For those of us in the colder climates, winter can be a bummer. We find ourselves spending more time indoors. Because we’re not riding as much, we struggle to find ways to spend time with our horses during the winter when we feel the pull to hit the gym.

If you’re looking for ways to stay in shape while still getting the chores done and spending time with your horses, it’s time to get creative and hit the newest fitness sensation: Barn Aisle Workouts.

Warm-Up

As always, it’s important to warm up before starting any physical activity. Getting the blood pumping and your heart rate up is easy in the barn aisle—start with some body weight exercises that are sure to make your horse question your sanity.

Do three sets of each, resting briefly between each set:

• 20 jumping jacks
• 15 air squats

Once you’ve completed that, it’s time to assemble the equipment. Barn aisle workouts are meant to incorporate things you’ll find in any barn, but if you don’t happen to have one of these items available, use your imagination with another item (i.e., stretching out a lead rope over your head instead of using a pitchfork for the overhead squats).

Items you will need:

• 2 water buckets (filled partway with water)
• 1 water bucket (empty)
• 1 sturdy, unopened hay bale
• 1 mounting block
• 1 pitchfork

The Workout

Incorporate any of these moves for a cohesive, heart-pumping workout to break a sweat while hanging out in the barn aisle.

Farmer Carry

Hold one water bucket in each hand, filled partway with water (to avoid splashing on yourself and all over the aisle). Start at one end of the barn aisle and walk down at a quick pace.
If this seems too easy, fill the buckets with something solid, such as grain, salt blocks, et cetera.

Water Bucket Squat

Place an empty water bucket upside down and stand in front. With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down, keeping your knees straight forward and bringing your arms straight forward for balance.

If you can, squat until your bottom slightly touches the water bucket, then stand up. If you can’t go that low, that’s OK—go as far down as you can and then straight up. The water bucket is your goal in squat depth.

Hay Bale Push-ups

To keep your pants clean, perform your push-ups on a sturdy hay bale. I’d recommend having the hay bale set against a wall for extra support. You can also push off a closed stall door or mounting block. Keep your feet and toes together, straight back and core engaged.

Hay Bale Toe Touches

Standing in front of a hay bale (or mounting block), you will alternate lifting your knees and touching your toes to the top edge of the hay bale. It’s like you’re doing high knees in place, but aiming to touch the hay bale, much like the soccer move of toe touches on the soccer ball. Use your arms to pump to keep the speed up.

Farm Deadlift

Hold one water bucket in each hand with some weight in it (water, grain, salt blocks, et cetera), with the buckets at the side of your feet. Bend your knees to do a slight squat so the buckets hit the ground, then straighten up your body to lift them. Perform this action slowly and add weight if necessary.

Hay Bale Mountain Climbers

Again in push-up position on the hay bale (or mounting block), bring one knee to your chest, then switch, performing elevated mountain climbers. Be sure to keep your back and arms straight and engage your core.

Hay Bale Step-Ups

With the hay bale braced against a wall (or use a mounting block), alternate stepping up on the top with one leg, then stepping down. You can increase intensity by bringing the opposite knee up at the top, increasing the speed, adding weight in your hands (mini salt blocks work well), or even performing box jumps up onto the bale or step if it is sturdy.

Overhead Squat

Holding a pitchfork (or stretched-out lead rope) overhead, with hands just a little wider than shoulder-width apart and feet a little wider than hip-width apart, engage your core and squat down. Holding your hands in this position adds a new challenge because you’re working on flexibility of your shoulders, balance and core strength, as well as the typical squat targets.

Walking Lunges

Start at one end of the barn aisle, place your hands on your hips, and perform walking lunges down and back. Make sure your upper body is straight (core engaged, again) and that your knee does not bend past your toes when going down. To increase intensity, add weight in each hand with arms down by your sides.

Wall Touches

Another heart pumper! Stand facing a wall and raise your arms above your head. Pick a spot on the wall a little taller than your arms and then jump to touch. Continually hop on your toes looking at that spot for 30 seconds at a time. You can use a piece of duct tape to make a mark to aim for.

Make it Your Own

Choose all or some of these exercises and create your own workout. I would recommend mixing a fast-paced exercise (such as the mountain climbers, wall touches or step ups) with a weight-bearing exercise. Try to make it through at least 10 minutes, then increase your time.

Take it to the next level and invite riding buddies to workout alongside you. Try timing your workouts and have a barn competition. Make it fun to make barn fitness something for everyone so you’re ready to hit the saddle come spring!

See all fit rider resources >>

This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Fit Rider: Barn Aisle Workout appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Winter can be rough for even the most dedicated riders and exercisers. It’s not always easy to get back into the swing of your normal activities. If you took a few months off from riding because of the weather, by now you’re eager to saddle up. But before you start getting your equine partner in shape, you need to work on your fitness, too.

Step One: Schedule Workout Time

The first step is to find the time to get back into workout mode. Having two or three months off from regular exercise means many of us used that free time to catch up on Christmas cookies and Netflix. Now it’s time to reorganize your schedule and make the time to work out routinely.

You’re looking for a 30- to 60-minute window, depending on the activity. It might mean waking up a little earlier in the morning to fit in your sweat session before work or morning chores. Just remember that this extra time is important for your health and to make you a better rider.

Some things to consider when reworking your schedule:

• When are you most comfortable working out? Are you a morning person, or do you have more energy in the afternoon? I, for one, love to work out in the mornings. I feel it’s the best way to start my day, plus I already have it over with so I don’t run into excuses as to why I can’t work out today.
• Where are you going to work out? Are you thinking of joining a gym, or are you motivated enough to work out at home? Or, are you thinking you’re going to be able to do your workouts while at the barn (thus, attempting to kill two birds with one stone)? If you’re thinking about the gym, you’ll have to build in time for driving to and from, so keep that in mind.
• How many days a week do you plan to work out? Studies show that we should be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day. But we’re talking extra activity to improve fitness. Are you aiming to work out every day or every other day? (We’ll hit on this question a little later.)

Step Two: Start Slow

Before starting any workout activity, make sure you discuss your plans with your doctor. You want to be sure that you’re physically able to do the activities you want to.

Also, you’ll want to keep your history of exercise activity in mind while planning your new routine. You might have been an avid runner prior to winter, only to have backed off because of the weather. Or, perhaps you’ve never been very active and decided that 2016 is your year. Whichever end of the spectrum you’re on, consider this: An exercise neophyte might be overwhelmed by jumping in to a full routine with weights and high-intensity cardio. But if you’re already used to hitting the weights and treadmills, you’ll be bored to tears in beginner classes.

Step Three: Get to Work

Anthony Kincy is the assistant athletic performance coach at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., where he oversees the three-time national champion equestrian team’s strength and fitness routine. He advises that riders try to stick with working out two to three days a week for three weeks to start a habit.

“If two of those days are some type of strength exercise and one day is cardio or yoga, that will get you in a better position to get ready to ride and tackle the season,” he says.

Here are the top four areas Kincy recommends working on for equestrians.

1. Lower Body

Body weight squats are an easy, go-anywhere exercise you can do at home, the gym, or the barn.

The basic squat starts with your feet just a little bit wider than shoulder-width. Bend your knees while driving your hips backward and keeping your lower legs perpendicular to the floor. Go down until your hips are even with your knees, and then stand straight up.

Other variations include holding at the bottom for four seconds, split squats (one foot in front, one in back—a lunge), and using weights (saddle held out in front of you, canned goods in each hand, et cetera).

“This is an exercise that I recommend when you’re looking for power from your legs,” says Kincy.

2. Upper Body

“The best bang for your buck with your upper body is the push-up,” says Kincy.

Kincy explains that push-ups are commonly difficult for women to perform if they lack upper body strength. To combat this, the team at Auburn works in three-week blocks with incline push-ups, slowly modifying them until they are on the ground.

“I’m not a fan of push-ups on the knees,” he explains. “Going from an incline is better than starting on your knees because you engage your core more on the incline than you would on your knees.”

You, too, can work in steps to move down to full push-ups by using any supported elevated surface, such as a wooden fence. Start at the top panel and lower your chest to the fence, then push-up. Three weeks later, move down to the next panel, et cetera.

3. Core

“Our program focuses on core stability and posture,” says Kincy. He prefers using the plank, either on your hands (directly under your shoulders) or on your forearms. Variations for the plank include side plank (twisting to one side and holding), reaching forward with one arm straight (if doing on your hands), and then holding one arm in front and lifting one leg.

Click here for a simple core exercise routine designed for riders.

4. Flexibility/Mobility

Stretching daily is a must for improving range of motion. Kincy also recommends taking a yoga class once a week, or doing a yoga DVD at home.

“Yoga is big as far as having your mind and muscles working together, which is important for a rider,” he says.

Cardio Fitness

Running and spin class are two examples of high-intensity cardio workouts. Having cardio fitness is especially important as a rider if you do a demanding equestrian sport with high speeds and/or jumping. Just try jumping even a tiny course while out of shape to see how fast you’re gasping for air!

If you’ve never been a runner, start off with brisk walking for 15 to 20 minutes a day, and then work up to run/walk intervals. Taking a spin class is another way to start building up your cardiovascular fitness, as is using any cardio equipment such as ellipticals, stationary bikes, and treadmills. Just be sure you’re putting in enough effort so you’re breathing hard and sweating by the end.

If running or spinning isn’t your thing, incorporate tempo exercises with your strength workouts. Kincy recommends adding 30 seconds of high-intensity cardio workouts between sets. These could be mountain climbers, jumping jacks, jump rope, high knees, butt kickers, burpees, or sprints.

Varying the workout will not only keep your muscles guessing—helping them increase in strength—but it will also keep you motivated to work out again. Have a workout buddy that will either work side by side with you or check in with you regularly. Stick with a routine, and you’ll be ready for riding season in no time.

Special thanks to Hayley Iannotti, a member of the Auburn University equestrian team, for demonstrating these exercises.

Click here for workouts from Coach Kincy that you can start doing today.

This article originally appeared in the March 2016 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Rider Fitness: Spring Shape-Up appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

A description of the Adjustment Poles exercise demonstrated in this video is available below under “Workout Two.”

Because the walk does not require much physical effort on our part as riders, it is common to drift off and lose focus. Some riders assume it is not worth saddling up if they’re restricted to only walking. Neither of these scenarios allow riders to reap the enormous benefits of time spent schooling the walk. Change your approach this winter. Use days of inclement weather to re-tool how you perceive these quieter workouts and just what you can accomplish.

Work at the walk, practiced and touted by old classical dressage masters, is highly fruitful for educating the horse’s body, confirming postures, and loosening him. Walking allows for full contraction of the long back muscles within a pulsating and swinging motion that prevents tension. To the contrary, the static, stabilizing role played by the back when trotting can create tightness. Its low aerobic effort ensures recruitment of small muscles that support the spine, the ones that create and store postural patterns. Further, the fine-tuned motor control that is possible at the walk enables riders to help their horses find more range of motion and joint flexion.

Even during the darkest, shortest days it’s likely you can find 25 minutes to get on and ride one of the walk routines below. Really concentrate on creating the highest quality movements and figures for those 25 minutes. Treat them with the same focus as you would a dressage test. You can extend their benefits by dynamic stretches or calisthenics prior to mounting: backing up, lateral work in hand, talk traction, belly lifts. (for more ideas, consult my book Equine Fitness).

If you remain diligent with these 25-minute workouts at least three times per week, you’ll maintain most of the tone in your horse’s deep cybernetic muscle system. In the spring, you will only need to restore his cardiovascular conditioning, which happens quickly in comparison to building strength. Below are three suggestions and brief descriptions for exercise routines to fill a 25-minute session. I recommend spending about two minutes on each exercise and continuing to cycle through the routine until your time is up.

WORKOUT ONE: Symmetry

Poll Flexion, from the ground: Using your hands, slowly and gently swivel the horse’s head, not neck, from side to side to loosen his poll.

Polish your Turns: Interspersed with segments of intervals of active, ground-covering walking, practice several turns on the forehand and turns on the haunches in each direction.

Proprioception Box: Arrange a box using four ground poles with the corners of the box lifted on risers. Now ride a variety of patterns over and through the box—cloverleaf, circle around each corner of the box, figure eight.

Schaukel: From a balanced halt, back up eight strides and then ride immediately forward eight strides. Repeat this forward-backward movement.

WORKOUT TWO: Adjustability

Accordion Topline: Riding around the edge of your arena in a brisk, forward walk practice lengthening and shortening your reins and asking your horse to change frames, from longer to shorter.

Spiral In and Out: From a 20-meter circle, spiral in to an 8 meter circle and then, maintaining inside bend, leg-yield back out to your original 20-meter circle being careful not to lose energy.

Snowman: Ride once around a 20-meter circle to the left and then, at the top, change bend and ride a 10-meter circle to the right. Then resume your 20-meter circle. Your figure should look like a snowman with a fat body and a smaller head on top.

Adjustment Poles: Set up four to five ground poles in a fan shape with the ends touching on one side. Arrange the poles so that, at their middles, they are spaced 5-feet apart. Now ride a small circle that crosses over the poles. Alternate riding over the narrowest distance between poles (with just a single stride between each one) and riding over the wider distance (with two strides between each one).

WOROUT THREE: Coordination

Speed Changes: Ride various figures in the arena while changing the speed of your walk. Aim for four distinct speeds (super slow, slow, medium, and fast), spend 20 strides at each speed. Repeat.

Cornerstone Transitions: Ride transitions to the halt every ten strides. At every other halt transition, ask the horse to back up 6-10 steps and then carry on.

Wavy Lines: Ride a “scalloped” edge around the track of your arena. Maintaining a brisk, lively walk tempo ride a shallow serpentine with loops of approximately 3 meters back and forth from left to right to left to right.

Get more training ideas:
Dressage Challenge: Arena Workouts
Try This: Riding Over Raised Poles

The post Three Riding Workouts at the Walk appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

While some horses are inherently quieter than others, most lazy ones are made, not born. Usually, they have developed an aversion to exercise because the training program may have exceeded their capabilities at one point. As an equine fitness specialist, I witness this frequently. Regardless of the cause—and being sure to rule out health contributors—the solution is to create a training routine that eliminates lazy efforts. Using both broad tactics and specific exercises, it is possible to motivate a horse that otherwise seems to require a lot of pushing and shoving.

Define “Lazy”

First, let’s agree on what we consider “lazy.” A calm mount that might need a little waking up at the beginning of a ride is not what I consider lazy. On the other hand, I consider a lazy horse one that requires constant use of your legs or whip to keep moving, or one that gives you the feeling that you are working harder than the horse.

A fit, strong horse with adequate oxygen and blood pumping to his gymnastic muscles will very rarely exhibit exercise resistance or be lazy. Laziness typically crops up when he has experienced an inconsistent training schedule—one without purpose—or one that has not incrementally increased the workload in a consistent weekly fashion, which then causes him to hold back in his work effort.

The Right Exercises

Not all exercises work the same for all horses. Even proven successful exercises might not be effective for certain horses depending on aerobic make-up, muscle fiber type, temperament, and so on. In terms of motivating a lazy horse, you will need to play around with finding exercises that condition his overall strength in addition to sparking his energy a bit. Find exercises that work for your horse and commit to them.

This extends to all handling of the horse, especially leading him on the ground. Aim to keep him bright and attentive and walking briskly any time you lead him. Remember: any time you are working with a lazy horse is a chance to rewire his nervous system to operate differently!

Exercise 1: Hangbahn

Most horses become dull or lazy early on from too much time spent in one speed or gait, or perhaps relaxation was over-emphasized in the breaking-in period without a balance of more energetic movement. As a general rule, even for competition horses, I never school arena-specific skills more than three times per week.

To keep a horse fresh and willing, it is imperative that riders balance out their riding sessions with alternative schooling methods. Most successful is the use of what the Germans call hangbahn, which is essentially dressage schooling on sloped outdoor terrain. I have repeatedly seen this work wonders for horses that are otherwise uninterested to perform in the arena.

The best option is to find a gently sloped area under a few large trees that you can circle around. Nearly any area will work so long as it is clear of rocks and holes; it does not need to be large. A couple of surface changes (soft ground to hard ground) are also ideal. These create adaptations in the horse’s proprioception—the sensory awareness of the position of his body. Use this outdoor area to ride transitions, figure-eight around trees, half-halt, and ride leg-yielding exercises.

When you commit to this once a week, you will be surprised to find your horse much more responsive the next time you ride him in the arena. Riding on this outdoor surface re-wires his nervous system in a positive way, both mentally and physically.

Exercise 2: Interval Training

Generally, these kinds of horses respond well to inertial drills: intervals involving speed changes. These routines have a predictable work interval of higher intensity followed by a brief let-up.

An example would be sprint drills, either galloping or fast trotting between cones spaced at roughly 50 feet apart followed by slow jog for about 50 feet and then another sprint. Continuing on like this, the horse begins to anticipate the sprint, which revs him up a little. Additionally, these short bursts of higher intensity deliver more blood and oxygen to the prime movement muscles, which develops strength and continued animation in his movement.

If a horse does not perk up during these drills, it can be helpful to add a buddy horse to the routine, having the second horse speed past him during the sprint line and then drop behind him during the rest segment.

If a horse does not perk up during these drills, it can be helpful to add a buddy horse to the routine, having the second horse speed past him during the sprint line and then drop behind him during the rest segment. Try this in all three gaits. You just might be surprised how physically and mentally useful this handy exercise is.

Exercise 3: Canter Box

For horses that won’t stay in the canter without constant prodding, I use what I call a canter box. This involves laying two poles on the ground parallel to each other, spaced approximately 10 feet apart (or the length of your horse’s normal canter stride).

Develop your canter and then approach the poles on a straight line heading straight over the center of the poles. Your horse should canter over the first pole, land tidily with all four feet between the first and second poles, and then calmly carry on over the second pole.

This exercise creates a “draw” that pulls the horse toward the pole pattern, thereby eliminating any need to prod him onward. It also helps organize the canter by putting the horse in a situation where he needs to become more balanced with his stride, which facilitates maintaining the gait for a prolonged period.

Exercise 4: Raised Poles

Another exercise that works with most lazy horses is to ride varying patterns with poles raised 6 to 8 inches off the ground. Most riders seem to know the value of cavalletti, but too frequently they just set them up in a single row to ride back and forth over them.

A much more beneficial use of raised poles for a lazier horse is to set them up at all kinds of random distances around the arena. This prevents him from plodding mechanically over a row of poles, falling on the forehand by the end of them, or maybe bumping a few along the way. By spacing them out all over your riding area, it keeps the horse more alert and responsive, in addition to getting a little more work out of him every few strides. In fact, for horses that tend to lag along in the trot and canter, I sometimes go through an entire phase of training during which all of our arena time is spent riding over and around these randomly placed raised rails. I find this to be tremendously more effective than climbing onboard and trying to kick and squeeze the lazy horse around the arena.

When schooling a horse that is quieter by nature, it is imperative that every moment brings him out of that state. You must be careful to avoid routines that continue to foster a lackluster effort. Consistency is crucial. If sometimes the horse is allowed to be lazy and then other times you get after him, he will not make permanent changes in his attitude toward work. By consistently addressing how he uses his body and mind, you’ll see results.

Rule out Restriction

Most horses that I see shuffling around the edge of the arena have become this lazy because of restriction in their bodies that has shortened their strides and dulled their nervous system.

Essentially they are plodding around half-asleep without putting any effort in to sensory awareness or movement. They are often not in discomfort, but somewhere they have developed restriction in range of motion for a particular muscle system—shoulders, back, hindquarters—and their nervous system has re-wired. In other words, the horse’s central nervous system only has one signal for telling the body how to move: slowly. Anytime I see a horse dragging his hind feet or scuffing his front toes through the sand, I know this is the problem.

As an example, stiffness in the horse’s longissumus, his long back muscle, tightens his latissimus muscle, which affects how he is able or unable to swing his forelegs freely. It will feel like he ignores you on his back, which on some level is accurate, but the larger issue is that he is not capable of performing much better.

Horses in this category need physical therapies combined with schooling. Until their bodies change, their performance will remain the same. If your vet has ruled out any obvious physical causes of discomfort, an equine massage therapist can show you specific stretches that would be beneficial to your horse.

This article originally appeared in the February 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post 4 Exercises to Rev up the Lazy Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Western riding often looks effortless, but it’s hard work and good horsemanship that creates that impression. Whether you have a trainer or are trying the DIY approach, here are a few pointers to better western riding from American Quarter Horse Association professional horsewoman Dana Panella and Australian-born Mustang trainer TJ Clibborn.

Eyes Up

You’ve heard, “Look where you want your horse to go,” but how often do you actually do that? Though it might seem like overused advice, there’s a great deal of substance behind it. Panella, a trainer and judge from Mukwonago, Wis., says the simple act of looking down can be throwing off your ride.

“Keep your eyes up,” says Panella. “Not only does it help to look where you’re going, but it also helps your balance, which helps your horse’s balance. The more correct you are, the more correctly your horse is going to travel.”

She points out that riders most often look down at the horse’s shoulder when asking for a lead or when making a turn.

Exercise: To help counteract leaning, Panella suggests putting a little extra weight in the outside stirrup and keeping your eyes up. You know your horse is underneath you, so feel what he is doing instead of looking.

Ride with Your Legs

Clibborn, a natural horsemanship trainer from Milton, Wis., says many riders he works with resort to their hands to pull and control the horse instead of guiding them with leg pressure.

“Horses move away from pressure, but riders seem to want to balance their horses off their hands and drive straight from the bit,” says Clibborn. “There are a lot of horses that are real heavy in their front end because they can’t get off their own shoulders.”

Exercise: When you correct your horsemanship, you should see a change in your horse’s way of going.

Try these exercises to teach yourself to use more leg and less hand:

Clibborn sets four or five barrels (you can use cones if you don’t have barrels) at 15-foot intervals and asks his riders to cue their horses to weave through from a leg-yield. Leg-yield to the right, allow your horse three or four steps straight past the barrel, then leg-yield left. This exercise will teach the horse to move off your leg instead of leaning into the bit and dropping his shoulder.

Do pivots at the walk to isolate the shoulder. Start at a walk along the rail, and then ask for a 90-degree turn using your leg. Return to a place down the rail and repeat. Once your horse is consistently moving off your leg for the 90-degree turn, try 180-degree turns. After several lessons, ask for a 270 and then 360.

“You have to slow down to get it,” says Clibborn. “People want the results now, but the horse says, ‘You have to teach me.’ The horse knows how to do anything you want, but you have to learn to communicate it.”

Take a Seat

If your muscles are strained, your calves are tired or your back is sore, chances are you are forcing your seat or you’re out of balance. Horsemanship riders often sit very upright with arched backs. Not only does this position look uncomfortable for the rider, but the stiffness is also irritating to the horse.

“Think about sitting on your pants pockets so you’re sitting really nice and deep into the horse,” says Panella. “But you don’t want to go back so far that you’re sitting on the cantle.”

Some riders also tend to brace against the stirrups. Sit deep, pull your stomach back, have some bend in your knee and keep your heels down. If your stirrups are too long and you’re dropping your toes, your leg is ineffective. If your stirrups are too short, you will be standing up in the saddle.

Exercise: Whether you’re guilty of arching your back or you just need to improve your balance, Panella recommends two English-riding techniques: riding in a two-point position and posting at the trot.

A two-point is a more forward jumping position where your seat is elevated out of the saddle with your weight in your heels. This exercise is a little challenging, but really works on the rider’s balance. You should focus on creating a straight line from your ear to your shoulder, through your hip and down to the back of your heel. Let gravity pull your heels down.

While trotting, posting is when the rider rises in the saddle in time with the horse’s stride. In western disciplines, riders often like to post during training to teach their horses to move out. But Panella has her students post to practice timing and balance and to teach the rider to feel the horse’s legs moving underneath them.

Another helpful exercise to correct your seat is to ride without stirrups. Instead of letting your legs hang loose, though, focus on that alignment from ear to heel. Sit down on your pockets, have a slight bend in the knees and relax your thighs. Avoid leaning forward and gripping with your knees.

Ride Relaxed

We’ve all been told that horses feed off of our energy, so why ride when we’re tense? Clibborn says the easiest way to have a bad ride is to get on when you’re stressed. “You should be able to ride your horse like you’re sitting in your armchair,” he says. “You should be that relaxed when riding. Most people are tense. If you’re tense, your horse will feel it.”

When you come out to the barn to ride, give yourself plenty of time. “You can’t be around horses and be in a rush,” says Clibborn.

Your tension might be causing you to grip the horse with your legs instead of hugging him with them. You have to let off the pressure in order to give effective cues. Also, your stressed-out temperament could be the reason behind your horse’s increasing speed.

“I have a client with a high-tension job,” says Clibborn. “Her mind is racing. When she’s doing a rising trot, she’s 10 times faster than the horse. If you want your horse to slow down, you’ve got to slow down. If you want your horse to speed up, you speed up. It’s that simple.”

To remedy a racing mind and a speedy horse, Clibborn suggests riders practice four speeds at the walk, three speeds at the trot and two speeds at the canter by simply thinking slow and slowing your body. Practice those things so you can slow your horse to a crawl or pick him up to a fast pace.

Exercise: Set up ground poles to ride over to encourage you and your horse to think. If you’re going too fast, set the poles closer and think “slower.”

Forget the Fads

Fads are often more about style than substance. Panella says a recurring trend is to ride with open fingers, only passing the reins through the fingertips, to show how lightly the horse can be ridden. Not only is this unsafe if you’re not a professional in an enclosed space, it’s not an effective tool of communication to your horse.

Ride Your Horse

Be a rider every time you get on your horse. Even if you’re just out on the trail, pay attention to your surroundings and to your mount. Horses are flight animals, so their first reaction to a tree branch snapping is to take off. Being constantly engaged will make you a better rider and will keep your horse focused on the task at hand.

“There are a lot of trail riding mistakes that people can make,” says Clibborn. “They don’t think that they’ve actually got to ride their horse down the trail. It’s too late once the deer jumps to wake up. Be prepared for anything out there and you’ll stay safe on your horse.”

‘

Mix it Up

Are you on the fence about leaving the rail? Working on the rail can make your horse very one-sided. Panella says you can easily sour a horse to the rail if you don’t give him a change of scenery or mix up his exercise routine.

“It’s a complete safety net for a lot of people, and they really get trapped into that,” she says.

When you leave the fence, you must work to control both sides of the horse, whether you’re in the arena or out on a trail. Panella suggests working in an open field or coming into the center of the arena to work on transitions, patterns and poles. Give your horse a job.

Exercise: When using poles, start at a walk. Aim for the center of the pole and look past it. Feel the horse lifting his body and stepping over the pole. This helps you work on balance and teaches your horse to use his body and pick himself up. Avoid using PVC ground poles, though; they can shatter when stepped on by a horse.

A change of scenery is also good for you and your horse. Instead of sticking to a rail, ride over and through obstacles. Get out of the arena and allow your horse to work on different terrain.

Have an Extra Set of Eyes

Even if you’re DIYing your rides, you can still use an extra set of eyes. Set up a video camera and record your equitation. Look at your leg position. Can you draw a straight line from your ear through your shoulder, hip and heel? Are you leaning when asking for a lead or coming around a corner? How are your hands and your seat? Give yourself an honest evaluation.

Have a Checklist

Even on a casual ride, you should have something to work on. The more you practice your communication with your horse, the more effectively you’ll work together. Panella says what works best for her and her students is to put together a checklist.

“In your checklist, ask yourself, ‘How am I riding?’” says Panella. “‘Am I looking ahead? Is my foot underneath me? Am I breathing?’ Have some fun with it and relax.”

Put it Together

“All these little things you do really add up to the whole picture of good riding,” says Panella. “A good rider is not just a pretty rider. Correct position is going to help you be a more effective rider, and that’s what you should be striving for.”

A freelance writer from Woodstock, Ill., LISA KUCHARSKI enjoys recreational trail riding and competing in open pleasure shows.

This article originally appeared in the March 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post 10 Ways to Improve Your Western Riding appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

There is an undeniable elegance in hunt seat riding. Despite the inherent risks involved with jumping a horse, it’s aesthetically beautiful: horse and human taking flight together. But let’s be honest. Posers who are merely propped up on their hunter or jumper won’t get far in this discipline. To be a safe and successful—never mind elegant—hunt seat rider, you also have to be an effective one. You must communicate with your horse using your aids, and that takes practice. Here are three simple yet challenging exercises to help you get started.

Hunt Seat Riding Exercise 1: Use your leg aids to steer your horse.

Your Objective: Discover how much you rely on your hands and neglect your legs when it comes to steering, turning and positioning your horse.

For this exercise, bridge your reins and hold them in your dominant hand. Place your free hand on your hip or allow it to hang loosely at your side. By riding with the reins in one hand, you’ll be forced to use your leg aids to guide your horse through a pattern. Though he probably won’t neck rein like a western performance horse, any English horse with solid flatwork fundamentals should move laterally when leg pressure is applied behind the girth.

Practical Applications: Enhancing your horse’s power steering through the use of your leg aids is especially important when you’re jumping a course. If you habitually pull your horse around a turn with a tug of your hand and no outside leg pressure, you’ll end up with a crooked horse. Though your horse’s head and neck may be bent in the direction of the turn, his hindquarters will drift outward, off the path to the jump. This disunited approach typically results in an awkward takeoff spot. Worse, it can allow your horse to evade the jump altogether by running out.

Directions: Your reins should be short enough to keep light, consistent contact with your horse’s mouth.

Assemble some cones, striped ground poles and several jump standards in your arena. They’ll serve as markers for your pattern.

The pattern should include circles or a figure-eight around the cones, weaving through a line of jump standards, and riding over the center stripe of ground poles (see Figure 1).

For your first few trips through the pattern, ride at the sitting trot. It’s a gait with enough impulsion to keep your horse going forward while still offering you a great deal of control.

By holding the reins in one hand, the bit will function differently in your horse’s mouth. If he leans on your hand or turns in the opposite direction, don’t get frustrated; give him more information with your lower legs.

As you approach each turn or circle, half-halt. It will get your horse’s attention and shift his weight off your hand and onto his hindquarters. By making your horse lighter, it’ll be easier to move his body laterally with your leg aids.

With each turn or circle, press behind the girth with your outside leg. Increase the pressure until your horse shifts his body over and inward, onto the appropriate track. Reinforce your leg with a nudge of a spur or a tap of a crop if necessary.

If your horse speeds up when you squeeze with your outside leg, half-halt to contain his forward energy. He has to understand that sometimes leg pressure means “go faster,” yet other times it means “move over.”

Squeeze with your inside leg if your horse cuts his corners or drifts inward on his circles. Regardless of which leg you use, your horse should move away from, or yield to, that pressure.
Once you’re communicating with your horse, canter a pattern. Unless he executes easy flying changes, stick to simple lead changes each time a new lead is required.

Afterthoughts: Were you constantly correcting a wayward horse? If so, then incorporate more lateral exercises into your flatwork. Ask your coach or riding instructor to help you practice movements like leg-yields and turns on the forehand and hindquarters. Also, always remember that turning a horse can be distilled into this very basic process: Your hand tells your horse which way to go, but your leg pushes his body in that direction.

Hunt Seat Riding Exercise 2: Use three different seats to influence your horse.

Your Objective: Can you adjust the canter by altering your position in the saddle? In this exercise, you’ll use a basic flatwork pattern (see Figure 2) and then ride at the hand gallop, working canter and collected canter. By utilizing three different seat positions and some complementary aids, you’ll influence your horse’s balance, pace and length of stride.

Practical Applications: The traditional hunt seat position is the forward seat, which ideally places the rider in harmony with the motion of a jumping horse. Yet there are variations to this classic seat, and each one has its purpose.

Two-point: The two-point position is so called because the only points of contact with your horse’s body are your two legs. Your seat remains out of the saddle, suspended above your horse’s back thanks to support from your secure lower legs.

Half-seat: Though you’re still inclined forward with your upper body, in the half-seat you sink into the saddle, settling lightly onto your pelvic bones. This is most commonly used for jumping a hunter course.

Three-point: While riding in three-point, your upper body will be nearly vertical, and you’ll sit deeply in the saddle. Because it’s a strong, assertive position, upper-level jumper riders often ride in three-point. Once you perfect these three seats, and understand when to use them, you’ll be a more effective rider.

Directions: Place cones or jump standards in the corners of your arena. Set these markers at least 10 feet off the rail so you have room to ride a complete circle around them.

Start your pattern at the working canter, even if it’s just for a few strides. This is your opportunity to connect with your horse and get him listening to your aids, just as when you make an opening circle on a hunter course.

Use the long sides of your arena for the hand gallop, a pace more brisk and with a longer stride than a working canter. Ease your body into the two-point position. With your seat out of the saddle and your upper body inclined forward at the hip, your horse can move more freely and open up his stride.

Although the two-point gives your horse a great deal of physical freedom, you’ll have only a modicum of control over his movement.

As you approach the corner, transition into the half-seat. Increase contact with your horse’s mouth and sink lightly into the saddle. This gives you the ability to slow your horse and shorten his stride so you’ll have more control through the turn. The half-seat is also used while cantering in a hunter-under-saddle class.

Circle each cone one or more times as you ease into the three-point position. Your weight in the saddle becomes an additional driving aid. Expect to create more forward energy. Contain that energy by straightening your torso and taking up additional contact on your horse’s mouth. In response, your horse should slow down and, more importantly, collect (compress) his stride.

The three-point position allows you to use your leg, weight and hand aids to their full extent. It’s a vital resource for coaxing a spooky greenie around a course or staying on a potential stopper. However, because you’re sitting on your seatbones, you can easily get left behind when your horse leaves the ground at a jump. Use this position sparingly.

Afterthoughts: Did your horse bolt off like a racehorse during the hand gallop? Even though you’re in a two-point, you can still lift your hands above the withers and roll your shoulders back to execute a half-halt so you can steady and slow him. Was it a struggle to keep your horse cantering while circling the cones? You might have relaxed your leg pressure once you sat down in the saddle. To achieve collection and keep your horse cantering, continue to squeeze with your legs even as you increase pressure on his mouth.

Hunt Seat Riding Exercise 3: Control your horse between jumps.

Your Objective: You’ll collect your horse’s canter stride in order to achieve a varying numbers of strides between a pair of ground poles, cavalletti or low verticals. Does your horse get strong or fast when jumping through a line? This exercise will teach you how to use your aids to make your hunter or jumper more adjustable.

Practical Applications: An adjustable horse is more predictable and safer than one that tows his rider to the jumps. While boldness is an admirable trait in a hunter or jumper, you are the pilot. Your horse shouldn’t have his own flight plan. If you can adjust your horse’s pace and length of stride, you’ll be ready for the challenges found in hunter derbies, equitation medals and jumper classes.

Directions: Place two sets of jump standards 66 feet apart in a line. While you may eventually graduate to conducting this exercise over low vertical jumps, begin by laying a single jump pole on the ground between the standards, or set up cavalletti instead (see Figure 3).

Once your horse is warmed up on the flat, trot back and forth over the poles to introduce him to the concept of this exericse. Be sure to use your legs to help guide your horse to the center of each pole, and to keep him on a straight track between them. After the second pole, halt straight.

Establish a working canter. Maintain that rhythm as you go through the line. Your horse should fit five strides between the two poles.

For the next approach, collect your horse’s stride just enough that you can add one more stride in the line. Your horse should get six strides between the poles this time.

Increase your horse’s collection even more, and approach the exercise on a noticeably shorter stride. Now get seven strides in the line.

For this exercise to be successful, your horse’s pace and length of stride must remain consistent from the approach, through the line, and for several strides afterward. Simply chipping in a short, tiny step at the last moment so you end up with the correct number of strides isn’t good enough.

To keep your horse interested in the exercise, and to test your skills, vary the number of strides (from five to seven) every few times.

Once you’re certain that you’re communicating with your horse, replace the ground poles or cavalletti with low verticals (about 2 feet) and repeat the exercise.

Afterthoughts: Did you experience trouble when adding strides in the line? Analyze your approach. Were you clear, consistent and firm with your aids from start to finish? If your horse suddenly took a long leap over the first pole or jump, he sabotaged any chance of getting the correct striding. Essentially, your horse went with his own agenda when it came time to leave the ground. If you can’t communicate with your horse in this exercise, you’re sure to have problems jumping a course.

Spend more time developing your aids to become a more effective rider. In return, you’ll experience more enjoyment in hunt seat horsemanship.

This article originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post 3 Exercises for Hunt Seat Riders appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

For starters, focus on schooling exercises that encourage your horse to maintain an energetic canter and a long stride. Otherwise the environmental restraints of a small arena will cause your horse to adopt a slow pace and a compressed stride. While a rocking chair canter on a 10-foot stride is comfortable to sit, it won’t win ribbons at a horse show. In competition, courses are set in increments of 12-foot strides. You’ll be forced to jolt your horse into warp drive just to make the correct number of strides in the lines.

Our first exercise serves as a checkpoint to judge if your horse is cantering like a horse or an over-sized pony. In one corner of your arena, arrange three 10- or 12-foot long ground poles in the shape of a fan or semi-circle. (For safety’s sake, allow a few feet of space between the far end of the poles and the arena rail). At the base of the fan, the poles should measure 9-feet apart; at the top of the fan they should measure 12-feet apart.

Your goal is to establish a jumping pace and length of stride, and then maintain it as you approach the fan and canter over the poles. You should feel a definite “bounce, bounce, bounce” as your horse canters over each pole while turning the corner. Yet glance down. Which portion of the fan accommodated your horse’s stride? If your horse’s track was near the base of the fan, then you need to work on extending his stride. When your horse can consistently “bounce, bounce, bounce” over the far end of the fan, you’ll know you’ve achieved a suitable length of stride for hunter competition.

Another reliable exercise is a simple grid that encourages your horse to stretch his stride. Set a crossrail between a pair of standards, with a ground pole at the base on each side. Now add another ground pole on each side, but roll these out about 9-feet from the crossrail. They’ll work as placement poles to regulate your horse’s length of stride. Your job is to maintain a steady trot all the way to the first placement pole. Then, without any urging, your horse should step lightly (not leap) over the placement pole, softly pat the ground with his feet, jump the crossrail, and then hop over the other placement pole. Encourage your horse to canter away from the exercise on a nice long stride before you halt. Eventually raise the crossrail to a small vertical (up to 2’6”), but roll the placement poles out an additional foot to accommodate a bigger jumping effort. This handy exercise can be jumped in both directions.

You can expand this grid to simulate a line of jumps. Reconfigure the elements so a placement pole is set 9-feet in front of a crossrail. Measure 18-feet and set a vertical. As before, trot to the placement pole and allow your horse’s impulsion to carry him over the pole and crossrail. But now, after the crossrail, he’ll take one canter stride and then jump the vertical. When he lands, let him canter several strides, or around the corner, before halting. As you progress, change the vertical into a low oxer. If you raise the oxer over 3-feet, shift those standards back about a foot so that measurement of the grid is opened up to 19 or 20-feet. That will give your horse enough room to stretch his body and make a good jumping effort over the oxer. Always endeavor to practice good jumping, even in a less-than-perfect arena.

Liked this article? Here’s more advice on schooling over fences:
4 Fences 7 Ways
Better Jumping with Ground Pole Exercises
Grid Exercises with Gina Miles

The post Jumping Exercises for Small Arenas appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

If a horse is engaged and balanced before being asked to stop, he will inevitably halt square; his legs will be equally balanced underneath him. More frequently, though, halts are anything but square. It’s common to see riders wiggling around in the saddle trying to “square up” their horse after he has stopped in a sprawled out position.

Instead, focus on the quality of work that precedes the halt. Through the practice of setting your horse up to execute balanced stops, you’ll improve the halt and, more importantly, his overall body mechanics. This will better his entire way of moving and performing.

Challenges you might face at the halt include:

• The horse braces his neck and ignores your request.
• The horse hollows his topline and loses his balance.
• The horse becomes crooked or swings his body around.

The following three exercises will help alleviate any or all of these challenges. They work by getting your horse to better use his body so that when you then ask him to halt, he won’t compromise his balance in the ways listed above.

Adjust Stride in Each Gait

Frequent adjustment of stride length within the trot, for example, keeps the hind legs active. This prevents them from trailing behind the body. Also, the practice of reducing your horse’s stride length and tempo helps keep him responsive and light on your aids, and eliminates any habit he may have of bracing his neck or pulling on the reins when asked for a downward transition. After riding lots of transitions within the various gaits, it will be much easier to get a prompt and square halt transition.

1. Establish a steady working trot, tracking right.
2. As you ride around the track, ask your horse to slow down for four strides each time you pass A, E, C and B.
3. After each clear downshift in tempo, resume working trot.
4. Once these transitions are happening smoothly, ask for four strides of a faster, bigger trot at each of those letters.
5. Ride a few laps around the arena this way. Then, return to riding transitions to a slower and shorter trot at the letters.
6. Catch your horse by surprise and ride a gentle, smooth downward transition to the halt. Be sure to transition first to the slower trot like you were doing previously. When you feel him respond, complete the halt transition. Your horse should be soft, balanced and engaged.

Ground Pole Square

One common cause of an unsquare halt is a horse careening through your aids when you ask him to stop—swinging his butt sideways, being late to stop, and falling sideways off his line of travel. A good way to get control over his feet is by using a ground pole square. This will help your horse organize his body by giving him a visual boundary. Halting inside the box with a pole behind his hind legs can also cure the bad habit of taking a step back after stopping. Repeatedly halting inside the space of the ground pole square allows your horse to practice clean halts without swinging sideways or stepping backward.

1. Set up a square on the ground using four 8-foot poles.
2. Develop a working trot and ride in a straight line toward the box.
3. Ten meters from the box, transition down to a walk.
4. Enter the box in a marching walk.
5. Begin asking for the halt as soon as your horse’s front feet cross the first pole.
6. Once his back legs have stepped into the box, you should be stopped.
7. Stand quietly inside the box for several seconds with your horse remaining on the bit and attentive.
8. Once this pattern is going smoothly, shorten the distance you walk into the box until you are trotting directly into it and halting.

Western Cloverleaf

If your horse initially stops square but then fidgets around and gets antsy or impatient, you can use the following exercise that many cowboys use to create balanced, quiet stops. It asks your horse to work very hard for a short burst and then offers him the chance to rest quietly in the halt. If he opts to fidget around instead of rest quietly, immediately hustle him back out on the pattern. Keep doing this until you are able to finish the pattern, drop the reins, and not feel him move a muscle under you.

Sometimes this exercise requires patience and multiple repetitions, but it nearly always works. It is far more effective than trying to discipline a horse for dancing around or giving stronger and stronger halt aids, which are increasingly futile. It uses the horse’s forward energy to your advantage. He soon learns that it is a lot less work to stand still, and the halt becomes enjoyable rather than a bore.

1. Starting from a standstill, take off in a brisk trot or canter around the first “leaf” of a four-leaf clover pattern. (In a 20-meter wide dressage arena, each leaf will be about 10 meters in diameter.)
2. Keep hustling around all four leaves.
3. Park your horse in the center where you started, drop the reins, and sit quietly.
4. As soon as he moves a foot or fidgets, shorten your reins and immediately take off for another trip around the cloverleaf pattern.
5. Repeat step No. 3.

By practicing these exercises, you will avoid being one of those riders seen leaning off the side of her horse at the halt while trying to look under his belly to see if his feet are square. You can rest assured that he will be square because you have conditioned his body for it. Remember, as long as your halts are square, your training is moving in the right direction.

This article originally appeared in the January 2014 issue of Horse Illustrated. Click here to subscribe.

The post Three Exercises to Master the Halt appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

If you’re like many riders, you probably don’t have a jump crew on the ground every time you school. Since it’s not particularly safe to jump by yourself, working over poles is a great way to keep your horse tuned up without actually jumping any fences.

Pole work also helps to sharpen your riding skills because it teaches you how to maintain a steady rhythm in the trot and canter. If your horse is poking along like a snail or galloping around the arena at warp speed, he’s going to step on some poles or fall on his face, and it won’t be pretty.

The poles you use should be solid and heavy so they don’t roll or split if your horse kicks or steps on them. Avoid using plastic plumbing pipes as poles because they may shatter if your horse steps on them. You can make your own poles out of inexpensive 8-foot wooden landscaping poles purchased at a home improvement store. To set up several exercises in the arena at once, you’ll need around 14 or 15 poles. It will be easier for your horse to see them on the ground if you paint them white and some other dark color, like red or black.

Here are a few easy-to-set-up ground pole exercises you can do with your horse.

Place several single poles randomly around the arena and incorporate them into your flatwork sessions. Start by walking over the poles. If your horse is young or green and hasn’t seen a “scary” pole before, be prepared for him to jump 10 feet over it. Take a deep breath, relax, soften your hands and continue walking over the same pole until your horse gets bored and steps over it properly instead of leaping into the air. Once your horse has mastered the first pole, move on to the other ones scattered around the arena. Once he walks calmly over all of the poles, you can move up a gear and pop over them at the trot and canter.

Single Poles

Don’t get into jumping position as you approach a pole; if you’re trotting, continue posting, and if you’re cantering, keep your seat lightly in the saddle. Always aim for the middle of the pole. Don’t let your horse wiggle around in front of it or run out. Get him back on track by using leg-yielding aids. Try not to look down at the poles because doing this affects your balance in the saddle; keep your head up and look over the poles into the distance.

Work the poles into circles, serpentines and figure-eights. Try to keep your horse’s pace and rhythm the same as he approaches and travels over them. Keep your reins even, your contact steady and your legs touching his sides, ready to urge him forward if needed. Don’t fuss with your hands to try to help him get the right stride over the pole. Your main job is to ask your horse to quickly respond to your leg cues so he moves forward freely and with energy. If your horse is really lazy, you may need to carry a crop and use it once or twice behind your lower leg if he ignores your aids. Remember to always approach poles from both directions so your horse doesn’t become one-sided and bored.

Set up a line of five or six poles, placing them parallel to one another. If you’re riding a horse, set the poles up about 4 1/2 to 5 feet apart. For a pony, set the poles about 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart.

Trotting Poles

Walk through the poles once or twice and then try them at the trot. Ask your horse to trot around the arena at a steady, active pace before you approach the line of poles. He should have a spring in his step. Keep your upper body tall and centered on your horse’s back, and concentrate on keeping your arms and wrists supple so you can follow his head movement. You don’t want to have a death grip on his mouth as you head toward the trotting poles, as this will affect his approach. Allow your horse to stretch his neck and head down if he wants to on his first approach or two as he figures out the exercise.

Give your horse plenty of room to approach the poles. Don’t yank him toward the poles at the last second. Steer him to the middle of the poles and keep your hands quiet; you shouldn’t be using them to help you keep your balance. You can post the trot over the poles or lift your seat slightly out of the saddle and get into a half-seat to get off your horse’s back and allow him to work his back muscles.

Do your best to maintain the same pace and rhythm over all of the poles—a lazy horse may need a tap of the whip behind your leg while you’re trotting the line. When you trot over the last pole, ask your horse to continue with energy around the arena. If he’s particularly pokey, he may slow down the second he clears that last pole. Keep him moving forward!

After one or two trips through the line, your horse should figure out where to put his feet if the poles are properly spaced. If he keeps tripping or is still having trouble after several tries, hop off and adjust the distances between the poles to be shorter or longer depending on his stride; the distance should match his stride length. Trotting poles should be a confidence-builder for your horse, not a negative experience.

Place four poles on a 20-meter circle at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. Walk over the poles first and think about bending your horse slightly to the inside using the standard aids: inside leg at the girth, outside leg slightly behind the girth, your inside hand slightly away from your horse’s neck and your outside hand just brushing his neck. Maintain a light contact on the reins and ask him with a light squeeze of your legs to stay forward and engaged with his hind legs.

Poles on a Circle

Once you’ve walked over one pole, look to the next one. Ask your horse for inside bend all the way around the circle. Walk the circle in both directions. Most horses, especially off-the-track Thoroughbreds, are stiff on one side and need to be worked constantly in both directions to become more supple. Once your horse has mastered the circle at the walk, try it at the trot. Ask for a nice, rhythmic trot and keep your contact steady. Don’t let your horse drift outside the poles to avoid trotting over them. Maintain the inside bend by squeezing the inside rein, and keep your horse on the circle with your outside leg.

Once you’ve mastered the circle in both directions at the trot, try it at a canter. At first, canter over two poles and then go around the remaining two. Once your horse canters nicely over two poles, add the other two. Your first few tries may be a bit awkward—those poles come up quickly at the canter! Your horse may trip or try to jump the poles, but if you ask him for a nice, collected canter, he should be able to canter over the poles in stride. Depending on the size of your horse, you should get three forward canter strides or four regular strides between the poles, but you may find your horse taking more or fewer strides as he tries to work out where his legs go. It’s important to stay as quiet as possible on his back and to not yank him in the mouth as you canter over the poles.

Although it may seem difficult at first, try to do at least two fairly balanced circles before you slow down and change directions. The better your horse gets at this exercise, the more in control and balanced he’ll be when you’re cantering around a jumping course.

If you’ve got six poles, you can set up two canter-pole exercises. Set up three poles 18 to 24 feet apart for a one-stride exercise, depending on your horse’s stride; it may help to start with the poles set at 20 feet and space them tighter or wider if needed. Next, set up three poles 9 to 10 feet apart for a bounce exercise. The one-stride exercise will be easier for your horse, so try that first. It’s essential that you pick up a collected canter before you head toward the poles to help your horse get over the first pole in stride. If he takes off too far in front of the pole or too close to it, he’ll struggle to pop over the rest of them smoothly. If your approach is steady and collected, your horse should be able to take off at the right distance, land, take one stride, and then canter over the next pole.

Canter Poles

If your horse handles the one-stride layout successfully, try the 10-foot bounce exercise, where your horse jumps the first pole and takes off again with no stride between the poles. Be prepared—the first time you try a bounce, your horse may try to leap two poles at once, so stay secure in the saddle and be giving with your hands if he jumps big.

Give a small half-halt with your outside rein to balance your horse a few strides out from the first pole, then soften with your hands so you don’t yank him in the mouth if he stumbles or jumps awkwardly. As with all of these exercises, remember to do them in both directions.

Incorporating pole work into your everyday schooling sessions is an easy way to improve your horse’s balance. When you get the chance to raise the poles and actually jump them, you should see an improvement in your horse’s jumping style.

Here are more resources on improving your training routine:
4 Fences 7 Ways
Help Your Horse Jump Better with Trot Poles

Special thanks to Bridget Bellocq and Never Ben Kissed for assistance with these photos and video.

This article originally appeared in the August 2013 issue of Horse Illustrated. Click here to subscribe.

The post Better Jumping with Ground Pole Exercises appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Click the image below to download a pdf of this chart.

Download the diagram above for some exercises you can use to practice in your arena at home. 

Figure Eight:

A figure-eight is two circles that have a tangent straight stride in the middle. As you cross the center of the arena to change direction and ride the second circle, there will be one stride of straightness perpendicular to the centerline where the two circles meet. Start by doing two 20-meter circles. As you and your horse advance, you can try 10-meter circles

Three-Loop Serpentine:

This exercise is three 20-meter half-circles that are connected. Starting at A, ride half of a 20-meter circle. When you get to the centerline, change your horse’s bend and ride another half-circle in the other direction. When you reach the centerline again at the 40-meter line, change your horse’s bend again and ride the final 20-meter half-circle.

Four-Loop Serpentine:

A four-loop serpentine in the dressage arena is based on four 15-meter loops. You’ll alternate bend the same way you did in the three-loop serpentine, but your horse will travel straight for a bit longer as you change direction in this exercise as your loops are no longer perfect half-circles.

Six-Loop Serpentine:

The six-loop serpentine is done in the 20×60 meter dressage arena between the quarterlines. You’ll make six 10-meter half circles, alternating bend, staying between the quarterlines and changing bend at the centerline.

Get full descriptions of these exercises and more from Susan Friend LeTourneur in the November 2012 issue of Horse Illustrated

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