Training for show jumping is something you need to do consistently over an extended period of time. In my experience that’s the only way to see great results. Equally important, is to do the correct training. This exercise will serve you well in that regard.
This exercise has a few tricky parts and a few easy parts. It focuses on turnbacks and related distances on a curve. If you put it up it can be a good jump for advanced riders and horses… but if you keep it really small it can also be a good challenge for the novice riders. I always steer towards small and slightly technical tracks rather than big and easy tracks for novice riders. That way if you make a mistake your horse can easily help you out, but you’re still learning to negotiate technical questions. Anyway, that’s my take on it, you can decide for yourself.
Training for show jumping video below
How to set this exercise up:
Ok so let’s move on to the setup. The hardest part of this setup is making sure that you can do all to turns properly and that jumps don’t get in the way of the paths you need to take. So lay all the poles out first and imagine how you would ride around the track and if necessary you can move them around a bit, and then build the jumps.
Jump 1
So we start off with this little gymnastic down the bottom long side of your arena. You want the oxer to be roughly in the middle of the long side of your arena. These are the measurements. So the distance between the two bounce cavalettis is three paces. And then it’s 11 paces from the last cavaletti the oxer for 2 strides.
Jump 2
Then 4 strides away, on a curve, you set up this vertical. Make sure it’s at an angle so that you can do this turn. It measures the standard 20 paces for the 4 strides.
Jump 3
Then you set up an oxer next to the vertical at an angle like this. As shown for jump 3 in the course plan below.
Jump 4
And 24 paces away on a curve you set up this vertical for a 5 stride related distance on a curve.
Jump 5
Next, you set up this double combination at an angle like so. So it’s a vertical to an oxer and they’re 8 paces apart for a one stride double combination.
Jump 6
And finally, you set this vertical up 24 paces away on a curve for a five-stride related distance on a curve.
And that’s it, you’re all set up and ready to go.
Some of our latest exercises:
To receive more videos like this
sign-up for our weekly newsletter
You have a dog? Check out our sister site Waggley Wonders
