# Grid work and jumping exercises- please advise



## JustKickOn (27 February 2013)

So, I have committed myself to do a combined training in a couple of weeks.
Last time I attempted a course it was 80cm, we got to the third fence and the breaks were slammed on twice, after a run out at the first and napping at the second. Cue elimination.. I've jumped probably twice since then due to my confidence being in tatters and lots of uni work to get done. 

The CT I've entered will have teeny, tiny jumps, 2'0-2'3, which I think insults both of our abilities, but I entered small just so that if I need to, I can trot round the lot of it. 

K prefers to jump out of a rather fast pace, where as I am more a slow and steady rider. I do enjoy jumping, but when I am in control. I am rarely in control when jumping, even with a slightly stronger bit in. 
I had a very good jump lesson last year with Sam Dewer, and he gave he lots of things to think about and consider, but I can't afford lessons that cost me a lot very often. 

A lot of people suggested grid work when I posted the rather disastrous video of us attempting eventing SJ last year to get a rhythm more established. But I also need to practice courses. 

*SO...* I have 8 jump wings (four are wooden where cups can just go on one side; the other are the 3ft triangular polyblocks), 10-12 poles, and a 40m x 25m arena to practice in.

What can I do!?

Thanks
L 

ps. I'm not that hot on distances, so I'll either be getting out the tape measure, or taking slightly bigger strides as I only have little legs.


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## holzrokz (27 February 2013)

No advice i'm affraid but 101 jumping excercises for horse and rider is a good book with loads of excercises to try?


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## JustKickOn (27 February 2013)

Have had a look in that book before although I won't have access to it until next week, but thank you.


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## Rebels (28 February 2013)

I used pole to a little spread, keep the canter and round corner to an upright , again small, really sit and weight, aim for the same deep stride the pole put you on. So for me , pole, 3 human strides to first pole on jump, roll out a tad for a longer striding horse. It should help him sit back off his jump instead of running on. Then change so that your little spread is an upright and the back pole gets moved back 3 human strides and on the floor. Jump that a few times so he has to sit up after his fence, again canter round to your other fence. Next raise the back trot pole (if the stride felt right).to a little fence and ride your bounce


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## Rosesandhorses (28 February 2013)

Hello, why not try going back to ground pole work to build both confidence up and gradually raise them until they are jumps. It very much depends on the size of your horse as to distances but if you can have someone on the ground to alter the distances accordingly this may help. Why not try setting up a line of walk poles, a line of trot poles, and then some canter poles. To help with the brakes a good exercise to do is go over the poles, ask for a halt - turn on the forehand - back over the poles in the opposite direction. Also you could scatter poles around the arena and incorporate them into general schooling sessions so they are less of a big deal to your horse. I would then gradually raise one side of the pole, and once your confident and have brakes raise the other side, again just for your general schooling sessions. To stop your horse anticipating the moves (which usually allows for speeding up) change direction every time you go over the poles so that it keeps him guessing and makes sure he is listening to you. I would then work towards combinations which will improve on this. Good luck!


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## MandyMoo (28 February 2013)

I did some gridwork today in my arena; to be fair it is 20x50 rather than 20x40...but I think the grids I did could easily be done in a 40x20.

I started with a placing pole to a cross, one stride to a cross - and then added a third element one stride from the second fence to give three fences one stride apart from one another (with placing poles throughout).

I then had two bounces then one stride to a verticle. Then two bounces one stride to an oxer.

I then did three bounces in a row on their own to slow him up as he got a bit forward/long and thought he knew best! Then ended on a bounce, two strides to an oxer (with placing poles)


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## KatB (28 February 2013)

Rosesandhorses, sorry but I have to disagree, it does NOT depend on the size of your horse for distances. You should be training your horse to find it easy in the ring, and distances int rh rig are not altered depending in the size of your horse!!
Roderlizzie, first thing id be doing is learning to stride out 1yard consistently without even thinkig about it, it will help you massively  build distances at home a little bit shorter than at comps to encourage the horse to jump off its hocks, so canter poles will be at 3.5yards.


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## MandyMoo (28 February 2013)

KatB said:



			Rosesandhorses, sorry but I have to disagree, it does NOT depend on the size of your horse for distances. You should be training your horse to find it easy in the ring, and distances int rh rig are not altered depending in the size of your horse!!
		
Click to expand...

totally agree here!! never adjust distances for your horse....the course designer wont do it for you at competitions, so you shouldn't do it at home!

average horse stride in canter is 12ft (4 paces measured out correctly....practice pacing out 4 of your strides alongside a 12ft pole or measure out a 12ft distance with a tape measure and practice walking 4 paces along it to get the 'feel' for a correct human stride distance so you can correctly stride out 4 of them to make one horse canter stride...and then there should be 2 extra human strides for take off, and another 2 strides for landing.

e.g. a one stride distance should be 2 human paces, then 4, then 2 between two fences to create a one stride distance.
a bounce distance between two fences is simple the take off and landing without the space for a stride in between


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## Rosesandhorses (28 February 2013)

Thanks for the lovely comments on my view on changing pole distances!! Can I just add that she did not say whether it was a horse or pony that she was riding and also in my experience if the horse is a little panicky and rushes it helps to work to their stride and as they gain confidence adjust to where they need to be - in other words the horse needs to be taught to shorten/lengthen. To help them learn to adjust their stride you can put some poles on a circle at an angle with the centre being the right distance, you can bring them in to teach them to shorten and send them out to teach them to length. Great exercise for gaining strength as well.


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## Rebels (28 February 2013)

IMO stride depends on what you are schooling for. If want to practice triples say, then i will set them at a competition distance. However if i want to improve my horses natural technique over a grid then i will tailor the distance to produce a correct 'free' jump including allowing a free rein and letting


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## JustKickOn (28 February 2013)

Rosesandhorses said:



			Hello, why not try going back to ground pole work to build both confidence up and gradually raise them until they are jumps. It very much depends on the size of your horse as to distances but if you can have someone on the ground to alter the distances accordingly this may help. Why not try setting up a line of walk poles, a line of trot poles, and then some canter poles. To help with the brakes a good exercise to do is go over the poles, ask for a halt - turn on the forehand - back over the poles in the opposite direction. Also you could scatter poles around the arena and incorporate them into general schooling sessions so they are less of a big deal to your horse. I would then gradually raise one side of the pole, and once your confident and have brakes raise the other side, again just for your general schooling sessions. To stop your horse anticipating the moves (which usually allows for speeding up) change direction every time you go over the poles so that it keeps him guessing and makes sure he is listening to you. I would then work towards combinations which will improve on this. Good luck!
		
Click to expand...

We are doing all of this already, pretty much. Pole work is generally part of most things I do in the school, except when prepping for my dressage where I like to focus solely on the lateral stuff. She also has the onset of arthritis in her right hind hock, so we use poles to get her to bend it that little more and keep the mobility in the joint.
Horse is 16hh and 18yo, in her SJ career jumped up to Fox. She knows her job, but is a bit of a speed demon with it. It's the numpty on top who has the struggle with what her job is!
I try to do a course of poles when I can be bothered to set one out, and canter round it, getting changes correct and balance in the corners etc. She is fine doing this, but it's when the poles go up I start getting flustered, and that puts the jitters in her.



Rebels said:



			I used pole to a little spread, keep the canter and round corner to an upright , again small, really sit and weight, aim for the same deep stride the pole put you on. So for me , pole, 3 human strides to first pole on jump, roll out a tad for a longer striding horse. It should help him sit back off his jump instead of running on. Then change so that your little spread is an upright and the back pole gets moved back 3 human strides and on the floor. Jump that a few times so he has to sit up after his fence, again canter round to your other fence. Next raise the back trot pole (if the stride felt right).to a little fence and ride your bounce 

Click to expand...

Thanks, will have a play around with that and draw out some diagrams to make sure it makes sense to me. I think bounces are definitely going to be something to incorporate as she won't be able to fly through them like the clappers, and it will (hopefully) make her sit back and listen a little bit more.



MandyMoo said:



			I did some gridwork today in my arena; to be fair it is 20x50 rather than 20x40...but I think the grids I did could easily be done in a 40x20.

I started with a placing pole to a cross, one stride to a cross - and then added a third element one stride from the second fence to give three fences one stride apart from one another (with placing poles throughout).

I then had two bounces then one stride to a verticle. Then two bounces one stride to an oxer.

I then did three bounces in a row on their own to slow him up as he got a bit forward/long and thought he knew best! Then ended on a bounce, two strides to an oxer (with placing poles)
		
Click to expand...

This sounds really useful, will incorporate the placing poles too. Thank you.



KatB said:



			Rosesandhorses, sorry but I have to disagree, it does NOT depend on the size of your horse for distances. You should be training your horse to find it easy in the ring, and distances int rh rig are not altered depending in the size of your horse!!
Roderlizzie, first thing id be doing is learning to stride out 1yard consistently without even thinkig about it, it will help you massively  build distances at home a little bit shorter than at comps to encourage the horse to jump off its hocks, so canter poles will be at 3.5yards.
		
Click to expand...

I've always tried to do standard competition distances when setting up my fences and poles, there isn't any point in setting something up for them, to get out to a competition where it's all different.



MandyMoo said:



			totally agree here!! never adjust distances for your horse....the course designer wont do it for you at competitions, so you shouldn't do it at home!

average horse stride in canter is 12ft (4 paces measured out correctly....practice pacing out 4 of your strides alongside a 12ft pole or measure out a 12ft distance with a tape measure and practice walking 4 paces along it to get the 'feel' for a correct human stride distance so you can correctly stride out 4 of them to make one horse canter stride...and then there should be 2 extra human strides for take off, and another 2 strides for landing.

e.g. a one stride distance should be 2 human paces, then 4, then 2 between two fences to create a one stride distance.
a bounce distance between two fences is simple the take off and landing without the space for a stride in between
		
Click to expand...

See, this is how I have always measures out my poles and fences, but I think my striding is inconsistent due to a dodgy hip and knee, so some days I can move my right side more than other days.  I'm a bit more creaky than you'd expect a 20yo to be. 

Thanks for all the useful responses, I have got some help on the ground on Saturday to shout at me to sit up and wait for the fence to come to me, and to help with poles etc, so fingers crossed it goes well!


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## Rebels (28 February 2013)

IMO stride depends on what you are schooling for. If want to practice triples say, then i will set them at a competition distance. However if i want to improve my horses natural technique over a grid then i will tailor the distance to produce a correct 'free' jump including allowing a free rein and letting the horse have a free neck. Thus the jump part [pushing off, snapping up] develops. So depends on what your session aim is.


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## Rebels (28 February 2013)

Oh, and my striding was taught by an octogenarian who wrote a chunk of that celeb jumping book!


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## JustKickOn (28 February 2013)

I learnt my stride distances from the BHS chief assessor, so I would like to think what I did learn was correct


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