A jump ahead. with Jen Hamilton. Part 6 -Developing your options on-course. In this series: Artwork by Cristina Wilkins

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1 A jump ahead with Jen Hamilton Part 6 -Developing your options on-course In this series: Part 1: Position rein aids. Part 2: Turns stride control exercises. Part 3: Stride control improving rideability over jumps. Part 4: Improving your horse s technique (gymnastics). Part 4: Improving specific problems. Part 5: Problem solving strategic training. Did you miss out? You can read online at or purchase back copies of the magazines by calling (07) Artwork by Cristina Wilkins Canadian NCCP Level 4 Showjumping Coach Jen Hamilton is a passionate dedicated coach who travels the world imparting clinics to riders of all ages abilities - from pony club to FEI level. With a committment level of energy that is difficult to equal, Jen makes her lessons work for every horse rider - to create positive outcomes - through strategic purposeful exercises. During a recent visit to Queensl, Horses People arranged exclusive sessions for Sales Manager Karen Lyon, who kindly volunteered herself her young Warmblood stallion, Kinder Surprise, to illustrate bring you Jen s unique effective coaching style in a series that is set to challenge your discipline desire to learn. Last month, Jen presented some real case examples of improving horses with correct strategic training exercises. This month is all about developing the options that make you your horse winners. Page 70 HORSES PEOPLE Phone: admin@horsespeople.com.au

2 JUMPING SERIES The course walk presents the options available. Training makes the The options rider s rideable. leg gets the horse to the jump. The rider s h - What softening makes you - allows a winner? the Whenever horse I do to clinics jump. with competition show jumpers or event riders, I always ask: Are you any good as a rider? The usual response is a bit wishy washy. I personally think a great answer is: Yes, working to get better! Then I ask a second question: What makes you your horse winners? Improving the jump The usual answer I receive from riders is all Once about the what horse they can can t jump do individual - what they re jumps, not very gymnastics good at. I increases find it interesting the horse s that education. riders know their weaknesses so well, they want to tell me all Gymnastic about them. exercises I always (also respond known there as grids is no or point in gridwork) telling me are what an essential their weaknesses part of the are rider s because they horse s already education. advertise them! By Most definition, riders a (apart gymnastic from professional exercise is a riders), series really of only poles think /or jumps worry in about a row. their The weaknesses type - not the their height strengths. of the jumps, How can as well you as win the if you distances don t between know your the jumps, your vary horse s according combined to the strengths? skill being taught or refreshed. You win because of your combined strengths - not New because skills can of your be taught weaknesses! more easily because of continued repetition of the same exercise. Training is about setting exercises to turn a weakness into a strength based on the principles of The balance, ideal bascule rhythm straightness. The At horse s a competition, shape (how the he course uses designer his body) sets over the the track jump is type the direct of jumps result to ask of three horse-rider things: combinations specific questions - e.g., how to ride a line, where to The turn, type etc. of jump (vertical, oxer, triple bar, etc.), the The ride strategy to the jump of the (correct ride is based balance, on the rhythm, course straightness), walk., the The rider s course position. walk presents the options available. The highest point of the horse s arc should be over the highest Training point makes of the the jump. options rideable. In Previous theory, the articles, horse s in body this should series, have form dealt a perfect with half rider circle position, over the rein jump aids, (which using is the termed short side of the bascule ). arena Unfortunately, riding the track. however, Hopefully, not all these horses skills know have the been theory, practiced nor do correctly they conform are to starting our ideal. to Fortunately, be internalized with planned into good habits. progressive training on the flat over jumps, we can improve develop These their skills jumping are the foundation technique. of all aspects of riding. HORSES PEOPLE Page 71

3 Developing options When we talk about course options, we mean where the rider can take a risk to make time against the clock. In the jump-off, if there is an equality of faults, the rider with the fastest time is the winner. The clock, however, doesn t just record which horse rider combination ran the fastest time between the start flag finish flag - the winner is the horse that takes the fewest number of strides between the start finish flags - thus having a faster time. Rideable options for taking fewer strides on course: Change the track. Slice the jump - jump on an angle. Shorten the turns in away from jumps. Ride a broken line straight. Use the different stride lengths efficiently effectively. Increase the speed. Slicing the jump (jumping on an angle) Slicing the jump is an appropriate option if when the track away is taking the rider in the desired direction. (See illustration on right page). Exercise: When jumping a jump on a slice or angle, remember - the track in gives track away. Use your eyes to establish hold the track. Use your eyes! When slicing a jump, there is a wide angle side a narrow angle side. The possibility of the horse running out on the wide angle side is there. To prevent this, use an open rein on the narrow angle side on the wide angle side, the leg a slight bearing rein will block any side motion or drifting keep the horse straight. Have enough leg to maintain the desired impulsion. Correct position eyes with conviction will get you to the other side. Practice riding the straight track away. Why take the risk of jumping the front side of the jump on an angle if you don t ride the desired track away! Practice the exercise jumping the jump in both directions - left to right over the jump right to left. Any straightness problems on the flat will haunt you when jumping on an angle. Keep working on straightness in all your flat work, improving the way your horse responds to your turning rein aids (open rein bearing rein). Further education: Exercise Practice the same exercise over verticals oxers. Start low gradually make the jumps bigger wider. You will probably find that the higher wider the jump, the less of an angle you can take. Be sensible find out how much of a slice your horse will accept. How much of a slice can you take at the height you will be competing at? Practice the same exercise off different stride lengths at a different pace (speed). Learn how much pace you can have on the slice.you need to know this if you want to be a winner! This exercise is about teaching horse rider to jump angles with confidence. If you ask too much, you ll scare your horse teach your horse to run out or refuse. Page 72 HORSES PEOPLE Phone: admin@horsespeople.com.au

4 JUMPING SERIES Slicing the jump When jumping on an angle, there is a wide angle side a narrow angle side. The chance of the horse running out on the wide angle (in this case running out to the left) is a possibility. Hold the track with a soft bearing rein on the wide angle side, an open rein on the narrow angle side to hold the horse straight. The final conviction - that you want to jump the jump - comes from your eyes... Use them. Narrow angle Wide angle Track in Wide angle Narrow angle Rein aids When jumping a jump on a slice or angle, remember - the track in gives track away. Use your eyes to establish hold the track. Use your eyes. Track away Bearing left rein (close the rein towards the neck) Open right rein Why take the risk of jumping the front side of the jump on an angle if you don t also ride the desired track away? HORSES PEOPLE Page 73

5 Turns in away from jumps I m often asked: Did you see my quick turn into number 3? I usually respond: Too bad you didn t jump the jump. Whenever jumps are sliced or jumped off short turns there is always a risk. The aim of training is to lower the risk factor. Less experienced riders like to take the risk of turning tight into a jump then go wide away from the jump. This is too risky it is not efficient. You can make more time by turning quickly on the ling side of the jump - away from the jump - it is less risky. Exercise: Place a pole in the middle of the arena with cones/markers on each side of the pole. (See Illustration on opposite page) First practice turns on the back side of the jump. Canter into the jump on a perpendicular track turn after the 3rd cone -. Your eyes establish the track. Use an open inside rein to turn with an outside bearing rein outside leg. The open rein won t disturb the forward motion. The bearing rein holds the outside of the horse. Practice turning in both directions using the cones to help with the tracks. Practice option 1 in both directions Practice option 2 in both directions Practice option 3 in both directions Exercise: Practice turning on the front side of the jump cantering away on a straight, perpendicular tract. Practice option 1 in both directions Practice option 2 in both directions Practice option 3 in both directions Exercise: put it together (See illustration on Page 77) Practice the turn in away turning in the same direction- front back Practice turning in opposite directions - in to the jump away from the jump. Practice all the possible options turning in away from the jump, i.e., Come in on option 2 away on option 1, etc. Both the turns in away must be practiced on different canters. How much pace can you have still turn? Exercise 1 - Practice turning in both directions away from the jump Exercise 2a Straight track in Turn right on ling Exercise 2b Straight track in Turn left on ling Page 74 HORSES PEOPLE Phone: admin@horsespeople.com.au

6 Exercise 2 - Practice turning in to the jump from both directions JUMPING SERIES Exercise 1a Turn-in right Straight track away Start with just a ground pole Then build jumps - first a vertical then an oxer. Exercise 1b Turn-in left Straight track away Exercise 3 - Put it all together Practice all the possible options combinations, turning in both directions on the different canters. How much pace can you have still turn with balance? HORSES PEOPLE Page 75

7 Change the track to change the number of strides Set up a vertical an oxer at right angles on a distance of 5 normal strides (72 feet) option A See illustration on next page. Exercise Practice option A, cantering the vertical to the oxer in 5 strides. Practice this line in both directions Practice option B - vertical to oxer. The vertical is jumped on an angle to establish a straight track to the oxer. Canter the line in 5 steady strides. Canter option B in 4 strides. The vertical is still jumped on the angle but off a more open stride. Practice in both directions - vertical to oxer oxer to vertical. Two different but definite tracks are used in this exercise. Practice both options making sure you have the definite track- either the broken line or the straight line. Beware the never never l that exists between riding the line in 5 strides or riding it in 4 strides - this causes confusion strides doesn t work. Be definite accurate with your track your canter stride. Efficient effective use of different stride lengths A well-ridden winning jump-off requires a confident, athletic, supple, rideable horse. The exercises in this article require different canters. The bigger the turn the more pace you can have. Too much pace does not allow tighter turns. A good challenging jump-off has options. One option is to gallop the whole course, if that is your only option, it can be dangerous. The galloping option is worth the risk to an individual jump if you can then control the stride after it or there are no consequences (if it is the last jump on course). Remember: Speed is always the last element put into the jump-off equation - not the first! Progressive skill development - good training - turns a weakness into a strength which open up the options available to horse rider on the course. The course walk presents the options available. Training makes the options rideable. The course strategy is based on the horse/rider strengths. Pace, tracks to away from jumps, strides between jumps, corners to be cut, angles to be jumped are based on horse rider skill level. You win because of your strengths - Know your strengths when to use them. Use your strengths to take fewer strides between the start finish flags, be a winner! The benchmark is always calm, forward straight. Page 76 HORSES PEOPLE Phone: admin@horsespeople.com.au

8 Exercise: Changing the track Set up a vertical an oxer at right angles on a distance of 5 normal strides (72 feet). Ride the broken line in 5 strides in both directions (Option A). Ride the straight line in 5 steady strides in both directions (Option B). Option A Broken line Option B Straight Ride the straight line in 4 strides. The vertical is jumped on the angle but off a more open stride. Remember, the track in is the same as the track away. HORSES PEOPLE Page 77