True and I’ve been cantering single and double floor poles currently, as described within the final couple articles.
He is superb now at cantering a single pole, and (hooray) he stays calm and relaxed about it… so long as I do. He’s a bit much less comfy cantering over two separated floor poles, however more often than not he does it properly. He simply wants slightly extra observe with that.
What’s subsequent? For a horse-and-human workforce who tends to turn out to be nervous, I add requirements on both aspect of the bottom pole. The ensuing “impediment” appears to be like like a normal bounce, however the pole continues to be on the bottom.
For many horses, this is not going to be a lot of a problem. They’ve already trotted low crosspoles with requirements on either side. (In case your horse hasn’t accomplished that, please return to my earlier articles on this column earlier than you start cantering poles.)
When your horse is unconcerned in regards to the requirements, start to boost the bottom pole. You are able to do this with 3” or 6” plastic raisers, with bounce cups in case your requirements have holes drilled that low, or with a stack of three floor poles in order that the center one is raised on prime of the opposite two.
Any of these strategies work; the purpose is just to boost the pole in small increments.
True canters backwards and forwards over poles raised off the bottom by roughly 6” now. I add selection by altering the colour of the poles or utilizing a 6″ flower field every now and then, so he learns that no matter we method, we go over… even when it appears to be like odd.
If he’s anxious about a brand new colour or form, we stroll or trot over it a time or two earlier than returning to the canter.
The texture of cantering over a raised pole must be the identical as cantering over a floor pole. The horse doesn’t should do something totally different. We don’t need her to leap greater or wider, or immediately act as if this can be a huge new factor.
However right here’s the place beginner riders’ minds play methods. We people know the place this little floor pole sport goes, even when the horse doesn’t. In coming weeks, that pole will likely be two ft off the bottom, then greater. And a few riders get nervous about that from the beginning.
Probably the most widespread questions I hear at this stage is “How ought to I train the horse to go away the bottom over the three” or 6” raised pole on the correct distance?”
My reply: “Don’t.”
It’s not time to fret about distances but. Simply chill out your physique and thoughts, canter the horse steadily and rhythmically, give attention to protecting your self and your horse calm and straight. Let him hop this tiny low pole from no matter distance he likes. Typically the gap will likely be awkward. That’s OK. Attempt to not micro-manage.
I don’t advocate ignoring distances because the poles get greater. However for now, this train is straightforward, and we need to maintain it that means.
The horse’s main lesson is to canter on the identical tempo and rhythm approaching the pole, going over it, and exiting away from it. His job is just to cross it as simply as attainable in a totally relaxed state of mind, on a straight line, within the heart of the pole.
There’s one more reason I like to recommend ignoring distances for now. Too typically, riders are likely to shorten a horse’s stride to satisfy a distance.
It’s simpler to experience a brief stride to a clumsy distance than it’s to encourage a inexperienced horse to carry off the bottom from too far again. And that tendency to shorten causes many inexperienced horses to develop a brief leaping stride. Mainly, it teaches them to get down close to the bounce, then take one or two little child strides and chip over the pole. Which is strictly what we don’t need when the jumps get greater.
When True canters down and meets the pole at a clumsy distance, I simply attempt to stay relaxed. However I don’t reward him for these efforts. As a substitute, we proceed cantering away from the raised pole and, with out stopping, canter a big circle to attempt it once more.
We proceed cantering till True meets the pole at a good way. It doesn’t should be good, simply ample. He’s simply studying!
I retain a gentle balanced half-seat all through the train—it retains my weight off the horse’s decrease again and makes his job simpler.
Most riders don’t understand that as little as half an inch of a rider’s seat motion to at least one aspect unbalances a starting horse. He has to compensate to your motion when that occurs, touchdown crooked or on an angle over a straight pole. That may result in confusion, pressure, or damage.
As quickly as True meets the pole at a good way, calm and straight, and hops over with out touching it, he will get his non-edible rewards. I reward with my voice and stroke his neck with my hand. We stroll on a free rein, resting for a minute or so, then return to work.
With two separated floor poles, I depart the primary pole on the bottom and lift solely the second as a result of that’s best for the horse. When True has that down pat, I increase each poles to the 3-6” degree.
Anytime he will get nervous or uncoordinated, I again up a step to the train that provides him success.
Floor and low raised poles are glorious workout routines for the long run—even after a horse is accustomed to leaping 3’ programs—as a result of they cut back concussion on the legs however nonetheless permit for observe at method and exit.
Strategy and exit are essential facets of leaping a course. Actually, a lot of the issues riders and horses expertise heading in the right direction begin means again within the nook, or someplace on the method and exit. The precise arc of the bounce shouldn’t be normally the place an issue resides.
Correcting approaches and exits, protecting the horse straight, centering her bounce over the center of the pole, sustaining her rest—all of that may be practiced with floor poles that supply little probability of equine damage.
Take sufficient time together with your horse in order that she is going to by no means turn out to be afraid of leaping. Attempt to maintain every effort a peaceful optimistic one, even when it’s not good. Horses are simply scared, simply over-faced, after they bounce. Add to that the burden of a rider who is maybe not as balanced as she must be, and the horse has a better problem than you may think.
Don’t ask for an excessive amount of too quickly.
Associated studying:
Mind-Primarily based Horsemanship is a weekly column that chronicles Janet Jones, PhD, and her journey with True, a Dutch Warmblood she skilled from age three utilizing neuroscience finest practices. Learn extra about brain-based coaching in Jones’ award profitable e book Horse Mind, Human Mind.
A model of this story initially appeared on janet-jones.com. It’s reprinted right here with permission.
