Everything Horse magazine Everything Horse UK Magazine, November 2014 | Page 32

MASTERCLASS: SIMPLE JUMPING EXERCISES

Simple exercise two: The bounce ...

Simple exercise three: Related distances ...
Working on a ‘related distance’

The approach

Cantering down to the related distance, you must come
with an even positive rhythm and use this to practice your
control by adding or lengthening your stride just as we did
on the Cavalletti exercise.

On the approach to the ‘Bounce’
make sure that you have a good
rhythm and again try not to think
about your stride too much. The
horse shouldn’t be rushing into
the poles, as he needs time to
think about where his legs are
and where the poles are. This
exercise is very good for all ages
of horse, but young horses may
not have seen anything like it
before, so when you are first
practicing with them try it a little
lower so they get the hang of it.

For example the striding in-between the fences is 5 or 6
strides (24 yards).

You need a good
powerful active
canter so the horse
can stay on its hind
leg, which creates
power for a good
jump off the floor.

“Give your horse time
through the bounce”
Riding the bounce

Once you have completed the
exercise a couple of times and
you are happy, raise the last
fence (as in the picture) each
time, bigger and bigger to around
1.10m. Obviously this depends
on your horse and his level of
experience and of course height!

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“Skinny is really
thinking about
what he is doing
on the bounce and
that is what this
exercise is for”

Everything Horse UK Magazine • Issue 14 • November 2014

Finally always take time to warm down ...

November 2014 • Issue 14 • Everything Horse UK Magazine

Warming down

When you are warming
down, give your horse
a good trot round to
loosen them up. Let them
stretch down and relax
mentally before getting
off!

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