Beginner Jumping: Gymnastics

Ok gymnastics. No I don't mean handstands on your horse -- that would be vaulting, which is a sport all in itself and is an absolute ton of fun, if you ever get the chance try it :)... But that's not for today.



Today's gymnastics involve a series of jumps or poles in quick succession (often, but not always, in a straight line).

Here we have the most traditional gymnastic ever; I suspect you've seen it before:

. . . X | ||

Three trot poles, an X, one stride, a vertical, one stride, an oxer. Numbers, cause everybody loves numbers: 4'5" between each of the trot poles, 9' between the last pole and the X, 18' between the X and the vert, and 21' between the vert and the oxer. That's your text-book basic gymnastic. Learn those numbers. Esp if you're ever planning to jump without a coach present OR take any of the RiderLevel/PonyClub exams. It's a pretty standard question.

Now that you've made the effort to learn what it *should* be, you have to know the types of fences and the striding between them can vary in endless ways depending on:

• your riding ability
  
• your horse's level of training
  
• your horse's strength
  
• the purpose of the gymnastic/the effect you're trying to achieve
  

So why bother? Gymnastics are good for all sorts of things:

• focus on the rider. An experienced horse will jump through a well set gymnastic like there's nothing to it. It basically idiot-proofs the whole jumping concept; just get to the first fence and let the horse do the rest. This enables the rider to focus entirely on their position and their body's response to jumping. It's also good for learning to fold and go with the motion of a jump, because while you may be able to fake it over a single fence, multiple in a row will clearly show if there's a lack of stability of timing.
  
• to teach the horse to think. The horse has to figure out the striding, what to do with their feet, and to jump, land, balance, and jump again. When they're good at this, there's a much better chance they'll be able to help you if you get to that less-than-perfect distance on course.
  
• to try going a little bit higher. Because the gymnastic, set properly, will ensure the horse gets to the right take-off spot, this is often used as a method for having either horse OR rider jump "a little higher" successfully. Higher than what? That'd be higher than whatever's easy.
  
• to build strength in the horse. This is the equine equivalent of running hurdles. It takes a LOT of power and is good for building hind-end muscles.
  to slow a rushing horse down. Used with caution by an experienced trainer, a gymnastic can be used to back a rushing horse off a bit and get them to think about what they're doing.
  
• to improve jumping form -- particularly for the horse who prefers to jump long and flat, strategically place poles on take-off and landing can encourage the horse to get closer to the base and jump rounder. Again requiring strength and balance. The pole on the landing side also conditions the horse to think about the landing (useful for that bounce into water!)
  

What gymnastic you'll use, depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you're fixing the rider, set a very simple one (like above) and adjust the striding to be easy for the horse. Then away you go :)

Bounces (where the horse lands and takes off again with no striding inbetween) are good for teaching coordination. These (especially if you have multiple in a row) get tiring fast so be sure to be aware of what your horse is telling you.

Changing the distances around adds another level of both thought and elasticity required. To go from a short one to a long one the horse has to land, collect, jump, then have enough power to land stretch out and still clear the last fence. Arguably harder is the long one to a short one where the horse has to rebalance and shorten on landing or risk pulling the rail of the third fence. Changing between verticals and oxers will also have a similar affect -- a vert to an oxer (esp if the dis is long) is generally technically easier than an oxer to a vert (esp if the dis is tight).

Gymnastics don't have to involve fences. Poles flat on the ground (or cavelleti) can have just as powerful an effect. 4 canter poles each 12' apart is a great way to evaluate rhythm and stride length. The horse should be able to canter through those easily -- but you'd be amazed at how many tries it'll take the first time you try it!

There are hundreds of different types of gymnastics out there for all sorts of scenarios -- particularly when you get into jumping on a bending line or on angles. Check out the books in the Reference section for lots of ideas!