Links: Live Scores, Ride Times
Hey Eventing Nation! I get the privilege of going through the CIC 3-star course with you tonight as I hammer it into my memory. The grounds here at Richland Park are absolutely lovely, with excellent watering systems on the entire course so the footing is spectacular.
The course starts out slightly downhill to #1 and #2 and doesn’t waste any time getting to a big-enough height and width for early on the course. #3 is a log on top of a steep hill and a quick gallop to the first of many ditch and walls at #4.
The first water is right handed to a brush drop in, six strides to 5b an open roll top.
#6 is another ditch and wall but this one is skinny and hanging (kind of like the one at Burghley into the Troutery but obviously not as terrifying 🙂
It’s downhill to a nice big left handed brush corner at #7, a table and then a bit of a gallop to the 2nd water: bounce rails at the edge of water, 5 forward strides to the famous Richland Frog, and a slightly bending 4 strides to an angled brush out. 
A galloping fence comes before the sunken road at 12abcd: a bounce rail down, one stride, up and one stride out over a skinny all in the woods so it’s shady. Next is a gallop downhill & dodging trees to a table and then you guessed it, another ditch and wall at #14–this one is quite skinny.
Then it’s a long gallop and a table along the way to the hardest part of the course, the coffin #16. A tall rail in with a pretty severe downhill slope on the back side, tight one stride, ditch, up hill one stride to a big skinny brush out. 
A few more galloping jumps and then a large and wide table at #20a, forward 5 strides to a left handed corner #20b and forward 6 strides bending left to a right handed corner #21. A trakener and 3 more galloping table/roll tops round out the course. Overall, it’s very inviting (unless your horse is ditchy) and encourages forward riding (especially if your horse is ditchy). Apparently the AEC’s advanced course is very similar so it will be good practice for everyone going there.
Thanks for reading & come on out if you’re close by! There will be great horses and riders to watch on Saturday!! -HSB
