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A jump aheadwith Jen Hamilton

Part 4 - Improving your horse’s technique

Canadian NCCP Level 4 Showjumping Coach Jen Hamilton is a passionate and dedicated coach who travels the world imparting clinics to riders of all ages and abilities - from pony club to FEI level.

With a committment and level of energy that is difficult to equal, Jen makes her lessons work for every horse and rider - to create positive outcomes - through strategic and purposeful exercises.

During a recent visit to Queensland, Horses and People arranged exclusive sessions for Sales Manager Karen Lyon, who kindly volunteered herself and her young Warmblood stallion, Kinder Surprise, to illustrate and bring you Jen’s unique and effective coaching style in a series that is set to challenge your discipline and desire to learn.

Until last month, Jen focussed on getting to the jumps, and, in this Part Four, she begins to work on improving your horse’s jumping technique.

“The rider’s leg gets the horse to the jump. The rider’s hand - softening - allows the horse to jump.

andJUMPING SERIES

Photos by Sophie BarringtonArtwork by Cristina Wilkins

Improving the jumpOnce the horse can jump individual jumps, gymnastics increases the horse’s education.

Gymnastic exercises (also known as grids or gridwork) are an essential part of the rider’s and horse’s education.

By definition, a gymnastic exercise is a series of poles and/or jumps in a row. The type and the height of the jumps, as well as the distances between the jumps, vary according to the skill being taught or refreshed.

New skills can be taught more easily because of continued repetition of the same exercise.

The ideal bascule

The horse’s shape (how he uses his body) over the jump is the direct result of three things:

• The type of jump (vertical, oxer, triple bar, etc.),

• the ride to the jump (correct balance, rhythm, straightness), and,

• the rider’s position.

The highest point of the horse’s arc should be over the highest point of the jump.

In theory, the horse’s body should form a perfect half circle over the jump (which is termed

‘bascule’). Unfortunately, however, not all horses know the theory, nor do they conform to our ideal. Fortunately, with planned and progressive training on the flat and over jumps, we can improve and develop their jumping technique.

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19 to 21 feet18 feet9 feet4.6 feet 4.6 feet

Gymnastic exercises promote:• A forward, calm and straight canter.

• Confidence in both rider and horse.

• Correctness of the rider’s positions and horse’s technique over the jump.

• The horse’s agility, straightness and strength.

The gymnastic I use the most is what I call the “cookbook gymnastic” (See illustration below). It is simple to build, doesn’t require much equipment, and it is non-threatening to both rider and horse.

For horses, place three trot-poles at a comfortable distance for the horse’s stride (approx. 4.6 feet apart). At a distance of 9 feet from the last trot-pole, build a cross rail then an upright 18 feet from the first. The last jump is an oxer built between 19 and 21 feet from the upright. For ponies, it is best not to have any trot-poles and canter into the gymnastic.

When building the gymnastic, always use a tape and measure both sides of the jump, then go back and check the approach line to make sure everything lines up.

Especially with beginner riders and green horses, place guide poles near every jump standard (wing) (See illustration on Page 62) to encourage the horse to stay straight and jump over the centre of the jump. There is no need to teach the horse or rider there is a track that goes around jumps!

Gymnastic exercises are good for both riders and horses. Once the horse understands the gymnastic exercise, he will always find the correct distance (take-off point) - as long as it is an appropriate exercise and it is measured correctly. The related distances allow you, as rider, to focus on your position. In gymnastics, horse and rider can jump bigger jumps without fear of having to get the striding correct.

““ The highest point of the horse’s arc

should be over the highest point

of the jump.

In theory, the horse’s body should form a perfect half circle over the jump - bascule.

andJUMPING SERIES

Jumping releases explained:Mane Release - Used by beginners. The rider grabs the mane with both hands about a third of the way up the mane. This release helps the rider maintain position and stay with the motion of the horse while jumping. It helps hold the rider from falling back and grabbing the horse’s mouth for balance. It is also a good release for experienced riders when riding green, unpredictable horses.

Short Crest Release - The rider slides his hands up the horse’s crest a few inches. The rider’s hands (knuckles) are pressed into the crest of the horse’s neck. This release provides support of the rider’s upper body and allows a good amount of control on landing from the jump.

Long Crest Release - A more exaggerated, longer release than the Short Crest Release. The rider’s hands slide further up the horse’s crest - about half way. This allows the horse total freedom

over the jump. It is a good release, combined with gymnastic training, to use on horses that are “afraid” to stretch and open their bodies at the jump. In the gymnastic, because the rider has “given away contact” with the horse’s mouth, the horse learns to balance off the jumps - the jump takes over for the rider’s hands and helps the horse to maintain balance. The real downside of the Long Crest Release is that it is over-used and often creates floppy riders.

Automatic Release - This is the most sophisticated release. The rider maintains a steady, soft and elastic contact with the horse’s mouth over the jump. The rider’s hands follow the horse’s mouth and there is a straight line from the rider’s elbow to the horse’s mouth. This release affords more control and communication with the horse, and is used in competition. This release requires perfect rider position and balance.

For gymnastics, the mane and crest releases are generally used.

PurposeFor the rider: The gymnastic should be set so that you, the rider, are comfortable and non-threatened. When both you and your horse are relaxed, the gymnastic example shown is an excellent exercise to work on:

• Establishing rider confidence.

• Positional corrections.

• Eye control.

• Jumping releases - mane, crest and automatic (See explanation on next page).

For the horse:

• Improves the horse’s canter by establishing a rhythm.

• Helps to promote trust between horse and rider.

• Teaches the horse jumping technique.

• Teaches the horse that the jump takes over from the rider’s hand (the horse learns to balance off the sight of the jump without the rider’s intervention).

Strategy• Trot forward and straight, maintaining a calm rhythm over

the poles. Beginner or less confident riders should ride the poles in a 2-point position. More experienced riders can ride the poles in a rising trot. Your eyes should always be looking forward and straight - with conviction!

• Once in the gymnastic, your horse will jump the cross rail - take, one stride to the vertical and one stride to the oxer.

• Through the gymnastic, you are to maintain your position and the soft release - following the motion and allowing the horse to use his body over the jumps.

If the horse begins to ‘wander’ or drift sideways, use an opening rein to guide it back to the track.

If the horse is getting quick or it doesn’t begin to collect (shorten) its stride, place poles in the middle of the 18’ and 21’ distances. These poles will teach the horse to slow down and start to collect its stride.

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As we explained in detail in the previous articles, you must ride forward and straight away from the last jump, ride your recovery time correctly, and complete the exercise with a straight and correct downward transition.

Developing collectionCombined with an effective flatwork program, gymnastic exercises will help keep a horse at optimum athletic condition - making the horse supple, strong, elastic and soft.

As well as helping to improve your horse’s skill, technique, strength and confidence, gymnastic exercises are the most effective way to incorporate collection into jumping.

Horses must learn to collect their strides and balance themselves on the approach to a jump and on landing. Gymnastic exercises - set at tight distances - teach the horse to collect his stride and then rock back on his hocks before leaving the ground. Through the repeated exercise of collecting and the going back on the hocks, lifting the shoulder and knees and rounding the back, the horse develops not only the hindquarters - the back and shoulder musculature required for jumping correctly - but also the habit of utilising these muscles correctly. Correct muscling through a correct exercise program (on the flat and jumping) enables the horse to reach his or her full athletic potential.

In this article we only discussed a simple gymnastic. There are as many ways to build grids or gymnastic exercises as there are reasons to use them.

Important considerationsIt is extremely important to have a ground person when jumping - for safety reasons, and to help you assess your position and the horse’s technique.

If your horse’s jumping technique and/or confidence starts to disintegrate, i.e., your horse starts stopping or leaving a leg behind, this is an indication that the distances are too tight or the jumps are too high. The ground person should increase the distances between the jumps or lower the jump.

The purpose of gymnastics is to promote progressive and positive skill development for both horse and rider. If this isn’t happening, re-think why you are doing a certain gymnastic and to what benefit for the horse.

The problem could be the rider interfering or not supporting the ride.

OR

The horse doesn’t understand the skill being taught, doesn’t have the strength or ability, the actual type of gymnastic is innapropriate and/or the measurement is wrong, or the horse is just plain tired. You must learn to recognise when enough is enough.

Always practice calm, forward and straight, and you won’t go wrong!

Next month, I will explain some exercises to improve your horse’s performance and/or correct some common problems, such as rushing, chipping-in, over-jumping, trailing legs and knock downs.

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19’ to 21’18’9’4’6’’ 4’6’’

Sample Gymnastics (all distances in feet (‘) and inches (“)

Early Gymnastic

Intermediate Gymnastic

Approach in trot

Approach in canter

32’ 33’

Direction of travel

20 20’

Approach in trot

Approach in canter

12’20’

Oxer Vertical VerticalVertical Oxer

1 stride1 stride1 stride bounce

OxerVerticalCross railTrot-poles

9’4’6’’ 4’6’’1 stride 2 strides

30’’20’17’ 6’’

OxerVerticalOxerVertical

Trot-poles Oxer VerticalVerticalOxer

1 stridebounce

1 stride 1 stridebounce

1 stride20’

2 strides 2 strides

Direction of travel

If the horse begins to ‘wander’ or drift sideways, use an opening rein to guide it back to the track.

If the horse insists on drifting off the line through the gymnastic, move one of the guide poles closer to the center.

It is a good idea to place guide poles on either end of the jump

rail to encourage the horse to stay straight and jump in the middle.

Guide poles

and