WELCOME back to The Coach’s Eye, my series of training tips designed to help improve performance.
This time, I’m going to address a problem that is quite common among horses jumping at all levels. Just in time for Dublin Horse Show week, I’ll give you a simple training exercise that I find particularly effective in slowing horses down on the approach to a fence.
Horses that rush their jumps are often doing so because of a lack of balance and/or clear instructions from the rider. Continually jumping without addressing these issues can lead to your horse taking matters into their own hands and rushing the fence is a common outcome.
How do we change this habit?
Firstly, let’s deal with balance in the canter. This is where good flatwork comes in. If we look at the classical German Scale of Training, we can see a clear pathway towards balance. This is not a quick fix, but it should become part of your regular schooling routine.
Starting by establishing rhythm and relaxation, and then working through suppling exercises and acceptance of the aids, we reach a stage where we can develop impulsion and improve straightness. We do this through transitions, lengthening and shortening the stride, and lateral movements such as leg-yield, shoulder-in and counter-shoulder-in. This is where the horse’s balance and self-carriage begin to develop.
The other important aspect is the rider’s ability to give clear instructions throughout the entire jumping process. While we rightly talk a great deal about the importance of the quality of the canter and the line on the approach to a fence, we must remember that there are five phases of the jump to work on.
The approach
Aim for an active canter with a consistent stride length and straightness through the horse’s body.
Make a decision about whether to take the first distance or wait for the next stride.
Avoid getting ahead of the horse with your body or making sudden shifts in your position, as these will affect both the horse’s balance and concentration. Release the contact sufficiently to allow the horse to stretch.
Maintain a position in which the rider’s centre of gravity follows the horse’s centre of gravity.
Focus on the landing point. Do not collapse through your body onto the horse’s neck or fall backwards onto the horse’s back as they land. The rider must be in a position to control the next few strides.
Have a clear plan, and the ability to influence the line, pace and balance of the canter on the ride away.
What I have found, time and again, is that horses are much less inclined to rush on the approach if they know they are going to be asked a question on landing. If our aim is to re-balance the canter away from the fence, and we are consistent in asking for this, the emphasis begins to shift.
How do we re-balance?
The half-halt is generally accepted as the best way to re-establish a balanced canter. Repeating a downward transition to halt on the ride away is a very useful stepping-stone towards getting your horse to listen and respond to the half-halt. This is where our exercise can be particularly helpful.
Where you begin will depend on several factors. If the horse is becoming unmanageable in canter towards a fence, I will start the exercise in trot.
I set up a trot pole 2.7m before a small vertical, with a 3m landing pole after the fence and straightening poles on the ride away. At least 22m away, or farther if space allows, I build a box using three poles, as shown in the diagram.
An experienced helper
The idea is that the horse trots in, lands in canter and then makes a downward transition to halt inside the box. Allow the horse to stand for a moment and relax before either turning back out of the box or asking them to rein back. Never allow the horse to leave by stepping over the pole directly in front of them. An experienced helper can stand beyond that pole for the first couple of attempts, provided it is safe to do so.
Repeat the exercise as often as necessary until you feel the horse beginning to listen for the downward transition. Use a strong upper-body position, coupled with a supporting leg and rein aids. Eventually, remove the pole in front of you, apply your half-halt and ride forward through the box.
The next stage is to move up to canter and ride the same exercise. A canter pole approximately 12.75m from the fence can initially be ridden as four quiet strides to the jump, followed by the transition inside the box. You can then ride it on three strides, our normal jumping canter, and ask for the transition from this higher tempo.
An oxer can also be introduced to increase the difficulty. Don’t forget to remeasure and reposition your 3m landing pole accordingly.
Repetition of this exercise on a regular basis is key. Each time you ask your horse to wait on the landing and listen on the ride away, you reinforce the idea that there is no need to rush.
The rider’s position over the fence should also become stronger, as the rider grows more aware of the need to be balanced on landing and ready to ask for the transition.
You can watch a video on the exercise on The Irish Field socials and, if you’re trying it out, please make sure you always have an experienced helper with you when jumping.
If you’re jumping at Dublin next week, best of luck!