This week in jumping lessons

To follow up to last week's work on an arc/circle, we are working this week on changes of direction.

The key is to set the horse up for the change of direction before you think you need to, by getting control of their shoulder before the turn. If you don't do this, the horse will feel pulled off balance, and will typically get quicker to find their balance, and go past the turn with their shoulder. I think rider's take it for granted that a horse can change direction as quickly as they can, but as horses are horizontal four legged creature, they have a lot of body to control, and it is easier to throw them off balance...like a truck pulling a trailer on ice!

To introduce the concept of balancing the horse correctly and preparing for the change in direction, I have a walk pole exercise that will require riders to really keep control of the horse's speed and their shoulder. The idea is to look up and focus on getting to the center of the poles, and to maintain a slow rhythm. When you come in on a right circle, you should have your head turned right, your right leg at the girth to bend the horse's body, the left leg back to hold the hind quarters from swinging wide. The right leg is off the neck to get the bend through the neck, and the left rein is against the neck to keep that shoulder from popping out.

As you approach the point where you change direction, you should look in the new direction, straighten the horse with the outside rein, switch which of your legs is forward vs back, and make sure your horse doesn't speed up. It is important to start this BEFORE you actually need to turn, so your horse is ready to turn.

Then we will do a more generous figure-8 over trot poles, and more experienced riders will continue to doing the figure-8 over jumps. The jumps come up quickly, but the basic preparation work that will get you over all 6 jumps are the same as for the walk exercise. The main keys will be not letting the horse get quick, looking ahead to where you are going, and keeping control of the horse's outside shoulder!

Karen