# XC course photos



## duckling (26 July 2012)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/galleries/v/london2012/xccourse/?g2_page=1

H&H gallery of the Olympic XC course - looks amazing, cant wait to go now!


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## mle22 (26 July 2012)

It looks fabulous -and tough!


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## Honey08 (26 July 2012)

Really?

I thought it was a really attractive course, very clever fences (although lots of white and pink, looked like a gay pride course!)  but I sat there thinking it didn't look difficult at all, and that it was going to be a dressage competition!  Which is not good for team GB who need it to be a tough XC to keep the advantage.  Some of the alternatives looked like intermediate fences.


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## Bigginge (26 July 2012)

The course looks great, very aesthetic especially bathed in all that sunshine, but didn't think it looked especially tough, unless there are some 'traps' we can't tell from the photos with the lay of the ground etc...Team GB have made great improvements in their dressage in recent times, fingers crossed it pays off for them, go Team GB!


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## mle22 (26 July 2012)

I think it looks tough enough - and I'm not supporting Team GB I'm afraid - I'll be cheering for the Irish!


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## chestnut cob (26 July 2012)

Am I missing something really obvious or not grasping the scale of the jumps?!  I'm sure the course at Weston Park looked bigger and more testing when I walked around that...

What level is the Olympics supposed to be equivalent to, 3*?


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## natalia (26 July 2012)

Course looks fairly boring and not overly testing. There dosent seem to be any big drops or anything particularly scary looking with more little technical skinny doubles thrown in. It's not a patch on badminton!


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## teapot (26 July 2012)

The number of skinnies post drop not to mention combinations on undulating ground especially in the second half will be testing, especially if it stays this warm too. And having seen the course map, I don't think there are many let ups either in terms of galloping stretches. The time will be incredibly tight too, especially as the course involves dodging some trees. 

Think the photos are deceiving height wise too.

Actually looking at it again:

Fence 3 - angled combination

Fence 5 - a twisty 3 part combination

Fence 6 - corner fence but I'll be interested to see what reaction takes place to the planet shape

Fence 7 - unless you have stood on that point of Greenwich Park, you won't understand just how steep the landing is!

Fence 11 - sunken road combination at some severe angle to make part b

Fence 14 - another combination on a tight turn and undulating ground to a very skinny part b 

Fence 16 - arena fence could be interesting purely from an atmosphere prospective

Fence 18b - step out of water with very very open escape routes on both sides 

Fence 20 a - the drop, again very steep on landing and to a tight skinny at 20b

Fence 22 a & b - another combination requiring a definite straight line 

Fence 24 - another tight corner

Fence 26 - decorations could distract, tight approach to jump the left hand side and easy run out option, especially on a tired horse

Fence 27 a&b - yet another angled combination as the second to last on the course. Again, fitness and time coming into play. Believe Beijing had a similar fence at the same point 



I think Sue Benson's been very clever as the long routes are really long and the direct routes will require some fantastic riding. Unless you've walked around Greenwich park you really don't get an idea of how undulating it is and steep in parts. That course, with a tight time & warm weather is going to make Monday VERY interesting to watch


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## Honey08 (26 July 2012)

I agree  there are undulations and skinnies, but nothing compared to what you would meet at Burghley or any other 4*, and a lot of the horses will be experienced at all those things.   There wasn't anything I looked at and went "Wow!  Thats scarey!" and we only see pics of Badders etc too beforehand..  

Hope you're right, I hope it is a scarey course!  It did look quite spooky, with a lot of SJ type things.


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## teapot (26 July 2012)

But it won't be as **** off big as Badminton or Burghley - they're not allowed because of having to allow lesser nations to get round. It's more technical in other ways. 

And to show how some pics can be deceiving, this is how big the first fence actually is:








A couple more are on the Australian International Event fb page


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## Supertrooper (26 July 2012)

I think Olympic courses are equivalant to 3*

I think it's a lovely looking course and beautifully made from the pictures. Some of the fences are stunning to look at, especially the saturn and moon one. Oh and the horses at the last fence 

Don't think you can see how tough it's going to be as you can't see angles or undulations from pics xx


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## Deborahm (26 July 2012)

It's a totaly different type of test from Badminton/Burghley. Not such bold fences but very spooky and twisty. I'm not sure if the horses will find it very flowing, and the stops will arise from that.


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## Honey08 (26 July 2012)

They are allowed to have fences as big, its meant to be a 4* track sin't it?  Its the alternatives that have to be 3* for more novice nations..

And while that brush looks big with them standing next to it, the actual wooden bit is only up to their waists really...  The rest can be brushed through..

It could be my memory, but I remember the first pics of Hong Kong and there looked some massive fences..

I agree that you can't really judge from pics - it will be interesting to hear what the riders think...

Anyway its only my own opinion, and doesn't matter at all!  I just wanted to see some big scarey rider frighteners that our wonderful, experienced lot would just eat up!


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## Honey08 (26 July 2012)

Actually, I think I read somewhere that Burghley are actually going to use some of the Olympic fences on their course afterwards, so perhaps they must be bigger than I think!!


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## Orangehorse (26 July 2012)

If you haven't been to Greenwich you have no idea of how hilly it is - they will be going up and down like a switchback.

Don't all courses look easy unless you are riding them?  I was concerned about some of the skinnys being in shadow, very dicy.  Have to walk the course at the same time of day as your time to see what the shadows are doing.


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## oldvic (27 July 2012)

It is meant to be a 4* track. The fences are not that demanding although the terrain is and careful walking of the course is essential to feel how it might effect the horses and where they may need recovery time even though this may be expensive on time. They are going to need to ride down the hills pretty fast and hope it won't be slippery as some turns will need to be ridden faster than ideal. It will be a real stamina and fitness test even if not a jumping test which at face value is barely 3*. While some of the lesser combinations will be grateful that there are no really big fences, some of the top riders may have to work to keep their horse's concentration and respect for the fences.


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