Last month, Yazmin Pinchen explained how she gets her horses jumping and develops their rhythm over fences with exercises using small jumps. This month, she tackles jumps with fillers and courses of fences, all in preparations. Yasmin continues...
Set Some Goals
At the beginning of each session, set yourself some goals. Make your goals specific and difficult, but achievable and meaningful. Start each session with an outcome in mind, that way each session has a purpose and in time, you will reach your goals.
This month we’re working on jumping fillers, leading up to jumping courses in preparation for shows. The key concepts you need to be able to accomplish this are...
> having control: this comes from your flatwork.
> changes of leg around the course.
> landing on the correct leg.
> making a plan for your round and executing it - or being able to change it if things go wrong while you’re riding your course.
At the
beginning of each session, set yourself some goals
Before you think of taking your youngster to a show, it’s important that he is confident jumping fillers and can tackle a full course of jumps with you in control. It all starts at home, so I introduce fillers gradually. I like to have them in the arena when I am doing flatwork, to get him used to seeing them. I start with the fillers by the sides of a small cross-pole. I make sure that I approach the jump in a straight line and keep my leg on in case the horse hesitates. I keep the jump small and easy so that he’s not overwhelmed. Once he is happily cantering over the jump, I move the fillers together and under a small vertical.
If your horse isn’t confident, you can gradually edge the fillers into the jump and above all, keep it easy and take it slow. It is important not to overface your horse and knock his confidence, as that can take months to rebuild.
We have lots of different types of fillers at home to practise over, but it can really help to hire out an arena. The benefit is twofold: your horse will be exposed to a new environment, and you’ll be able to jump him over some different colours and types of jumps. I take my young horses out to lots of different places. We hire out a few local arenas with a good surface and nice jumps, and we’ll go on lots of hacks and to the gallops. This is great, especially if your facilities at home are limited. If your horse is used to going to places and having a nice time, he won’t be so shocked when you take him to his first show.
If your horse isn’t confident, you can gradually edge the fillers into the jump and above all, keep it easy and take it slow. It is important not to overface your horse and knock his confidence, as that can take months to rebuild.
We have lots of different types of fillers at home to practise over, but it can really help to hire out an arena. The benefit is twofold: your horse will be exposed to a new environment, and you’ll be able to jump him over some different colours and types of jumps. I take my young horses out to lots of different places. We hire out a few local arenas with a good surface and nice jumps, and we’ll go on lots of hacks and to the gallops. This is great, especially if your facilities at home are limited. If your horse is used to going to places and having a nice time, he won’t be so shocked when you take him to his first show.