooling session with two upper-level riders. They have already warmed up on their own, and he begins with having them jump a few galloping fences. With the first rider he explains how to get the horse to pat the ground in front of the fence and push...

Phillip moves on to creating exercises that require the riders to shorten their horses' strides and be adjustable. They school banks and water and concentrate on not just being strong to the fences.