Your favourite XC schooling venues

[HHO admin]

H&H wants to know your top venues for cross-country schooling for our new microsite, produced in association with Subaru.

Is there a place that you think is perfect for young horses starting their cross-country career? And where do you take an older horse at a start of the season for a refresher?

Is there somewhere that's particularly useful for training water/ditches? And can you recommend somewhere to take children for a 'safe' taster of solid fences?

Please add your top venues to this thread, and include what you particularly like about them. We are looking for courses all over Britain and Ireland. The most popular courses will be featured on our new microsite at

www.horseandhound.co.uk/crosscountrycourses/

HHO Admin

[2156Waters]

Hilltop XC Course - Ledbury
Such a fantastic choice of fences , suitable for everyone !!

[ernikins]

Lodge Farm at Matfield!!! Always lovely ground, well maintained fences - great selection from baby to bigger!!!!

[cr81327]

Eland Lodge - don't live near there anymore so might have changed a bit but it was very very good. Had a good variety of fences and a good range in height. Had a very good water complex with a slope down, different size steps in different amount of steps in and a jump or slope out. There was normally pretty good going as well.

Rosehill (Berks, i think) - A bit of everything but mostly smaller fences. Very good for taking young horses to.

Snowball Farm - Good fences but better to go when they have their course set up for schooling the day after a comp because alot of the fences aren't permenant (sp). However they are very good for somewhere to take children for a 'safe' taster of solid fences because they start small, and most of their smaller fences are quite inviting.

Pachesham(sp) - Good course, good variety, good ground, good height range. Water could be better I think.

Tweseldown - Good everything but not many very small fences (could be a good or bad thing depending on what you want).

[crackersluvrat]

Hoods at Grange-de-Lings, its fantastic!

[CastleMouse]

Annaharvey Farm in Tullamore, Co. Offaly - They have an excellent course with fences up to CNC*** height. There are about 130 fences spread over about 200 acres, with an excellent variety of fences to suit both young and experienced horses.

Flowerhill Equestrian Centre in Killimor, Co. Galway - They also have an excellent course with roughly 190 fences up to CNC* height.

[Jodies9154]

Hoplands (Hampshire) big variety of rustic fences. A lot of variety in the water complex. Showjumps there to use also as well as gallops.

Boomerang (Berkshire) Lots of jumps to school over, very bright jumps which are moved around from time to time to change to options. Many complexes and skinnys to train over.

[kirstyhen]

Aylesford (UK Chasers 20) - Massive choice of fences, at least three options at each fence, fantastic water complex, steps, drops, sunken roads, skinnies etc etc!
Also lovely school with show jumps available.

Only downside is its a bit spread out, but lots of hills and long enough to go round purely to hack!

Newton and Field Farm at Wymeswold are all good too, lots of options and good waters, also better venues for having trainer with you.

[SilverSkye]

Anither vote for Aylesford is a fantastic course with a huge selection that suits all from little people on ponies to eventers. The water complex is massive with lots of options and i have and would happily take a young horse learning or an experienced horse as a warm up before an event.

[kerilli]

Grange de Lings, everything from teeny-tiny to testing enough for an experienced horse and rider. Full set of showjumps too, with water tray etc.
Eland Lodge - have only been there for event, not to school, but a lovely venue with 3 different waters, steep hill, lots of variety, beautifully built fences.