LAE clinic: Jumping

... Or, "It was a good idea to wear brown breeches."

The above is my best attempt at drawing out the course. I apologize. I am not artist, despite what my job title may imply.

We started out popping over a vertical with a ground pole on the landing side. Why? A ground pole on the landing side is helping for horses who like to take off long, or rush and leap at the jumps. This obviously does not apply to Hampton (master of chipping in), but it was very helpful for the "enthusiastic horses."

From there we went through the line of verticals - 3 strides in between but again with a ground pole in front of each fence. Hampton was a little sticky the first time through, and thought about leaving to the right - but I help him straight and he figured it out.

From there we added to the course.

Vertical, line of 3-stride verticals, to the set of oxer bounces, to the ouside line, to the oxer and back down the outside line.

Hampton got sticky on me again in the in and out of oxers. In fact I thought I would get jumped out of the tack at one point. BUT - he kept going and we recovered. Lainey had us go through that grid 3 or 4 more times so Hampton could really figure out his feet. He got a great education and so did I. I have to ride more forward - always.

Toward the end, one oxer was hiked up to 3'. I literally gulped and said whisperd "f__ me" under my breath. I have not jumped that high since college, and Hampton has never been faced with much of anything over 2'6 or 2'9 at best.

But we gave it a shot. We came around on a diagonal, over a gate, over the skinny barrel and around to the oxer.

sooooo the first attempt we BOTH were like "DA FUCK?!" and this is what happened:

*screeching tires sound*

Second attempt was also a stop. So, they put the back rail down so we could both get our confidence back. Jumped that fine. After that we were sailing over it! Oh, I was clinging on for dear life but Hampton gained a lot of confidence. I was so proud of him for trying!

Full video of out takes:




Slow mo of our 3' oxer jump:

Some other tidbits:

* The canter to approach the jump with, is the canter you will land in. So don't come at a jump all strung out!

* Stay tall!

* A forward horse is a straight horse

* Always be prepared to halt in front of a skinny. It's fine if they stop, but they must remain straight.

* Teach the horse to land and look for the next jump

* Quick reaction to the leg (hmmm, sound familiar?!?!)

* Contact approaching the jump, and in the air is HEALTHY. Don't be afraid of it.

*If you start losing a shoulder, lift that hand (and send the other one forward). For example, if your horse likes to run through the left shoulder, life your left hand pretty high to help block.

Lainey is coming back in March so I am hoping to have the money to at least do a jump lesson. I think it has been really good for Hampton (and me!).

Cross training for the win.

(and I didn't really poop my pants that you know of, but was eye-bugging for sure)