The horse jumps over obstacles. Jumps are: in width, in height, from bottom to top and from top to bottom.
When a horse jumps over an obstacle, four moments are distinguished: approaching the obstacle, pushing the horse off the ground and climbing the obstacle, hanging over the obstacle and lowering to the ground after the jump.
To overcome obstacles, the horse uses the speed of movement and its muscular strength.
The main gait of a jumping horse is the gallop. Small obstacles can be trotted, usually in a straight line.
At the initial training in riding, it is allowed to overcome obstacles only at a trot, then, as the rider prepares, they can move on to overcome obstacles at a gallop. Wide and high obstacles are overcome on more frisky gaits.
A variety of obstacles of statutory dimensions - 50-100 cm high and up to 3 m wide - are overcome by the rider on a specially equipped field. The normal load for the rider and horse in the first lessons will be 5-6 jumps, in the future this load can be increased to 10 jumps. Such a load can be given to the horse 3-4 times a week.
To jump, the rider must lead the horse to the obstacle with the horse lightly resting on the reins and with tightly pressed legs, and immediately before the obstacle, give him the opportunity to stretch his neck, giving up the reins for this, and sit in the saddle so as not to interfere with the horse's jump.
The jump of the horse will be light, wide and flat only if the rider does not prevent it from maintaining its balance. The rider in front of the obstacle must give up the reins so as not to lose the soft connection with the horse's mouth, at the same time stopping all movement of the leg and body. The rider must sit in the saddle calmly, without tension and maintain the correct position of his body at all times of the movement of the horse through the obstacle.
The rider must calm the excited horse with his voice and affection; you should not let it into an obstacle with a big acceleration. In this case, it is better to make a few volts around or near the obstacle and then, after calming the horse, make a jump so that it is somewhat unexpected for the horse. If the horse refuses to overcome the obstacle, it is necessary to lower this obstacle and force the horse to overcome it, then stroke the horse and give it a rest.
The most common shortcomings in horses on a jump are usually run-out or abandonment of the horse with a sudden stop in front of an obstacle or bypassing it. The reason for this is usually the unwillingness of the horse to jump due to indecision or incorrect behavior of the rider on the horse.
If the horse flies to the right, the rider should pick up the left rein, increase the pressure of the right leg, and then send it forward with a sharp push of both legs; if the horse carries to the left, then in this case it is necessary to act with the reins and shanks on the contrary. If the horse is stubbornly unwilling to jump over an obstacle, the rider must lead it to this obstacle for familiarization, and then reinsert it 10-12 steps back and again send the horse to the obstacle with an energetic push of the legs.
It is not uncommon for a horse to jump "goat" when it simultaneously pushes off with all four legs, that is, the horse rises steeply up the obstacle with some delay before the obstacle. This occurs most often from the premature raising of obstacles, when the horse is not yet fully prepared for high jumps by preliminary exercises, and, in addition, from a possible "tsuk" - the rider's holding the reins, that is, untimely release of the reins and lagging behind the rider's body.
The elimination of this extremely undesirable phenomenon is achieved by the rider by returning the horse to jumping over the keys and to overcoming wide, but low obstacles. Such a horse should be led to an obstacle at high speed with an energetic push with the leg, and, if necessary, with a whip. When leading such a horse to an obstacle, the rider should always anticipate the possibility of his failure to jump, so he should not allow the horse to stumble in front of the obstacle and send him vigorously forward.
Often there are such shortcomings in the horse as catching an obstacle with the front or hind legs, as well as lowering the horse to the ground first on the hind legs or simultaneously on the hind and front legs.
The first fault comes from the careless jumping of the horse, owing to habits developed by impunity of knocking down falling obstacles; the second depends solely on the rider's incorrect control of the horse and jerking the reins or the incorrect position of the rider's body at the time of the jump.
It is most advisable to overcome obstacles that have firmly fixed poles.
Jump moments. The behavior of the rider at the moment of overcoming the obstacle has great importance, it is the greater, the higher and wider the obstacle. In order to understand the essence of the rule for controlling a horse on a high-altitude jump, it is necessary to consider the mechanics of its execution by a horse.
For a more convenient study, the horse's jump should be divided into the following points: a) approach to the obstacle, b) repulsion (climbing the obstacle), c) suspension, d) lowering to the ground.
The approach to the obstacle is accompanied by an energetic action of the hind legs with simultaneous contraction of the neck and lowering of the horse's head, thereby bringing the back of the body closer to the front, which ensures the accumulation of force for throwing the horse's body up. At the same time, the lower back also arches in order to increase the throw up and forward by subsequent straightening. On the last stroke of the canter, the horse puts the hind legs under the front and brings them closer to the front legs, the closer the higher the jump is.
Increasing the speed of movement, the horse at the same time adapts to the terrain and pushes off the ground, depending on the size and nature of the obstacles. However, she does not always succeed. It is often possible to observe when the horse takes off too early and too far from an obstacle or is late in making a push, climbing an obstacle almost at a right angle. In the first case, the horse may not have enough momentum to jump over a wide obstacle; in the second, it loses its acceleration power; in such an environment, the horse often clings to the obstacle with its front or hind legs, or "sits" on it with the whole body.
An accurate calculation of the jump with a minimum expenditure of energy for its completion is developed by good preparation and long-term training of the horse, as well as by the skillful behavior of the rider at the time of the horse's jump.
The repulsion (raising the horse to an obstacle) consists in unbending all the corners of the back of the body and straightening the lower back. At this moment, the horse transfers the entire weight of the front part of the body to the hind legs and increases its lift with a shake of the head. Simultaneously with the straightening of the hind legs and strong pushing off the ground, the horse stretches forward and down the head and neck in order to quickly move its center of gravity closer to the front of the body (Fig. 1).
When the horse takes off from the ground with his feet, the front part of his body is sent forward and up to the height necessary to carry the body over the obstacle; front legs are selected so as not to hurt him. The angle of elevation of the horse will be greater, the higher the obstacle.
Suspension is the moment the horse stays in the air above the obstacle, and the center of its gravity, under the action of the forces of movement and repulsion, moves along a curved line (as if along a trajectory) to the front of the body. The regulator in this case is the head and neck, with the help of which the horse restores the disturbed balance and achieves the correct lowering to the ground after the jump. When the front of the horse's body is over the obstacle, the horse's lowering of the head will make it easier to carry his hindquarters over the obstacle.
Without the influence of the horse's head, its spine would remain parallel to the angle of rise and the horse would first descend not on the front legs, but on the hind legs, which happens when the rider tightens the reins and throws back his body on the jump, preventing the free action of the horse's head.
The front legs of the horse at the moment of suspension are bent to the limit in the carpal and fetlock joints so that the hooves almost touch the elbow joints; the hind legs are bent at a right angle at the knee, hock, and fetlock joints (Fig. 2).
Lowering. When lowering, the horse first rests on the extended front leg, which takes on the entire weight of its body, and then it substitutes the second front and hind legs. At the moment of landing, the head and neck of the horse play the most important role: by swinging the head up, it significantly softens the push on the ground of the front legs and contributes to the transfer of the center of gravity back. Usually the horse first puts on the ground that front foot with which it canteres to the obstacle (fig. 3).
There are various reasons for putting one or another front leg forward when lowering to the ground after a jump, such as, for example, loss of balance by the horse when hanging over an obstacle, a painful condition of a leg or shoulder weakness, as well as improper displacement of the body by the rider, etc.
During the jump of the horse, the position of the center of gravity of its body changes, and in any second of time the horse must restore its balance several times.
So, when approaching an obstacle, it has a center of gravity closer to the front of the body, at the moment of lifting the obstacle it passes it closer to the back of the body, when repulsed, it sends the mass of its weight forward; in suspension, the weight is evenly distributed, and when lowering to the ground, the weight falls first on the front legs and then is transferred to the brought hind legs.
For all movements of the center of gravity on the jump leading role the head and neck of the horse play, which are the most important means of maintaining its balance.
At all times of the jump, the rider must adopt a seat that will most facilitate the work of the front or back of the horse's body. This is achieved in the process of prolonged training in jumping the rider on a horse over obstacles.
The position of the rider when the horse jumps. The first moment of the jump (approach to the obstacle) begins when the rider directs the horse to the obstacle, and ends with the last pace of his horse before climbing the obstacle. During the approach to the obstacle, the rider adjusts the pace of the horse's movement according to the size of the obstacle, allowing the horse to correctly choose the place of take-off in front of the obstacle and without preventing him from calculating the jump.
When approaching an obstacle, the rider should be seated deeply and firmly in the saddle, with the body slightly forward from the waist while maintaining emphasis on the knees and stirrups. The head is held straight, and the gaze is directed to the obstacle in order to fully assess it.
Just before the obstacle, the rider strengthens the action of the legs, moves the body forward a little and prepares the return of the reins, directing the horse to the center of the obstacle, and thereby prevents the horse from throwing up or running out (Fig. 4).
The second moment of the jump (repulsion) is decisive. At this moment, at the last pace of the gallop, the horse makes the greatest effort. She lowers her head, stretches her neck and draws her hind legs under her in order to push them with all her strength to lift up and forward with an energetic shake of her head and neck.
At this crucial moment, the rider focuses on keeping his body behind the horse and not making it difficult to lift it with excessive tension on the reins, which limits the swing of the head. Since the rise of the horse on a high obstacle approaches the vertical line, at this moment the body of the rider must be forward. By keeping the emphasis on the knees and stirrups as much as possible, the rider aligns his center of gravity with the horse's center of gravity.
The rider accompanies the stretching of the horse's head by giving hands with reins forward and down along its neck, while not allowing them to be tossed up and turning the elbows to the sides. On a high-altitude jump, the rider moves his body forward from the waist, leans on his knees and puts more emphasis on the stirrups, bending his body to the horse's neck, bending his waist forward, without shifting his knees up.
Such a landing of a rider on a horse when jumping greatly facilitates the work of the rear part of its body and provides a free deflection of the horse's lower back (Fig. 5).
At the time of the jump, you should not stand on the stirrups, as this weakens the landing and may lead to the fact that the rider will be thrown out of the saddle. At the third moment of the jump (hanging), the horse assumes a horizontal position and is above the obstacle with legs close to the body, head lowered and lower back arched. The rider, in order not to delay the forward movement of the horse, at this time continues to keep the body forward over the withers of the horse, and the hands with the reins are lowered down the neck, and the legs are pressed to the sides of the horse with the heels pulled down (Fig. 6). The mastery of the rider's behavior at this moment of the jump should consist in maintaining balance and an absolutely calm position on the horse, helping him to jump over the obstacle. At the fourth moment of the jump (lowering), the horse descends to the ground, first on one straight front leg, then on the other, and then on the hind legs, placing them under the body near the front legs. The higher the jump, the greater the force of falling onto the front legs, which causes pain in the horse (Fig. 7).
The behavior of the rider at this point should make it as easy as possible for the horse to land correctly without disturbing its balance and prematurely shifting the center of gravity back. When lowering, the horse sensitively reacts to the loss of balance by the rider and straightens him with his head and putting forward one of his front legs. In this case, the throwing of the rider's body back is especially harmful to the horse, which causes him to push into the saddle, which is painfully reflected on the horse's back. Subsequently, the horse is reluctant to go to obstacles.
At the moment the horse is lowered to the ground and until the horse's hind legs touch the ground, the rider's body must be in a calm state above the withers, the rider straightens his body only when the horse's movement resumes after the jump.
Thus, at the beginning of the jump, the main load falls on the horse's hind legs, and at the end, the entire weight of the horse's load falls on the front legs. That is why heavy horses with weak legs resist or even refuse to overcome high obstacles, and well-jumping horses, if they are not properly worked and abused in overcoming high obstacles, quickly break their front legs.
Along with the great expenditure of energy by the horse, the jump also requires great strength, courage and self-control from the rider, especially at the moment when the horse approaches the obstacle. The rider must approach the obstacle boldly and confidently with unyielding determination to jump over it, not forgetting that fear or nervousness of the rider disturbs the seat and control, affects the horse unfavorably, and he will tend to avoid the jump.
At the same time, it is impossible to make unbearable demands on the horse and force it to jump over such obstacles that it is not able to overcome without appropriate training. Needless to say, the physical shortcomings of the horse itself in the form of poor eyesight, weakness of the lower back and front legs, hoof defects, etc. generally exclude the possibility of overcoming high obstacles.
V. LOBACHEV
I read it myself
The classical principles of overcoming obstacles on horseback in our country are based on the development of the horse, according to its age. At competitions, horses of 4 years old perform on routes with an obstacle height of 100 cm, 5 years old - 110 cm, 6 years old - 120 cm, 7 years old - 130 cm. 8 years old -140 cm, 9 years old - 150 cm. the device is ready for maximum loads only in 10 years.
This graduation came from the West, but it was not formed according to the principle of the animal's body being ready for the corresponding loads. For Western merchants, following the correct training schedule for a promising horse is a paramount issue. But after all, all breeds are different, mature at different times, have a different constitution. It is more correct to control not age, but the condition of tendons and muscles, the work of the heart before and after work, joints.
If a horse clears the barrier with a margin of 30 cm, this means that he is processing in height. And this speaks of the unpreparedness of the horse. The main reasons for processing by height:
- the animal cannot adequately correlate the required forces and the configuration of the obstacle, there is no experience;
- the animal is not loyal to the barrier, it is corny afraid of it;
- the animal does not have enough technique to avoid hitting the obstacle and needs an initial height handicap.
If you hurry, and still set a horse jumping with an excess margin of 30 cm to the next height, it will try to make a margin of the same 30 cm there, because the problems have not gone away, and the “obstacle” irritant has become even more aggressive. Although, if she had treated jumps more correctly, more rationally, she would have jumped routes 150 and would have spent less energy.
If the horse shows earlier results, then it was forced. And they force it when it becomes clear that the ultimate goal - stable Grand Prix - is not achievable.
For a young sport horse, the important thing is not “how much can a horse jump?” but “how does it do it?”. Thus, jumping style competitions assess whether the horse is developing in the right direction. With a young horse, each subsequent performance at the same height should be with less margin and less excitement.
Proper development is the rationality of overcoming parkour. Until the horse has achieved rationality at a certain height, they do not move on to the next one, even if the physical capabilities of the horse allow it. Rationality is expressed in the minimum waste of physical and moral strength of the horse. Real stars ripen in the shade, where they pay attention to their psychological and gymnastic development. Each of these horses initially has the right exterior, stable psyche and sensitivity to control.
Overcoming obstacles is a relatively new equestrian sport. The natural jumping ability of the horse has always been used by cavalrymen and hunters to overcome obstacles. The first official competition in overcoming obstacles took place in Dublin in 1864, but it has been included in the program of the Olympic Games since 1912. The basics of this sport were developed by Frederico Caprilli (1861 - 1907), an Italian equestrian expert, who introduced a new seat, now known as the "leaning forward" position, in which the rider moves with the horse.
Most horses in the wild or free range jump happily. This proves that they are excellent natural jumpers. Horses only find it difficult to jump when they have to carry the weight on their back and keep their balance at the same time. This is why horse and rider have to work together as one. In addition, the rider must make sure that his or her weight is the least impediment to the horse. The rider must also be able to "read" the barrier in order to correctly lead the horse to it. Some riders are better than others at judging the barrier, and some horses are better than others at knowing where to jump. The natural instinct to jump must be developed through targeted training.
Equipment for overcoming obstacles
For use in show jumping, special equipment and harness has been developed.
Show jumping saddle - allows the rider to sit, leaning heavily forward. The stirrups are shorter than the universal saddle. Jumping saddles usually have a wooden tree with springs, wings cut off from below and a high pommel. In front, the wings are enlarged, and pillows are hemmed to support the knee.
The whip - short and comfortable, is in the hands of the rider at the level of the horse's shoulder, without preventing the horse from jumping. Whips used for competition must not exceed 750 mm.
Show jumping protection
Boots and bandages are worn on the legs of horses to avoid injury when taking obstacles or from accidental kicks. Protective boots are made of leather, foam rubber, plastic or felt. They protect the pasterns, wrists, hocks, fetlocks, and tendons of the lower legs. Notch boots protect the horse from hitting himself with his hooves. Show jumping horses often hit obstacles with their fetlocks. To avoid injury, leather boots (bells) are fixed on the coronary tendons. Notch boots also protect the legs, coronoid tendons, and front legs from being kicked by the hind legs. Horses hit themselves most often on loose and soft ground. Leather boots are tied or fastened to the legs, and those made of rubber are pulled over the legs in order to protect the coronary tendons, fetlocks and metacarpals.
jumping horse
Good jumping horses can be horses of various breeds. There are no special standards, although the structure of the horse's legs is very important. They should have long, strong bones and tendons. The back should be round, strong and muscular with hard joints - this is where the jumping ability comes from. A horse with a short back is not suitable for jumping, as the range of motion is limited, and it is difficult for the horse to take obstacles. A good jumping horse must ideally meet all these requirements. Connoisseurs understand that half of the problems in overcoming obstacles arise from some physiological defect in the horse. Muscle pains or sprains, even if they are not outwardly noticeable, lead to failure.
leaning forward
The horse must be able to easily maintain balance when jumping, that is, the rider must keep his weight, if possible, in one position, without pulling on the reins. Only when full balance is achieved can riders guide the horse correctly. The very landing of the rider during the jump is leaning forward. To assume this position, the stirrups must be shortened by raising them two or three holes so that the knees are pressed closer to the saddle. The rider in this position leans the torso slightly forward and transfers weight through the upper legs and knees to the stirrups. Metal footpegs are located on the sole of the foot. It is important that the heels point downwards, ensuring the correct position of the lower legs. The shoulders should be relaxed and the forearms should be an extension of the reins. This posture reduces the weight on the horse's back, making it easier for him to maintain balance.
Arcing
In the middle of the jump, the horse bends, lowering its head and neck, and arching its back. At the same time, her body resembles an arc. The width barrier with parallel bars is the perfect obstacle to teach the horse to bend properly. The narrower the barrier, the faster the horse must bend.
Horse Jump Technique
In fact, the jump is an extended canter jump. Achieving this elongation is the secret to a successful jump. The jump technique is subdivided into front leg, hind leg and head/neck technique. The front legs should rise as high as possible and get under the belly. In some horses, the front pastern hangs down, so you have to jump even higher to overcome the barrier. A common mistake when jumping is that the horse tucks his hind legs under him. At the highest point of the jump, the horse should be stretched out, but if he forgets this and the hind legs remain pulled up to the stomach, then the height of the jump will not be enough to cleanly overcome the obstacle. The movement of the horse's head and neck depends on the correct form of the back.
An approach
The barrier should be approached at a constant pace and rhythm. With your feet, you need to send the horse forward so that it does not stop in front of an obstacle. Try to approach the obstacle in a straight line as accurately as possible so that the horse has the best balance for the jump. The speed of approach to the barrier is determined by its type. A wider barrier requires a higher approach speed. At the moment when the horse has almost reached the point of takeoff from the ground, the rider puts his hands in front of the neck to give the horse room to jump.
Separation
At first, the horse bends his head and neck in order to correctly determine the distance. Then, at the moment of the jump, the head and neck rise, and the front legs are selected under the body. After that, the body rises, the neck contracts, and the hind legs push off the ground to produce lift.
During takeoff, the rider shifts their body weight forward, following the horse's movement, maintaining only light contact with the horse's mouth through the reins, with the hands moving with the horse's head. This is the most difficult part of the jump. The rider must assume the jumping position at the exact moment the horse leaves the ground. If such a posture is taken prematurely, the front of the horse will be overloaded and the horse will lose balance; if, on the contrary, such a posture is taken too late, the rider will fall behind the movement and lose all contact with the horse's mouth.
hovering moment
At the moment of hovering, all four legs of the horse are off the ground and it seems to hang in the air. At this point, the withers of the horse is its highest point. Before the descent begins, the horse must quickly return the front legs to the desired position. Hanging requires such a degree of coordination of all muscles that the rider has almost no role to play. Any tension on the reins will prevent the horse from extending its neck, thereby leaving enough room in the shoulders to bring the forelegs under the body. In a short moment of flight, the rider prepares for landing. It is important for the rider to look ahead while jumping. If he (she) looks down, he will react late in each phase of the jump.
Landing
On landing, the horse stretches its front legs forward and, when they touch the ground, lifts its head up to regain balance and prepare for the impact of the landing from the rear. The hind feet land almost on the hoofprints of the forelegs as the horse gallops further. The rider must not lean back in the saddle at the moment of landing. When the hind legs land, the rider must immediately send the horse forward. The horse is shifting weight from front to back in readiness for the next barrier. Even if you're only clearing one hurdle, it's best to let the horse run after the jump.
Competition level
Jumping competitions are held at every level from local sports games and children's pony competitions to international ones. Competitions have varying levels of difficulty so that a rider can progress from the elementary level to major regional competitions, and then to national and international tournaments if he has the talent and owns a great horse. The course standard varies depending on the level of competition.
Git
A round is a completed course from start to finish. After the end of the round, all participants determine the order of distribution of places.
Size of the arena (fields)
According to the rules of the FEI (International Equestrian Federation), the area of \u200b\u200bthe open arena for show jumping must be at least 3200 square meters. m. The smallest side should not be less than 40 m.
Show jumping for ponies can be held in an arena with an area of at least 2400 square meters. m.
The area of the indoor jumping arena must be at least 1200 sq. m with a minimum width of 20 m.
Dimensions of the warm-up and training field
The minimum size of an open training field is 15 m x 35 m. The training field must have at least one height and one width barrier.
Bell
The bell is designed to give signals to participants, for example:
- the next participant to prepare to enter the site;
- signal the start of the performance;
- stop the speaker;
- give the participant permission to continue the performance after it has stopped;
- disqualification of the participant (long blow or 3 blows).
If a competitor does not stop after the stop signal, they may be disqualified. Resuming the performance after a stop, without waiting for the appropriate signal, also leads to disqualification.
Checkboxes
Flags should be placed along the edges of the barrier. There must be at least two red and two white flags on a latitude obstacle. The participant is required to always overcome obstacles so that the white flag is located on the left and the red flag is on the right.
Performance time
The clock starts timing the round from the moment the Athlete and Horse cross the starting line until they cross the finish line.
"Jumpover"
If two or more competitors complete the round cleanly or with the same number of penalties, all competitors with the same result must retake the course, which is usually shorter but may have one or two additional obstacles. The rider with the fewest penalties and the shortest time spent on the jump-off course is the winner.
Route
The route is the distance that the participant must cover from the start line to the finish flag. The obstacles on the route are numbered in the obligatory order of their overcoming, with the exception of some competitions, where the participant can choose the route himself.
Judges
Jumping competitions with no more than 120 participants are judged by three judges. If more than 120 rounds are expected to be completed in a single day, there shall be four judges, and above 200 rounds the jury shall consist of at least five judges. If there is a water barrier, an additional referee must be assigned. If the number of rounds does not exceed 50, two judges are sufficient.
Types of obstacles in show jumping
Single obstacle
Single obstacles are divided into two main types: a wide obstacle, for example, an oxer (a barrier with a low fence in front of the bars), and a high-altitude obstacle.
Obstacle systems
Obstacles of two or more elements are known as systems. The triple system is one obstacle, but the horse overcomes it in three jumps. Letters are used to designate the components of the system. If the horse refuses to jump over one of the obstacles, the whole system must be repeated.
high-altitude obstacle
A high-altitude obstacle refers to single obstacles. High-altitude obstacles are more difficult for the horse, because it is more difficult for him to determine the distance to him. To overcome a high-altitude obstacle, the horse must be more collected and gallop more slowly. The break-off point is much closer to the obstacle than when jumping wide obstacles, because the horse has to gain more height to jump. There are many types of high-altitude obstacles: from a wall to obstacles consisting of a single row of poles. There are vertical obstacles with adjustable height or additional elements to increase its height. This equestrian hurdle is similar to the high jump in athletics. Currently, it is used in competitions much less frequently than before.
Wall
The wall is a high-rise obstacle built from blocks. The difficulty of overcoming this barrier lies in the fact that the landing site is not visible.
Latitudinal obstacle
The latitudinal obstacle also extends in the horizontal plane, so that the horse needs not only to gain height, but also to jump a considerable width. Examples of wide obstacles are various kinds of oxers (with a low fence in front of the bars) and tees.
Joker
The Joker is a difficult yet athletic barrier. There is no set standard for the construction of a joker, but it always differs from other obstacles, such as the presence of a twisted tree trunk in its design. Such obstacles are often marked with a card joker, and in some final scoring competitions, taking a wild hurdle doubles the points scored at the previous hurdle.
oxer
An oxer is a wide obstacle that forces the horse to overcome a certain height and width. If the front and back bars are at the same height, then it is a straight oxer, but if the last pole of the hurdle is higher, then the obstacle is called a "gradual" oxer. Obstacles that rise gradually from the side of the takeoff or from the side of landing are much easier for horses to tackle than parallel ones, where the horse needs to overcome the height and width of the obstacle at the same level. Even if the oxer consists of several elements, it is still considered a single obstacle, which is overcome in one jump.
Tee
A tee is an obstacle in which the poles and bars gradually become higher. It is overcome with one jump. A variation of the tee is the "pig's back", in which the first and third poles are parallel, and the second is located above the rest, forming the top of the obstacle.
Ditch with water
The water ditch is part of the obstacle course program. The water table should be no wider than 2-4 m and about 100-150 mm deep. A ditch with water can only be included in the program if the top level of the water corresponds to the level of the ground. On the tear-off side, a plank, a low wall or a shrub fence with a height of not more than 500 mm can be installed. The side of the landing must be marked with a board made of wood or similar material, preferably white, so that the Judge can see where the horse has left its hoofprint. The bar should be located along the edge of the water and firmly fixed to the ground.
Marking bar on the ground (hint)
The marker bar is a clear marking at ground level that is visible to both horse and rider. It is important that there is a clearly visible mark in front of the high-altitude obstacle, because beyond 4 m from the barrier the horse can only see part of it. The cue helps the horse determine the height of the jump and the place to take off.
Types of competitions in show jumping
Classic show jumping
Classic show jumping is designed to determine the ability of the horse and rider to overcome obstacles. If two or more riders complete the round cleanly or with the same number of faults, the result is determined by taking one, maximum two jump-offs. During the jump-off, the shortest time with the fewest errors counts as the winning time.
Hunting show jumping
Here, speed and throttle response (the ability to maneuver) are of fundamental importance. When designing the routes of such competitions, speed is the main factor to be taken into account. Any errors when overcoming obstacles are added to the time of passing the route in the form of penalty seconds.
jumping power jumping
A jumping power competition (Pewsance) consists of several rounds, during which the riders must clear the course in order to qualify for the next lap. After each round the obstacles are made higher and generally more difficult. By the end of the competition, the wall can reach 2.25 m. Usually the results are tabulated after the fourth round. If, after four rounds, several riders have the same number of points, the prize money is divided among them.
Show jumping in increasing difficulty
Show jumping "in increasing difficulty" is held on a course with six, eight or ten obstacles, which are progressively more difficult. The degree of difficulty is increased not only by the height or width of the obstacles, but also by their layout on the route. Points are awarded for each obstacle overcome: one point for the first hurdle, two for the second, three for the third, and so on.
Competitions according to the American system "to the first mistake"
Jumping according to the American system is held for a time on a route of medium difficulty. The round of the competitor ends at the first mistake of any nature (fall, failure of the horse or fall).
show jumping relay
This type of competition involves teams of two or three participants. Depending on the competition program, team members can replace each other. A team member who has completed his round may no longer compete.
Competition for maximum points
There is a special type of show jumping "in increasing difficulty", in which a certain number of points is awarded for an obstacle overcome, depending on its complexity. The participant is given a certain time - from 60 to 90 seconds - to overcome any obstacles of their choice, in any order. Any barrier can be overcome twice.
"Choose Your Route"
Another type of competition "for maximum points" is a competition during which the participant must overcome all obstacles (no more than eight), but the participant himself determines the sequence of their taking. Each barrier can only be overcome once.
"Roundtrip"
The route consists of six obstacles that must be overcome in both directions. Riders need to complete the circle twice, first from the first barrier to the sixth, then in the opposite direction - from the sixth to the first.
equestrian shows
There are competitions in which participants are judged on the following points:
- Turning and Riding Style: The horse and rider are carefully judged on the quality of the turn, the condition of the harness, the way the course is introduced, the manner in which the horse and rider enter the field, stop and bow to the judges. The horse and rider are also judged while riding at the walk and trot at a distance of 25 m.
- Way of passing the route.
- The seat and posture of the rider.
- The jumps themselves.
Combined competitions (combination)
Combined Events are a test of basic equestrian skills and include relatively simple show jumping and dressage. They are the first stage of the competition on the way to participation in show jumping, dressage or equestrian all-around competitions, and are called the "Test Caprilli".
jumping
If the main views on dressage have changed little since the time of Xenophon, then everything related to jumping has been developed and substantiated relatively recently. Even at the end of the last century before the start of the First World War, horse jumps in the form in which they are performed today were not included in the program of sports competitions. Already many centuries ago, horse hunting was organized in France and England, but overcoming obstacles was not studied, and the views on jumping developed in ancient times did not withstand serious criticism.
Modern jumping - competitions to overcome obstacles - began to develop in Italy, so the current style of jumping is called "Italian". Overcoming obstacles, the rider, even more than in dressage, depends on the will of the horse and its skill. The most important condition of show jumping, which every rider must remember, is that the horse overcomes the obstacle well only if he wants to.
Record human high jump ... 2m 30 cm
Horse under the rider.......................2 m 47 cm
The average athlete jumps .............. 1 m 30 cm
A logical question: why can't a horse easily jump 1m 40cm high? And if she does not do this, then we can conclude that the rider did not teach her this.
Jumping and dressage, as many people think, are not mutually exclusive concepts. The better the horse obeys the messages, the more willingly it goes to the obstacle.
Horse training to jump
Training covers:
In order to correctly appreciate these elements, one must first of all pay special attention to the character of the horse, as is done in dressage. It can often seem to the viewer that a good show jumping trainer works the same way with all horses. But among show jumping horses there are diligent, lazy, hot and phlegmatic, timid and bold; one horse responds better to affection, the other more strongly to punishment; one by nature has greater jumping ability and jumps willingly, the other does not like show jumping; one is damaged more, the other less. In this case, the memory of the horse plays a decisive role. The horse does not forget the accidents and obstacles that hurt him; she remembers the accident and will be more or less careful the next time she jumps, bending her legs more or jumping without pleasure.
When jumping, you need to pay attention to the smallest details. Training is the single most important factor in training a jumping horse and cannot be overemphasized.
The horse should jump calmly and leisurely. The demands placed on it should be increased gradually, and it should always be remembered that the horse should never be overloaded, it should be often encouraged and rewarded, and after a well-successful jump, give it a rest.
When jumping, as a rule, only solid obstacles are used, primarily poles, climbing walls, etc., which do not harm the horse. A simple log will always be a difficult obstacle.
Horses can be jumped in different ways; the height of the obstacle does not matter. Whether the rider wants to train a horse jumping over a 2 m high obstacle, or to overcome a 60 cm high with good style, the training path is approximately the same, but errors in horse handling will be more noticeable when jumping over higher obstacles.
The rider can make a lot of mistakes that will discourage the horse from jumping, and there are much fewer ways to instill this desire in him.
If the desire to jump was repulsed from the horse, then you need to start all over again. Coercion and brute force cannot instill in a horse the desire to jump. Beginning riders should allow the horse to jump close to the arena exit, in the direction of the stable or towards other horses, but never in the opposite direction.
The skill of overcoming obstacles can only appear as a result of training. The horse can be required to jump 10-20 times daily if the obstacles are low. But at the same time, one should also take into account the work that the horse still has to do on the same day. The height of the obstacles must be changed so that the horse learns to evaluate it himself.
The horse can be jumped on the lunge and under the rider. On the lunge, the horse jumps without a rider; at the same time, they also distinguish: whether she jumps completely freely, whether she is led to an obstacle (further or closer to the obstacle she pushes off before jumping), or whether she should jump in the arena.
When jumping on a lunge, you need to make sure that the reins are well tied, do not hang out and the horse does not step on them. When leading a horse to an obstacle, the rider or trainer always goes near the wall, when moving to the right - to the left of the horse, when moving to the left - to the right of it, otherwise the horse may hit him.
When overcoming one obstacle, you can only allow the horse to jump when it is moving directly towards it. If she enters an obstacle after passing a corner, she can easily slip and injure herself; This is a common mistake beginner riders make.
When jumping on a lunge, you need to accompany the horse carefully so as not to jerk his mouth as a reward for the jump.
Often the horse is forced to jump over only one obstacle, and sometimes through several in a row. This can be done both indoors and outdoors. In the open air, they use a special platform for jumping. Such sites are made quadrangular (jumping area), elongated (jumping garden) and steep (couloir). In this case, you can make the horse make a different number of jumps, with different pauses between them, you can jump over obstacles that follow one after another and are at a considerable distance from each other.
A hot horse is often in a hurry, but can be calmed down by lowering the demands or by having him jump over several closely spaced obstacles. However, the latter can also cause the opposite result - even greater ardor.
There can be no identical recommendations; you need to change the conditions depending on the degree of training and the nature of the horse, so that his desire to jump does not disappear and he evaluates the obstacles accordingly. The standard construction of training can only cause harm.
Same individual approach should also be applied to a horse jumping under a rider.
You can combine both methods: jumping without a rider and with a rider - jumping should not be monotonous. You can jump for days and weeks without a rider, or you can do it under him.
All this is determined by the available opportunities: in the city, the rider is more often engaged in the arena, and outside the city - in the field. The more attention is paid to the individual characteristics of the horse when jumping, the more confident it will later overcome all obstacles. If, however, the rider does not make the necessary effort when jumping, and believes that all horses should be treated equally, then he cannot expect good results.
Approach to an obstacle
The most common mistake in show jumping is not paying enough attention to the obstacle. The moment the horse takes off from the ground, the jump is already predetermined.
There is an old rule: "Throw your heart over the obstacle and follow it!"
The sensations of the rider are transmitted to the horse through his influences, she perceives their emphasis - confidence or uncertainty. Therefore, the horse feels quite accurately whether his rider is in the mood to jump or not. The horse will jump confidently and willingly only after an energetic entry perpendicular to the obstacle to its middle, otherwise it will become stubborn, eventually stop or pass to the side of the obstacle.
You should prepare for jumping by shortening the putlischi by 2-3 holes.
The best gait for approaching an obstacle is the gallop, because it is more comfortable for the horse than others. You can also jump while moving at a walk or trot, but it is best at a canter, since the jump corresponds to the alternation of legs in a canter. When jumping from a walk or trot, the horse must change the alternation of legs at the last moment. To the right they jump at a gallop from the right foot, to the left - at a gallop from the left. But there are horses that change foot, because they only canter with their right foot or canter with their left foot. If there are low obstacles for the horse, this does not play any role.
The speed of the last canter before the obstacle is regulated by the horse itself. In the same way, an athlete making a long or high jump determines the run, its speed and the number of steps. If he is limited in this choice, then he will not be able to jump as well as if he chose on his own.
This must be remembered by every rider who is going to restrain the horse before the jump or send it to the obstacle even faster. One horse jumps willingly at a slow pace, stretching its neck, as if it wants to take a closer look at the obstacle before the jump, while the other encourages itself with a quick run, and the closer the obstacle, the faster it goes to it. The different manner in which the horse approaches the obstacle depends on the habit developed in the process of jumping. One might think that two different horses would jump better if they approached the obstacle differently. But this is difficult to judge, and even more difficult to retrain horses; and, of course, it is not available to a rider who does not have enough experience. The horse itself will correct the shortcomings of the approach to the obstacle in the course of a long training. Trained horses approach high obstacles most often in a collected canter, and flat obstacles, wide ditches, for example, make a faster run. But very experienced horses approach all obstacles in the same way. It is fundamentally wrong to pick up or raise the reins at the moment of repulsion of the horse, and also to send it with a blow of a whip or a voice. Some experienced riders may do this for some reason known only to them, but they are the exception to the rule. A novice rider, exclaiming “hop!” at the time of the jump, encourages only himself.
The use of the whip comes with a lot of practice. The disturbance caused to the horse by the change in position at the moment of the whip is almost inevitable. Accompanying the rhythm of movement at the time of the jump makes high demands on the rider. In addition, most riders cannot properly hold the reins in their left hand while striking with their right.
If the horse avoids obstacles or stops, the reasons may be different.
Often she refuses to jump just because she was given a new task, not prepared enough for this. Or she does not want to jump over this particular obstacle that once hurt her.
The horse can also be held back by a hesitant approach to an obstacle or by awkward actions with the reins, legs, body of the rider or whip. The reason may also be in the device of the obstacle and its appearance. Horses may be disturbed by movement, sounds, or other nearby horses. Overcoming the failure must be consistent with the cause. There can be no general recipe for all cases. Sometimes before an obstacle it is necessary to put in order the ground, the obstacle itself or the saddle; it is better to leave the whip. In many cases, success can be achieved simply by taking a secondary approach. Sometimes it is good to rein the horse in a few steps. If you need a long run-up (its value is often too overestimated), then you should first besiege a few steps, and then still make a volt. In most cases, when the reason for the failure is not clear, everything can be explained by the lack of skill of the rider. And the rider must have the courage to admit it. If the same horse under another rider jumps over an obstacle without a refusal, then no other proof of the above is required.
After the horse refuses to clear the obstacle, the rider must first of all behave calmly, and not take out his anger on the horse, which may not be at fault.
The behavior of the rider at the time of the jump
When it comes to jumping, many people care about the position of the rider. But it must be emphasized again that the behavior of the rider during the jump, while remaining important, is by no means decisive, as many believe. Jumping up and practicing approaching an obstacle (discussed in previous sections) are just as important. On a well-trained horse, even a beginner and the moment of the jump looks good. But if, on a well-trained horse, the rider jumps without proper energy, then the horse very quickly loses the desire to jump. Photographs convincingly show that some successful jumping riders at the time of the jump do not hold themselves perfectly (from the point of view of theory), although their horses jump willingly and confidently. It should be noted that a beautiful seat does not bring much benefit if the rider jumps without a soul.
Rice. 43 Proper position of the rider during the jump
There is still no consensus on the technique of jumping. Apparently, this depends on the fact that part of the jumping lovers proceeds in their judgments only from practice, while the other part decides this issue based on theoretical basis the art of riding. In the end, the supporters of the Italian school won. But opinions are also different about the essence of the Italian school. There is often talk about unloading the hindquarters, about the need to accompany the rhythm of the horse's movement and require that the rider, if possible, maintain a long contact between the seat and the saddle, and also - through the reins - between the hand and the mouth of the horse.
The rider is in balance if his center of gravity is aligned with the horse's center of gravity.
During the first phase of the jump, immediately after repulsion from the ground, factors begin to act that indicate the need to accompany the rhythm of the horse's movement:
a) instantaneous acceleration after repulsion;
b) change the direction of movement upward obliquely.
The angle in relation to the ground at which the horse jumps is greater, the steeper the jump. But the angle does not depend on the height of the jump, but on whether the horse pushes off the ground sooner or later.
If the rider, wishing to maintain a harmonious accompaniment to the rhythm of the horse's movement, transfers his center of gravity to a point in front of the horse's center of gravity, then he will lean forward so much during a high jump that he will come off the saddle.
Rice. 44 Wrong position of the rider during the jump
In the second phase, the horse does not move obliquely upwards, but only horizontally through the obstacle. The rider's center of gravity at this moment is in front of the horse's center of gravity. In accordance with this, the rider could again lower himself into the saddle, but he does not do this, since he must unload the horse's back until he carries his hind legs over the obstacle.
In the third phase, before landing, the rider's center of gravity is still in front of the horse's center of gravity, even if the rider is sitting perpendicular to the horse's back; accordingly, he can lower himself into the saddle.
Before jumping, the rider cannot predict how his horse will jump. Therefore, he must always be ready to get off the saddle and, with the help of exercises, work out the ability to transfer his center of gravity forward as much as is necessary in each individual case. The study of photographs can be of great benefit in this, but one should never forget the main thing - the relationship between the two centers of gravity. One should not be mistaken in equating the tilt of the torso forward with the transfer of the center of gravity forward. If at the same time you move the seat beyond the center of the saddle, then in this position (as on a motorcycle) you can even shift your center of gravity back; this error is quite common. If the rider has grasped the basics, then the question of whether it is necessary to sit tightly in the saddle does not play a role for him, since it takes him away from the essence of the problem. If the rider can move the center of gravity forward without lifting the seat from the saddle, then he remains in the saddle. If a large transfer of weight is necessary, then the rider must rise.
Therefore, for landing at the time of the jump, another strong support is needed. This is so important that it requires close attention. A new support is formed as a result of bringing the knees together. The knees should be as close to the body as if they were part of the horse. In the event that even the putlishe breaks, the rider will not lose support.
Therefore, for show jumping, the putlische is pulled shorter so that, by raising the knees, to create a strong support; at the same time, the foot moves into the stirrup until it is lifted, but the heel cannot be raised. Schenkel should be close behind the girth. They cannot be moved further back or pulled out. This will disorientate the horse.
The reins should be taken shorter, and the hands should be kept on both sides of the horse's neck.
The arms should remain bent so that the rider, if necessary, can push them forward.
The horse begins to rise into a jump from the third phase of the canter pace, in which he pushes off the ground with his front legs to once again pull his hind legs far forward, push them and carry them over the obstacle. This moment is already the beginning of the rise, the last moment when the rider must decisively shift his center of gravity forward. The earlier the rider is prepared for this, the easier it will be for him at the time of the ascent.
If it becomes necessary to send the horse, then the seat is torn off the saddle shortly before repulsion, since the sending effect of the lumbosacral region will stop immediately as soon as the rider rises in the saddle. Even experienced athletes, bringing the horse close to the obstacle, can miss the moment of shifting the center of gravity forward and fall behind the rhythm of movement. If this moment is missed, then neither the stretching of the arms nor the inclination of the body of the rider will help. These movements will make a bad impression on the viewer, however inevitable they may seem to the rider at that moment. They are not only not harmonious, but also indicate that the harmony is clearly broken and the rider has lost his balance. If the rider in this case does not compress the horse with his knees and legs, then he may lose support and fall. The rider, however, should not interfere with the horse even more with a set of reins and, landing, should try not to reward it for faithful service with a push of the seat in the back.
Well-trained horses are attracted to obstacles. On these horses, the rider must transition to a jump position much earlier. If the horse jumps willingly and must overcome several obstacles in a row, then it is better to maintain this position during the entire show jumping. In this case, only shankels are sent.
Due to the fact that the rider lowers his hands to the neck of the horse, he maintains contact with the horse's neck, and the gathered reins allow him to maintain a confident connection with the horse's mouth. In this way, the rider feels all changes better and reacts faster.
Since the contact must be very light and the pressure insignificant, it will not play any role if the connection is lost at the moment of repulsion from the ground, that is, when the reins sag. Moreover, firm contact between the hand and the mouth of the horse should not be required, because the jerking of the hands can disturb the coordination of the horse's movements. The rider must remember the main thing - that he must "lengthen" or free the horse's neck. The horse jumps with an outstretched neck not only more willingly, but also more confidently. As soon as the rider feels that at the moment of the jump he clung to the horse more strongly than before, then this means that he made a mistake. If the horse jumps without stretching his neck, then the rider has made the same mistake.
It is best for a beginner rider to learn the jumping position on a well-conditioned horse and without reins, by holding firmly on the mane or a strap tied around the horse's neck for this purpose. It is impossible to grab the front pommel of the saddle, because this will not only not help the rider to avoid lagging behind the rhythm of the horse’s movement, but will also make it impossible to accompany him.
If the rider eventually understands how he should behave at the moment of the jump, then he himself will soon learn to enter into the rhythm of the movement and, leaning on his hands, will be able to prevent lagging behind the rhythm of the movement without holding on to the mane or belt. Over time, the ability to stay on the horse during the jump will come only with the help of the knees, without using the stirrups. Jumping with your hips pressed or your arms crossed is pointless, because this only contributes to lagging behind the rhythm of the movement.
Horse mistakes while jumping
Horses that jump very confidently sometimes make mistakes during the jump and make the following mistakes:
1) get too close to an obstacle and have to jump from an uncomfortable position;
2) push off too early and have to stretch too far over the obstacle;
3) found the obstacle too low and had to move their hind limbs to the side so as not to touch it.
At such times, the rider must be ready to loosen the reins and help the horse. Therefore, he must have his arms bent, which allows them to stretch out at the time of the jump. The neck will help the horse maintain balance. If the horse in these moments (we are talking about fractions of a second) cannot stretch enough, then he will make an even bigger mistake, which can lead to fatal consequences. During the jump, there is no need to maintain contact between the hand and the mouth of the horse, it only occurs again after the end of the jump.
Landing
Contact with the horse's mouth is not necessary at the moment of landing, as the slightest pull on the reins can prevent him from maintaining his balance. Often the horse falls only because the rider wanted to help the horse by restraining the horse.
Although the beginner rider thinks he can lift the horse in front of the reins, he will only push him down. Sometimes, by jerking the reins or by too close, the horse is deprived of the last opportunity to maintain balance. Likewise, a tightrope walker who has stumbled will fall if his balance beam catches on something at the decisive moment. The horse, on the other hand, can maintain balance when "folding" only with the help of the neck and head.
The rider will do his best to remain seated still, as calmly and firmly as possible, to exclude any shift in the center of gravity that might upset the horse. It is a mass (rather than a balloon with lift) that must be firmly connected to the horse at this very moment, and the rider, seated firmly, must not fall when the horse is "folded".
From the strong tension of the reins, which the rider feels during the "folding" of the horse, one cannot conclude that it was needed and helped.
The knees of the rider at the moment of landing act elastically, so to speak, as shock absorbers, and this is pleasant for the horse, since they do not form a whole with its body, but are only pressed against it with the help of muscular effort. Also, the hands resting on the hands involuntarily spring in the elbow and shoulder joints. The seat, which at the moment of repulsion and flight largely unloaded the back, upon landing again approaches the saddle, but does not rest on it until the horse touches the ground with its hind legs.
After the jump, the rider must again and as quickly as possible gain control over the horse with the help of influences: with the end of the jump, he alone decides whether to ride forward, turn or go to the next obstacle. The lost seat and stirrups should be put back in order, and sagging reins should be dialed.
Pay special attention to the steep landing. The steeper the landing, especially when jumping into water, which slows down forward movement depending on its depth, the more necessary it is for the rider to tilt the body back and unload the front limbs of the horse. Thanks to this, the horse will not only keep its balance better, but the rider will also stay in the saddle when the horse unexpectedly “folds”.
The initial show jumping training is one of the most exciting experiences for a rider. In addition to positive experience, we can often get negative ones too: basically, these are errors in approaching an obstacle and problems with the work of the body when jumping - “lag” behind the horse and vice versa - early delivery of the shoulders forward, before the jump (usually they say that the rider “poked himself” ). Why these difficulties arise, how to avoid them and how to deal with them if they have become an ingrained habit - we will discuss all these issues in this article.
RIDER
First of all, I would like to draw the attention of riders who begin jumping training to the amount of knowledge and skills in riding that they must possess at this moment. The necessary minimum is good control of the horse, developed balance; the ability to maintain an even pace for a long time independently at all gaits and in races, the “vision” of the entire arena, and not the ground under the feet of one’s horse, and, no matter how strange it may sound, an excellent reaction to the words of the coach, that is, the ability to hear him always and quickly respond to commands. The ability to ride without a shift and move in a straight line outside the arena wall is also welcome. As a test, you can try to depict the entrance along the center line, stop (or change of gait) and move straight - the horse under you should not “dangle” from side to side and “sleep”, but remain active and sensitive to any commands. An additional plus for the rider will be the knowledge of the names of the obstacles - the cross, the Chukhonets, the uneven bars, the ability to distinguish them and the ability to quickly understand the coach's team when he says: "We go to the hurdle by riding to the right, then to the bars by riding to the left."
HORSE
The second point is the abilities and skills of your four-legged partner. They are important no less than yours, and perhaps even more - an animal with a stable psyche, able to forgive the rider's mistakes and having good show jumping training will help no worse than a coach. Of course, the rider must be able to cope with different horses, but for learning show jumping at the initial stage, a difficult horse with bad habits is absolutely contraindicated. Most of the people who tried jumps and subsequently abandoned them got their fear precisely because of horses that were incorrectly selected for training - dragging them to an obstacle, throwing themselves at the first opportunity, closed, lazy or so “learned” to walk in a shift that when they try to take out from there, resisting to the last. Jumping on such a horse will not give any sense, will only bring disappointment, and in the future - self-doubt. It is also worth noting that most of the “vices”, especially spacings and throws, lead to the stable fixation of such errors in the rider as “poking” with his shoulders before the start of the jump and vice versa - “lagging behind”.
First JUMPS
Usually jumping training consists of a short warm-up - trot, gallop, cavaletti work and, in fact, jumps. In the first 30-40 minutes, the horse should warm up the muscles and tendons, and the rider should achieve good contact with her. For this, exercises such as: expansion-reduction of gaits, riding “along curves” (performing races and changes in in large numbers), lateral flexion.
The basic exercise in learning show jumping is the passage of cavaletti at the trot and canter. A good pass is the alignment of the horse to the middle of the cavaletti already in five or six paces, the passage clearly in the center while maintaining an even pace and moving forward after the poles for another 10-15 meters. The rider sits tightly in the saddle and looks at the entire arena (and not down and sideways). After a few passes, the trainer may ask you to take a show jumping position over the cavaletti - rise above the saddle, move the body forward, rest your knees more strongly on the bi-footers on the wings, and grab the horse's mane in the middle of the neck with both hands. In this position, it is not easy to control the horse - gather the reins a little shorter, do not lose contact with the horse's mouth, keep moving actively and look at the middle. After the cavaletti, sit in the saddle and be sure to check how straight you are riding - the straightness must be maintained! All this is very important - without practicing these skills, subsequent jumps are practically impossible or will be fraught with great difficulties.
Everyone usually makes their first jump through a cross - an obstacle of small height, consisting of two crossed poles. Its execution is not difficult for the horse and the rider: the main principles are the same as during the passage of cavaletti (it’s not for nothing that you were driven through them by several lessons!) - activity, precise control of the horse, movement right before and after the jump. At the first lessons, the trainer will definitely put a “hint” in front of all the obstacles - an additional pole that will help the horse and you see the take-off point for the jump and explain at what moment you need to “roll” the horse (expand the gait), where to work more actively with the leg and when to take it by the mane, so as not to "click" the horse by the mouth. It is important to remember that all jumps take place clearly in the middle of the obstacle, without shifting to the right or left corner.
ERRORS
It is worth dwelling in more detail on the most popular mistakes. During the jump training, the instructor must convey to you a huge amount of information and often he simply does not have enough time to keep track of everything and eradicate all mistakes: while you are fighting for the correct position of the hand, the leg begins to go back, and the body hunches. Make it easy for the coach - read popular literature, film your jumps on video, watch others train and listen to what comments are made to them - everyone makes the same mistakes at the initial stage.
"Hit" problems - jumping obliquely and at the corners of the obstacle. Most often this happens for three reasons: you do not have time to align the horse for the jump, because you turn on the obstacle too close to it, you “hang” on the inside rein, and the horse “falls through” into the turn (no work from the outside hand, the outside rein is thrown , you don’t understand the term “movement on two reins”), and the third - the horse “vomits” for a jump, the rider simply does not have time to do anything, and the coach, in order to avoid “jumps”, asks to turn to the obstacle from the volt. Almost all these difficulties are “treated” quite simply - after 5-8 paces, a pole is placed clearly in a straight line from the obstacle, the rider must pass it in the middle - then it will only be required to maintain the given trajectory. The second way (it does not cancel the first one, they give the best result when combined) is to jump crosses: the middle is best seen on them - this is the lowest point. Violation of straightness can also be observed after an obstacle - a pair of rider-horse immediately after the jump leaves in one direction. This difficulty is solved, like the previous one, only the pole is placed after the obstacle, and the student is given the task of overcoming it without losing pace, also in the middle.
“Pushing” shoulders before the jump, or “falling behind” the horse are more difficult errors that require painstaking correction by the trainer. They have extensive grounds under them: first of all, it is the fear of abandoning the horse (the student sits to the last and leads the horse, not trusting it - as a result, the horse is already jumping, but the rider is not). The second reason is the fear of jumping in principle and the lack of an eye - you simply do not see the point of repulsion for the jump and either “sit out” it or jump too early - before the horse. Fighting fear is difficult, but possible - you need a well-trained horse without bad habits, a correct coach who does not require you to force events, and a calm atmosphere of a medium-sized KSK. The eye is developed by experience - put on your jumps not only the classic "hint" for the pace, but several poles - for three, four or five paces. Exercises with poles lying on the ground separately from obstacles help well - working with them at a gallop teaches you to see the calculation no less than jumps.
There are many problems with the body - most often the rider leans too hard on the horse. This error mainly stems from a head down (you constantly look under the horse’s legs) and hunched shoulders: during the jump, bend your lower back more, look between the horse’s ears and try to balance on your knees and stirrups - do not look for support in the animal’s neck. Keep your shoulders up and straighten them out - a loud coach shouting "shoulders!" helps a lot. a second before the jump, but only if it was explained to you in advance what they want from you.
Learning to jump is a complex process, where the full interaction of the student, teacher and horse is assumed. During training, you will definitely have moments of happiness and bitter disappointment, moments of despair and self-doubt - learn, nothing is impossible for a person! A few years later, having easily jumped off a route 130 cm high and looking at the torment of another beginner in the arena, remember with a smile and nostalgia your first jumps, first horses, first coaches and mentally thank them for the fact that once they were able to help you pass the path from a green beginner to an ace of jumping fields, without getting hung up on the problems of overcoming obstacles. ZM
