Jumping exercises for horses
Jumping Exercises for Horses — Build Confidence and Skill
If you’re looking for jumping exercises for horses, you’re in the right place. At Clear Round, we’ve created an entire collection of practical, easy-to-follow showjumping exercises designed to help you and your horse improve. When this post was first created, we already had over 25 exercises on the site—and we add new ones every week. That means you now have access to a growing library of exercises to suit different arenas, experience levels, and training goals.
If this particular exercise isn’t exactly what you need today, simply browse the website—you’re guaranteed to find one that works for you.
About This Exercise
This is the perfect exercise for riders who get nervous at the thought of jumping a related distance into a combination. Don’t worry, you’re not alone—it’s a tricky element that many riders struggle with. That’s why it’s so important to practice these setups at home, so you and your horse can build confidence and precision where it matters most.
Even if you’re comfortable with combinations, this is still a great exercise to sharpen your accuracy and improve your horse’s adjustability. You’ll see related distances and combinations at nearly every competition, so preparation is key.
The video below gives you step-by-step instructions to set up the course, explains how to ride it effectively, and highlights common mistakes with simple tips to fix them.
Explore more jumping exercises for horses and take your training to the next level.
How to set up this jumping exercises for horses.
Step-by-Step Arena Setup
Jumps 1 & 2 — Confidence-Building Line
Start by setting up a simple line down one long side of your arena. This line is designed to give you and your horse a smooth, confident start.
- Place two cavalettis with 3 paces between them for a bounce.
- From the second cavaletti, measure 7 paces to a vertical for a one-stride distance.
- After the vertical, measure 19 paces to a double combination. This gives you a nice, easy 4-stride line.
- The combination is an oxer to a vertical, set 8 paces apart for a one-stride.
Jump 3 — Change of Rein Oxer
Next, place an oxer as a way to change direction across the arena. Plan your track so that you ride a clear, smooth line through the previous combination and into the new approach.
Jump 4 — Related Distance on a Curve
Set up a vertical at an angle. It should be 28 paces away from the first combination, following a gentle curve. This gives you a 6-stride related distance on a curve.
Jumps 5 & 6 — Final Line
Down the opposite long side of your arena, set up the last line:
- An oxer to a double of verticals.
- It’s 20 paces (4 strides) from the oxer to the first vertical.
- The two-stride combination measures 12 paces.
That’s it—your course is ready to ride!
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So that’s our showjumping training tips for this week. You are also most welcome to join our Facebook group. We are a group of like-minded showjumpers from around the world. We all want to become the best showjumpers we can be. You can post videos and get feedback from the other riders, including myself. JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP
You have a dog? Check out our sister site Waggley Wonders
