# Poling (not Rapping!) the show jumper



## flyingfeet (28 December 2008)

So for christmas I have been pouring over my new books and I have a great one "Training the moden show jumper" by Elmar Pollmann-Schweckhorst

I have now got a fabby grid built and have been beating myself up about my own faults, nice section about rider causing loss of confidence with the horse by consistently asking to take off too far away.... anyway

There is a section dedicated to poling, by this I mean someone stood behind a solid wing using a stick (hazel rod) so thin and just nudging the coronet band. 

No not whacking it, merely touching and moving with the horse to correct trailing legs, uneven tuck, lack of tuck. 

The idea not being to bump or scare the horse, but to make them more aware of themselves and their shape. 

Now in practise to find someone this skilled on the ground is probably very difficult. I was wondering if anyone had heard or used this technique. 

Now before the bunny huggers kick off, you must move the pole with the horse and never cause a sharp bump. So the idea is NOT to whack the legs!


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## carthorse (28 December 2008)

Never seen this and it would take a lot of skill and knowledge . I have seen gorse tied on show jump poles and elecric wires above poles [ hired a showjumpers indoor school once and arrived early] and I have seen one man take the flag pole from the side of the practice fence and dig it into his pony's chest as it went over the practice fence [ nice man]. So not all have naturally careful jumpers!


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## Baydale (28 December 2008)

I have heard of that being done, but I imagine you could count the number of skilled people capable of doing it properly on the fingers of one hand. To pacify the bunny huggers 
	
	
		
		
	


	




, you could compare it with someone on the ground with a long whip when teaching a horse to piaffe.

So spill the beans on your fabby grid as I'm on a mission to do grids with mine tomorrow.


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## flyingfeet (28 December 2008)

Well actually it may have been one of the other 5 books I got, but there is one called the "power grid" to develop power and implusion! 

At the moment I have a massive zig zag set up with 9 fences varing from uprights, oxers and a water jump and I have tons of space left and can do lateral work to pacify my dressage trainer (she mutters about the jumps!!)

Anyway back to the poling, I thought it was interesting as the author was against inhumane treatments as a scared horse will not have a good technique. 

I cannot see how an electric wire works as I would have thought many horses would jack it in.


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## Skhosu (28 December 2008)

I would imagine it is worded like that in the book much like giving a horse a smack is worded 'tapping' the horse. I don't believe it is ever done like that.


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## carthorse (28 December 2008)

No idea just saw it , not even sure they would feel much as only onto a battery like electric fencing but not white tape , it was a wire.


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## Baydale (28 December 2008)

I do all my stressage around my jumps - it makes me ride 10m circles and smaller serpentines than I would if I had an empty arena, then I'm not so shocked when I go into a 20 x 40 arena at the first event.

Surely the poling is just like the hind boots that work on the principle of proprioception ie. the body's ability to sense movement within joints and joint position?


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## lucretia (28 December 2008)

Bunny huggers? great expression!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  anyway recently i worked in a place where they had some bamboo rods (like for growing runner beans on) very thin and light, i shouldnt think the horse could see them, which where place a few incheches above the top pole. didnt hurt if they hit one but make a clatter when falling nand i suspect that is the sort of thing they mean. doing it the way it is said in the book (which i have got) inplies 'rapping' to me.
   as for other methods, like using wire and electrified tape, well obviously i wouldnt know anything about such heinous things as no professional would use such things.


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## flyingfeet (28 December 2008)

The fixed poles are in the book too, but you need brackets to attach them to. Stephen H's book sad use metal wings so they make more noise if the horse knocks the poles, so similar principle I guess. 

The book mentioned rapping and said it was inhumane and ineffective, with the exception of making a horse paranoid if anyone is stood near a fence. It did say its important not to bump them when poling, so I do genuinely think they do not mean whack the legs!!


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## SpottedCat (28 December 2008)

I agree with Baydale - it's a proprioception thing isn't it?

I reckon if you can find anyone good enough (and that is a very big if) then it probably works very well as evidenced by how coaches use their hands to guide gymnasts and teach them to tuck neatly etc. 

I think that using a thin stick like that and guiding the feet, the most likely issue is you'd miss entirely assuming you weren't taking a random swing at the horse in order to hit rather than guide.


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## flyingfeet (28 December 2008)

That's a great analogy SC - a gymnast trainer guiding. 

I agree tough to catch them right in the air at the correct moment, would be one heck of a skill.


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## suzysparkle (28 December 2008)

Yes I have seen this done. Groom stood with a long thin stick beside the wing and raised it as the Horse jumped. I saw the Horse make contact with the stick and it was a very feint brush. The Horse would have felt it but only just, certainly no pain at all. The next time round I could see the Horse clear the jump with a bit more to spare. This was over a 1.60m oxer. 

I have to say this was at a SJ yard where the Horses were treated with great respect and I was surprised at first to see this method. Then I watched it more closely and realized that it certainly did not hurt, and that the person doing it had a lot of skill!! I watched a few times while I worked there and it was a definate art. It was very much tailored to the Horse as to if it was in front, behind or both. I think (from memory as we are talking 8 years ago) it was a thick stick like a broom handle with a long flexible stick attacked with gaffer tape - made for the purpose. Certainly could not cause pain.


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## Gamebird (29 December 2008)

I'm sure we've all used heavy poles wedged into the wings in combination with no front boots for the less-than-careful horse?? This sounds a lot kinder than that. Though, as with everything dynamic the skill will be in the timing.


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## almorton (31 December 2008)

still happens. only now we've moved onto thin (inch wide) metal type dark nearly invisible 'poles' just above the actual fence. presume it trains the horses to give that bit extra over the fence!


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## Weezy (31 December 2008)

I admit that I used to pole for certain people


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## pinktiger (31 December 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
 you could compare it with someone on the ground with a long whip when teaching a horse to piaffe.

if done as you said cant see it being anything but a general guide!!  bagsy not the one standing by the wing with the guide rod/stick/bamboo or on the horse!lol  I'll make the coffee!!!


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## kat_sparkles (30 August 2014)

Ive seen people do this with pool noodles!and just light sticks and you are correct it is basically impossible to find someone who is good enough not to whack the legs. (yes the idea is a small tap)   just teaches the horse to be extra careful cross country trainers use this often because the jumps dont fall and the horses need to tuck their legs up

Note: Only used when necessary is your horse already has good technique no need to use it. My mare hangs her legs below her shoulder instead of bringing her knees up and infront. However I havent found anyone I would trust to pole yet


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## slumdog (30 August 2014)

Did you blow the dust and cobwebs off this post before you replied lol! Giving something a 'bash' is quite a common phrase on the affiliated circuit, I also know of people who allegedly use electric spurs.


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