The ability to successfully turn over a fence without compromising your horse’s jump is crucial. In this lesson, I go through my methods of establishing a horse that responds to the opening rein aids and how to improve your connection for successful turns in the air that lead the horse and do not interfere with the horse’s jump. Watch the lesson and incorporate these exercises into your flatwork and schooling to master the art of turning over fences with timing and technique. Link to lesson: 🔗 https://equestriancoach.com/courses/turning-over-fences-timing-technique/
The following lateral exercises one may find useful to incorporate into their schooling program for their hunter or jumper. Their purpose for the jumping sport in general is to improve lateral agility and responsiveness to the lateral aids. Prior to teaching these exercises, the horse should be proficient at turning on the forehand, turning on the haunch, and my two staple exercises—leg yield and shoulder-fore. Striving for perfection or complete precision as required in the dressage sport is not necessary for the hunter or jumper. These exercises are described and performed in detail in my “Controls of the Horse, Part Two: Leg Aids” lesson, and are only briefly touched upon here.
Learn more:
Mastering Flatwork Over Fences (Advanced)
https://equestriancoach.com/courses/fundamentals-flatwork-advanced/
Controls of the Horse (Part 2)
https://equestriancoach.com/courses/controls-horse-part-two-leg-aids/
Time and time again, I come across riders in my clinics that are having trouble with their distances because they are taught to look up or ahead too early, having a wide-angle view and simply losing focus on the actual object you are trying to find a distance to—the fence.
It seems these riders have been taught to “look at the trees,” in theory, because looking down promotes slouching. But, quite frankly, if you teach proper position, looking at the top rail does not encourage slouching.
After decades of teaching riders of all levels, I have found that the system explained in this video has proven to be the most successful. Anything taken to excess could become a problem. And, it seems to be that the notion of looking ahead with correct timing has been taken to the extreme where I see riders being taught to not even look at the fence at all. If you’re having problems with your distance, perhaps you might consider you are maybe looking a little too high and too early.
Keep your eye on the center of the top rail of the jump, or the center of the front rail of an oxer, and maintain that focus until take-off or slightly before (maybe even a few strides before if you are comfortable and secure with the distance).
If you’d like to learn more about my system, you can watch my lesson “Looking for the Distance” linked here: https://equestriancoach.com/courses/looking-distance/
A common issue I encounter in clinics every week: A lack of “following arms” in the walk, and especially the canter, gallop and jump. This has to be a major focus of one’s riding. Your arms should elastically follow the natural gestures of the neck and head during the walk, canter and gallop.
Two clinic dates remain open until March: January 10-12 and January 17-19. To book a clinic, visit equestriancoach.com.
Tactful, sensitive hands that are used with feeling can be developed using the exercises I demonstrate in my lesson linked in bio. 🔗
“Michael never seems to hurry, but he is deceptively fast against the clock.” A beautiful example of classical riding from one of the greatest: Michael Matz. Watch this incredible look back on Showjumping History from the 1982 American Invitational.
https://youtu.be/lZ-QMLF0Zfw?si=Uf51X20SPTWoQS6F
“You have to be willing to make mistakes. Try things out. Try a different rhythm if it’s not working. Keep cantering to the jump as though you know that you’re right, not worrying about whether you’re right way far back.”
Today’s tip on finding the distance with John French. Learn John’s favorite exercises that will not only develop your eye, but the confidence to find the distance to every jump. Watch Winning Eye Exercises https://equestriancoach.com/courses/winning-eye-exercises/
Tuesday training tidbit: stop focusing on trying to find the perfect distance and start focusing on finding the perfect rhythm and balance.
Maintaining good rhythm and balance can help dramatically to improve your ride by allowing the jumps to come to you instead of unknowingly changing your rhythm in search of “the perfect distance.” Trust that your horse can jump well from many distances as long as you keep this in mind.
Learn to ride your rhythm with Mandy Porter:
https://equestriancoach.com/courses/riding-your-rhythm/
Longe line exercises for seat improvement and position correction with Bertalan de Némethy.
EquestrianCoach is privileged to present the teaching and training methods of Bertalan de Némethy. During his 25 year post as coach, the legendary equestrian led the United States Equestrian Team to international acclaim in 6 Olympics, 5 Pan American Games, 4 World Championships, and countless international competitions. We start this series with a longe line session designed to establish, maintain and refresh the rider’s proper position in general and to develop a solid seat in particular. He even used these techniques on his team riders right up to and during the Olympic Games. Exercises on the longe line, with a calm, willing horse, allow concentration to be placed on building the rider’s strength and correcting weaknesses.
Watch the lesson: https://equestriancoach.com/courses/longe-line-exercises-seat-improvement-position-correction/
Chanel Shaffer riding "Highball" in the 3' group
📢💭Train the horse in the mildest bit possible for that horse. Another reason why I love the jointed rubber-d snaffle as my “basement bit” to get a baseline on a horse. Check out my latest post to go over my bag of bits, or you can click the link below for more education on bits and bitting. #bits
https://equestriancoach.com/courses/bits-and-bitting/
For me, educating riders the techniques to control the horse and proper schooling exercises for the horse precedes any thoughts of gadget bits.
There are so many bits on the market to choose from, and I realize we all come to have our favorites. In my lesson that features my popular “big bag of bits,” I go through and detail the collection of bits I have had great success with; in addition, success with many, many horses I’ve worked with across the country.
This week’s Tuesday Training Tidbit features one of my favorite bits: the Jointed Rubber-D Ring Snaffle. I call this the “basement bit” as it is my go-to bit to find a baseline on a horse. Always start with a classically mild bit and find a baseline before jumping into a strong bit. Experimentation is key, and, time and time again, I have found that less is more.
Here are the bits that I carry with me everywhere—watch the lesson: https://equestriancoach.com/courses/bernies-big-bag-bits/
“The pinnacle that we are reaching for is to be able to jump a horse beautifully out of hand. You can call it the automatic release, or the following hand; to me the most important thing about both of those terms is that it allows for the descent of the horse’s head and neck. The following hand in no way restricts the horse’s movement or restricts the use of his head, neck, or his back over the top of the jump.” - Karen Healey
In this week’s Tuesday Training Tidbit, Karen Healey shows us a common fault a rider may make when incorrectly using the following hand/automatic release, and explains why this is detrimental to the horse’s jump.
Learn all types of releases in this invaluable lesson with Karen Healey. Watch the full lesson, “The Progression of Releases” —
https://equestriancoach.com/courses/progression-releases/
