So, if he learns to rush, to run out, refuse jumps or has a fright, this will be the basis of his jumping for the next 20 years.
The young horse should not be asked to begin his jumping career until the basics of riding and control are well established. He should understand how to go forward, slow down, stop, turn right and turn left. Think of a jumping course. From start to finish, the course might take 60 seconds to complete. During that time the actual jumping over poles will take about 10 seconds, the other 50 seconds are testing the horse’s basic training. He needs to speed up or slow down, turn right or left, allow his rider to help balance and influence his way of going and generally be a responsive ride.
As far as a horse is concerned, if there is something in his path, he should go around it. There is no reason to go over something, especially if it is less then 4 metres across the face of the fence, as most show and cross country jumps are. So it is the trainer’s job to slowly, gently and quietly train the horse to go over, rather than around, whatever is in his path and to go exactly where the trainer asks him to, and to enjoy the feeling of jumping. If these three basics are well trained, most horses understand and enjoy jumping.
Opinions vary as to whether the horse should begin jumping under saddle or on the lunge. Ultimately the horse will have to jump under saddle so he must understand that this is his job. Jumping loose or on the lunge can help him to develop courage, balance and his own eye for seeing a stride and judging his distance.
If beginning under saddle, start by warming the horse up well, working on control, obedience and having the horse going forward and straight. Put a pole on the ground about a metre in from the track. For a very spooky or insecure horse a plain rustic (brown) pole can be less intimidating but most horses are confident enough to cross a coloured pole. Allow the horse a long rein, walk the horse around the arena and over the pole, acting as if it is not there.
Don’t make any attempt to place the horse in the correct place or alter his stride. He needs to learn to cross the pole in a relaxed way, altering his own stride and feet himself from the beginning. If the horse is always correctly placed and controlled from step one, he will never learn to find his feet and help his rider out when under pressure.
Work the horse at a walk, trot and canter over the pole, making sure to work equally on both reins. Once the horse is happily stepping over this one pole, place several poles randomly around the arena and include them in the schooling session. Again, work in both directions, in walk, trot and canter. If using rustic poles, start switching to painted poles and make sure the horse is under control, happy and calm before moving on to the next step.
Go back to one coloured pole a metre away from the track. Using the colours on the pole, check how much control you have over the horse’s direction and straightness. Aim at the coloured stripe in the centre of the pole and keep the horse straight enough that all four feet cross over this stripe. Most horse’s will fall out with their shoulder’s, so when on the right rein they will end up crossing the stripe to the left of centre. Once you are sure you can cross the centre stripe in both directions at all paces, start to mix up which stripe you aim for. The two most difficult areas to aim for are the colours right at the ends of the pole, but these should gradually be included initially in walk, to try and ensure that the horse doesn’t run out.
Go back to using the whole arena and all of the poles, continue with this exercise, crossing each and every pole at the exact spot that you are aiming for. If at any time you don’t get the mark you are aiming for, bring the horse back to walk and repeat that particular stripe until the horse responds and goes exactly where you ask.
This simple exercise will give the horse confidence and ensure that you have enough control to continue with further training.
Ashleigh Sanderson - Ashleigh is a qualified riding instructor, both with the British Horse Society and South African National Equestrian Federation. Horses ...
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