The “fake rocks” were covering drainage holes. So they certainly were needed.
I figured out the last Olympics (Athens) that the XC fences weren’t going to be the same as a 4*…BUT, the rides on this course were so nice to watch in that I stopped worrying about something going wrong for the horses, and then for the riders…XC was fun again for THIS spectator!
I did think that the time was extremely tight - could’ve caused problems for the horses if the riders were worried about medals rather than their horses. Didn’t happen - lovely.
Maybe, just maybe, the FEI levels can learn something from the Olympics that soooo many of these riders, their sponsors, their countries - their EVERYBODIES spent so much time, effort, and money in getting to these Olympics…can’t we have horse safe courses ALL the time and be proud of riding 'round XC on them? Thanks to Mike E-S for making this happen! 
GO LUCINDA!!!
Watching the XC right now, and it has been a blast to watch. I caught the Youtube video of the course before they made it private (:P), and the fences were lovely. I liked the relative simplicity of the course, but it still looked plenty challenging. It is nice seeing the XC has had a definite effect on the standings! Dressage is all well and good, but XC should have this sort of influence, otherwise eventing would be a combined test!
This Hong Kong venue rocks!
I thought this was a perfect course. I was speculating with a friend just now that if we could have more courses like this - some good technical questions and a tight time that the riders knew wasn’t doable, so they just rode their best ride and took the time penalties - then would we see fewer horrific falls, fewer comas, fewer deaths of horses?..
Of course I know this was an Olympic course, not a true ****, and was a shortened track due to the heat/humidity concerns, but I really like the idea of a course that makes a difference in the standings while still being fair to the horse.
Also, I am very glad that these Olympic riders got to live out MY dream of galloping madly over a well-manicured golf course! 
I thought the course looked pretty safe, too, and , as was said, riders knew they couldn’t make the time, so didn’t try to do the impossible. The few falls I saw - and there were just a few, thank goodness, didn’t appear that spectacular- not that you want to see ANY falls, but everyone ( horses and riders)did walk away. I was really surprised when I turned to the Oxygen channel a bit after 6pm( ET) to actually see the Cross Country. I expected the gymnastics to take the majority of time, and be shown first, leaving the last bit for the jumping.
Next online on the 12th will be more eventing from 7:15am- to 12pm(et)
the 6pm to 8pm jumping on oxygen
dressage online Weds from 7:15 am-12pm ( Taking the laptop to work!!!)
I’m enjoying the coverage
The course was lovely. It rewarded bold, accurate riding, but didn’t punish and frighten if you got it wrong. Worse case scenario was a glance off, really. Perfect. It was fun to watch (so pretty! I know people have bitched about making the courses spectator appealing, but it was such a pleasure to see such a beautiful course), and it looked like it might have been a blast to ride. Challenging enough to keep the real 4 star combos thinking and working, but soft enough to let the less experienced pairs have a safe go, for the most part.
And, IMO, any time Mary King comes off a course with tears of joy, you know it had to be awesome. :yes:
It really is brilliant if you think about it, making the time next to impossible to get. It prevents riders from barreling around the course to make the time, as they know they won’t, while still rewarding those with the faster times. Not to mention it makes spectating a little more interesting, seeing who can make it the closest!
[QUOTE=yellowbritches;3434314]
And, IMO, any time Mary King comes off a course with tears of joy, you know it had to be awesome. :yes:[/QUOTE]
GREAT sentence. I rewound just to watch her cross the finish line like 5 times today, you can’t help but smiling when you see that. It reminds me of the look you see on rider’s faces after they cross the finish line at their very first recognized event, so great to see that unadulterated enjoyment is still there, even for those at the top of the sport!
me too! Plus, YB gave her opinion in much the way I thought, just didn’t have the experience nor the words to detail things well - THANKS, YB! (and again, Mike E-S)
GO LUCINDA!!!
Isn’t that just the best?
My golfer husband was cringing the whole time we watched, and not because he was worried about a fall. :lol:
H/J rider here! I LOVED watching this course, it rode beautifully and for the first time ever, I never felt like I was watching any complety scary obsticles! And, to get to gallop on a golf course…my dream come true! :lol: And, yay for Bold TV in Canada (was Country Canada) who are showing 100% of the equestrian…I cannot take my eyes off the tv & it’s driving my husband nuts. And, with having a broken ankle, absolutely perfect timing…horses about 12 hours a day!
