Jumping Larger Fences Safely

Higher and Higher!

By Jenny Richardson BHSAI

Are you planning on introducing higher fences to your horse’s jumping regime? Of course, this takes a great deal of confidence - but you will know when you are ready, if you are sure your horse’s obedience and you know his natural paces inside out. Riding confidence comes with preparation and mutual trust, whatever the fence height.

Here are my top tips for safely jumping higher fences:

1. If your horse doesn’t respond quickly to your leg on the flat, you will get into difficulties when you start jumping higher fences. Make sure your flatwork is consistent first! Work with an instructor to set goals and develop your skills.

2. Don’t panic about ‘seeing a stride’; this will take your eye-line down, and may make you fixated on a process that comes naturally with a good rhythm. Instead, practise getting the horse in front of your leg, and soft in your hand (e.g., you are riding forwards, yet quietly containing the energy). For higher fences, don’t rush; just maintain a forward rhythm and you probably won’t notice they are higher.

3. For very scopey horses, there’s no reason not to approach a fence from trot when schooling – this helps keep the horse focussed, and means you have more control over pace and direction. Taking sitting trot on the approach helps prepare the horse for the fence and encourages it to use its hocks.

4. Generally, it is better to get closer to a fence for take off than further away, which is when a ‘stand off’ jump occurs. This invariably unseats the rider or results in a knock down. Stand offs often occur because the pace was too forward going and ‘flat’, and the rider was a mere passenger; too many habitual stand offs mean you will lose accuracy and maybe face a huge confidence knock. Make a decision three or four strides away from the fence; choose whether to lengthen or shorten, or stay on the stride you have got, if it is good. If you anticipate a stand-off, shorten your stride up.

5. Many riders choose to use a neckstrap for jumping stability and confidence, particularly if they lack confidence. It is good to have it there as a confidence booster!

 

6. Hone your canter - when training, once medium canter is well established, try to achieve a collected canter, whereby the horse’s stride becomes shorter and the pace a little slower. The hindquarters become more engaged and active, lightening the forehand, allowing the shoulders more freedom. Next, practise extended canter, which will show an extension of stride, covering the ground more quickly, without losing calmness and control. Once you have established a canter that is balanced and can ‘move up and down the gears’ at will, toachieve different paces, you will find that your showjumping prowess over higher fences improves greatly!

If you want to hone your flatwork, consider a training break at Ireland’s Castle Leslie Estate, where Jenny Richardson BHSAI is Equestrian Centre Business Manager. This venue offers a new ‘Get Back Your Confidence’ package, a five day holiday featuring three hours’ of daily lessons, culminating in a two hour ride around the estate.