Go Cross Country Style!

So cross country is not a discipline I am majorly interested in, but I think it's really stellar. Cross country is a type of horse riding where you are out in the open and you jump over jumps (very ironic). To do this you need a horse that's a good jumper and non-spookish (meaning that he isn't easily scared). You would also need a certified riding helmet, paddock boots and chaps or tall boots (depending on where your riding at), a safety vest (not always required), and pants. All of these things are for safety reasons!

This discipline requires a focused, brave rider who is not fearful. It is also important to be experienced in horse riding before you attempt cross country jumping. There are different types of jumps and obstacles used in the course.

Regular wall jump

Log Jump

Water Jump (Any jump going in or out of water)

And there are also step jumps. Those are jumps where the horse jumps up onto something, and then jumps down on the other side, but the other side is much lower down. There are also other jumps in cross country, but those are the simple and common ones. The jumps are different heights depending on your skill level, but can be more than 9 feet in the Rolex, Olympics, WEG (World Equestrian Games), and other major events.
So how do you win? To win cross country, you must get "a good time". The jumping round is based on speed. So you have to get through the jumps as fast as you can.