The week in jumping lessons...

This week in jumping lessons we will be working on better corners. Not only getting the horse further into the ends, but also using the corners to re balance and refocus.

To this end I have built a course that goes like this:

Left lead canter to the yellow vertical, then about 6 strides to a bounce set at an angle in the corner. Across the diagonal over a three stride, then into the far corner, and down the other side in four strides, with the second jump being a new scary lattice jump. Then into the corner, over the bounce again, and across the diagonal over a fan jump.

The bounce will be tiny, but will still require riders to sit UP and re balance with the inside leg and outside rein, followed by outside leg to sent them forward again and keep their hind end engaged as they approach the corner. It will be a bit of an optical illusion to the horse, and they will want to drop onto their inside shoulder and miss the bounce all together if given the option.

It is important to use leg as well as hand/shoulders when re balancing as we don't want to inadvertently pull the horse onto its forehand, or take away its push from behind, which it needs to get the lead change nicely, and to get over the next jump in an athletic manner.

Karen