When competing in a cross country event, the ability to walk the course beforehand is of great benefit. This allows the rider to consider the angle at which they will approach a fence, how quickly their mount will need to be moving throughout the course and any potential points or jumps that they may anticipate having trouble.
It can be quite time consuming to make use of a metre marker to determine striding and take off, as well as determine at what stage in the course the rider should be at based on the time limit provided. This cross country application for iPhone has been created with the view to riders being able to ‘forget that cumbersome measuring wheel!’ The application allows riders to:
- Utilise a GPS system and create a cross country map
- Add photos and videos
- Calculate minute markers
Mapping out the Course Electronically
Having access to such an application on the individual’s iPhone means that they can easily refresh their memory on the course they are required to complete. Approach and striding can be considered as well as the horse’s potential reaction to each jump, as it is possible to put in photos of each jump around the course.
The minute markers that are numbered around the course help the rider to determine at which point they should be approaching a certain jump. This helps take out the guesswork as to whether they are:
- riding within the set time limit
- need to push their horse on or
- are able to back off a bit and finish the course at a comfortable canter
The application comes in at under $20 for iPhone in comparison with the metre marker which will cost the rider around $70. Courses can easily be added to the application once the GPS identifies the user position. Getting started information is provided on the website, as well as how to add jumps and compulsory flags, with the application predicting the number of each jump.
Waypoints and Minute Markers
It is possible to place a waypoint anywhere on the course and the application will determine at what timeframe the horse and rider should reach this point. Upon completion of mapping out the course, this CrossCountry application determines where each Minute Marker should be, indicating where the rider should be at one minute into the course, at two minutes and so on.
When walking the course, Minute Markers are provided based on the level of the track. For example, for a pre-novice track, they are placed at 500 metre intervals. So for a course that is recognised as 3000 metres, with the rider moving at 500 metres per minute, the optimum time will be 6 minutes to complete the course. Once the whole course has been measured, if there is an amendment to the length of the course, the minute markers will be adjusted accordingly.
In a day and age where technology is providing more efficient and effective ways to carry out tasks, this CrossCountry application may be of particular benefit to eventers. An application that maps out the course, provides Minute Markers and the option to put in photos of jumps and work out striding can be of great benefit.
Source
- CrossCountry App for iPhone, accessed 28/9/2011
Chris Thomas - C. Thomas has studied and worked with horses since 2001. She teaches horse studies part time and is undertaking an Equine Science ...
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