Jump School - Cantering fences with straightness
I've been practicing the straightening concept with Leo all week on the flat. We've had one blow up because some other horses were working in the field and he didn't want to focus. The combination of pressure and straightening aides threw him into a tantrum, but I was persistent and he eventually went forward moving his shoulder right.
Yesterday I jump schooled him. I wasn't sure exactly what to work on because there is always so much to work on! Lucinda Green exercises that test his footwork and attention; course work to develop my eye and sense of rhythm; gymnastics to build Leo's strength and suppleness and work on my position; related distances to build adjustability. UGH the list goes on and on.
I settled on a a gymnastic with a couple single fences thrown in. We warmed up over a couple verticals and I practiced hovering over the saddle and sending him forward with my leg, not my seat. I also worked on the straightness factor coming into fences. He has to maintain his forward rhythm while I keep his body aligned.
The exercise was a bounce at 12' so I could canter into the exercise, 32' to a vertical (later an oxer), then circle around the ring and do a roll-back turn to a vertical or a square oxer. Both were set at true Training height and width. I put a placing pole coming into the bounce so I didn't create a situation where I was fussing with him to get the right distance. I also put 2 poles in the ground in front and in back of the oxer in the combination. They were perpendicular to the oxer so that they created a channel for Leo to canter through. More help with straightness without fussing with him.
I kept working on the same 2 concepts - hover over the saddle, leg to send him forward, opening right rein and outside leg to correct any crookedness. We did really well!
The first time I cantered around to the over, I selected a longer approach. Leo had more time to look at the fence and I felt his stride getting longer. I found myself sitting in the saddle and holding with the reins, and ended up driving Leo forward past our distance and taking down the front rail. Totally my fault. The next time around I cut in front of a jump, taking a short approach and focused on hovering above the saddle - shoulders still tall - counting my strides into the fence. (And don't forget the straightness! Haunches to the inside on that left turn.) Perfect distance, perfect rhythm, perfect jump.
The counting is something Ashley recommended and it really works. I count jumping everything now. In no particular order or sequence - sometimes its 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4. Sometimes its 3s or 5s or a complete linear sequence up to the fence. It's amazing how well it helps you maintain a rhythm. When I don't do it, that's when I start to panic because I don't see my distance and then I make a big move and screw up the fence. Don't be startled if you ever hear me talking to myself while jumping - I'm just counting out loud.
I made sure we could duplicate our perfect single fence and then stopped for the day. It was only 70 degrees that morning and Leo was barely sweating! It's been a gorgeous week thanks to some rainstorms that have rolled through.
Yesterday I jump schooled him. I wasn't sure exactly what to work on because there is always so much to work on! Lucinda Green exercises that test his footwork and attention; course work to develop my eye and sense of rhythm; gymnastics to build Leo's strength and suppleness and work on my position; related distances to build adjustability. UGH the list goes on and on.
I settled on a a gymnastic with a couple single fences thrown in. We warmed up over a couple verticals and I practiced hovering over the saddle and sending him forward with my leg, not my seat. I also worked on the straightness factor coming into fences. He has to maintain his forward rhythm while I keep his body aligned.
The exercise was a bounce at 12' so I could canter into the exercise, 32' to a vertical (later an oxer), then circle around the ring and do a roll-back turn to a vertical or a square oxer. Both were set at true Training height and width. I put a placing pole coming into the bounce so I didn't create a situation where I was fussing with him to get the right distance. I also put 2 poles in the ground in front and in back of the oxer in the combination. They were perpendicular to the oxer so that they created a channel for Leo to canter through. More help with straightness without fussing with him.
I kept working on the same 2 concepts - hover over the saddle, leg to send him forward, opening right rein and outside leg to correct any crookedness. We did really well!
The first time I cantered around to the over, I selected a longer approach. Leo had more time to look at the fence and I felt his stride getting longer. I found myself sitting in the saddle and holding with the reins, and ended up driving Leo forward past our distance and taking down the front rail. Totally my fault. The next time around I cut in front of a jump, taking a short approach and focused on hovering above the saddle - shoulders still tall - counting my strides into the fence. (And don't forget the straightness! Haunches to the inside on that left turn.) Perfect distance, perfect rhythm, perfect jump.
The counting is something Ashley recommended and it really works. I count jumping everything now. In no particular order or sequence - sometimes its 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4. Sometimes its 3s or 5s or a complete linear sequence up to the fence. It's amazing how well it helps you maintain a rhythm. When I don't do it, that's when I start to panic because I don't see my distance and then I make a big move and screw up the fence. Don't be startled if you ever hear me talking to myself while jumping - I'm just counting out loud.
I made sure we could duplicate our perfect single fence and then stopped for the day. It was only 70 degrees that morning and Leo was barely sweating! It's been a gorgeous week thanks to some rainstorms that have rolled through.
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