Jackies quick tips ; page 2.
Don't skip your flatwork - it's the cornerstone of your jumping! (and everything else!)
Practise 'stop & start' endlessly - your horse MUST go from the leg & come back to the hand smoothly - sounds so simple - it isn't!
Rhythm is the key to balance - try to keep the same pace as you change gear & direction. Practise opening (lengthening) & closing (shortening) at each pace WITHOUT changing your rhythm, listening to music with a good beat helps!
Allow your horse a good stretch when you start & between pieces of work, a longer topline increases suppleness & improves your collected work.
Leg yielding on a circle in trot & canter is a good excersise for increasing collection & impulsion. Start on a 20m circle , leg yield in to 15m & back out again. Try raising your inside hand 6 inches rather than increasing the pressure on the rein. This keeps the soft inside bend & you can open & close the OUTSIDE rein to move in or out, while your lower leg & seat maintain forward movement.
As well as circle work, practise straight lines at all paces - your target is to go smoothly through all the gears in one length of the school! (Halt, walk, trot, canter, trot, walk & halt) Tricky!!
Remember :- Rhythm = Balance.
Stretch before collect.
LOOK!!
10% reduction for couples on holidays & short breaks of 3 nights or more in October 2008!
The things they say about us.........
Lovely food, great company -
plus my riding has improved so much....Jumping 3feet - & flying changes........thanks Ludo!
Had a wonderful time........gentle William, & Jinks - the perfect pony - can't wait to ride him again!
Thank you so much.......confidence
& riding way better .....thanks Jackie & Wizard.........hope to be back soon.
Liz, Iona & Alexandra - Hants.
Wow! Iknew it would be good
but a thousand times better than I expected! Thanks Ludo & Charlie - I had a wonderful 3 days!
Lyn - Surrey.
What a fab start to our married life..........gite is lovely, surroundings beautiful & peaceful. Swimming, tabletennis & learning to ride! A lovely week & we really enjoyed ourselves. Looking forward to next time.........Robin & Sophie . Kent.
(our first honeymooners!!)
We had a great time riding..
we learnt a lot & will try to put it into practice in Italy. Enjoyed Jackies dishes & Johnnys excellent choice of wines!
Marco & Lara, Rome. Italy.
Many, many thanks for the great lessons....you have created a very welcoming place.
Lovely place, great food & good company!
Wilma & Tony, Sussex.
Thank you for a great riding holiday........your horses are great schoolmasters.....not the kind of horses I would normally get to ride without spending vast sums of money! My regular instructor can't believe the improvement.........thanks Johnny - & my horse doesn't know what's hit her!
Pippa, Surrey.
Thank you so much......Jackie - best cook & instructor! I loved Ludo, but Yobo is my favourite horse ..ever!
Holly - Co Meath, Ireland.
Lovely break - yet again! Weather brilliant, riding great - time went too fast - look forward to next time........
Karen, Helen & Marie - Hants. (4th visit!)
Correct your position all the time - you are your own best instructor - you are always there!
Be aware of pressure in the stirrups - pushing down more onto one side means you are probably sitting off centre.
Concentrate on keeping your hands level when riding normally - you can then use a raised or dropped hand deliberately when required.
If you are riding with round shoulders or straight arms, your hands are too low,
lift your chest & try to keep hands at hipbone height.
Maintain a contact - 'holding his hand' gives him confidence & keeps his mind
on you!
If you have difficulty maintaining an outline without lots of hand - try using a bungee - great for schooling, lunging & you can even jump with it.
Remember; Lift your chest up. Lift your chin up. Lift your eyes up.
You can see much better!
Look ahead. Think ahead.
Poles on the ground teach your horse to know where his feet are, raised slightly (4 - 6 inches)
will make him use his joints too. Use them singly or in lines or on a circle as part of your flatwork - place about 90 cm apart depending on your horses stride.
Using a placing pole before a jump in trot will ensure you arrive at a good take off point. When your horse goes through lines of poles confidently & carefully this can be a huge help when teaching him to jump or improving technique.
The placing pole should be about 2m20cm from the base of the jump, a raised pole is good for improving care in a more experienced horse.
The trot needs to be active & powerful for trot jumping, partcularly with a novice or cautious horse.
He needs to learn to use the pole well & go forward to the jump after stepping over it.
Some horses will make a canter stride over the pole & then jump very positively & canter away - just what we want at this stage! BUT don't allow your horse to canter BEFORE the pole, he must learn to approach in a nice rhythm until the rider allows the forward stride.
If your horse ignores the placing pole try putting 2 together & use the brightest colour you have - that should get his attention! If he rushes, use sitting trot or even walk up to the pole.
If your horse is stuffy & backs off the pole/jump keep the jump small & simple - a cross or a small vertical - until his confidence grows.
If he is just lazy, try giving him a sharp slap with a stick behind your leg ON LANDING - this will make him take you to the jump more positively next time. Always avoid hitting a horse on take off - it distracts them & makes them jump quick & flat.
Some horses are brilliant at trot jumping & will happily jump big uprights & even narrow oxers, as they get more experienced & they don't even need a placing pole! Others find it very difficult - struggling to get enough impulsion - so move onto lines using a guide pole in to your trot jump & then 2/3 strides of canter & a 2nd jump out, then move onto approaching in canter.
Cantering with a placing pole often seems to cause problems - it's best avoided!
Remember ; success is 90% preparation -
jumping is no exception.
Teach your horse what you want him to do - one step at a time.
Ride forward with confidence & control.
