jumping exercise

Michel begins this session with a good flat work warm-up including some relaxation work at a trot, stretching the neck down. We know the importance Michel gives to this phase of neck stretching in order to let the energy flow all along the top line. This position is to seek especially at the beginning of the work as it enables the horse’s joints and back muscles to get into place. That’s an excellent exercise to get ready for the next phase of work.

Michel gives also a great importance in maintaining the arms very supple and flexible whatever the gait. It will enable the rider to maintain a constant contact with the horse’s mouth which is essential to get the horse to be trustful and to loosen his movements.

We’ll notice the strong canter rhythm as well as the bending in the turns.

The session goes on with a line of cavalettis to make sure the mare is responsive. The rhythm has to stay steady as well as the track that has been previously determined by the rider.
 

Michel emphasises on the importance of preparing each aid or action and each part of the course.

The session continues with getting over a few lines and combinations of jumps over which Michel needs to maintain a constant rhythm while staying in control.
 

Michel sets-up some exercises that will enable Day Dreamer to focus and be serein before and after a fence. Marine, the rider, implements Michel’s advice regarding her position and her mind frame in order to reassure her horse.


At first, approaches are successfully managed. After practising the exercise several times, Day dreamer stays steady and approaches fences calmly, without rushing. However, he keeps rushing when landing out of the line, Michel adjusts the exercise to get the horse to be more focused and to push from behind to maintain a steady canter.

By the end of the session, the horse goes over the line calmly. We can notice that it helped improve his jumping technics. He goes over the grid and then turns behind it in a steady rhythm with a good engagement of the hind-legs.

 

First part: Flat work

Michel begins with a rider’s position check-up to improve the rider’s ability to follow his horse movements. Pierre has to unblock his legs and keep his hands steady in order to reach a constant contact.
He also has to pay attention to his path. For that, Michel asks him to perform a circle in an imaginary corridor. The simple fact of having a precise path enables Pierre to get a better connection with Quatmandou.
Pierre will then look to get his horse on the bit. The goal is the reach a position that would be less closed in, less forced up. For that, Michel encourages him to test his feelings and his horse reactions in the opposite position….i.e. very open. By working in the 2 extreme positions, Pierre and his horse will find a comfortable in-between position.
The training on the flat work continues with some transitions at different gaits, still staying on a precise path. This work goes toward the goal of this session which is to be able to accelerate or slow down while keeping a responsive horse.
The canter work is done on a large oval shape allowing Pierre to work on a succession of straight lines and turns to simulate the conditions of a course. All this work has to be done still observing a precise cadence.



Second part: jumping

The training continues with some ground poles along the 2 diagonal-lines of the indoor arena. In the approach of each pole, Pierre has to imagine he’s coming toward a huge fence. In order to not impair his body movements, Pierre has to keep breathing, especially while approaching fences.
Then, Michel sets-up a vertical on one of the diagonals. Very fast, he realises that Quatmanda has a tendency  to lose his pushing power, particularly when the take-off stride is not at the ideal spot. So, Michel arranges a set-up that will solve this issue.
Pierre has a tendency to assist his horse by preventing him to do the fault. On the contrary he has to make his horse aware of his responsibilities by letting him find the solution to jump correctly. It implies that the rider
The session moves on with some lines and combinations of fences. Pierre has to memorise the feeling of a good quality canter on the ground poles and has  to try  to maintain it at all time on the course.
 

Michel is conducting a gymnastic exercise over a jump in order to try to relax his horse to the utmost.  Michel himself must work with as much mental and physical relaxation as possible, all the while remaining in control of speed and accuracy of line.  This exercise is based on a repetition carried out while calm and with good humour, but always while requiring a good level of effort and determination from the rider.  It is an exercise that is in-between flatwork and jumping.  The rider maintains an attitude similar to that of a dressage rider.

The reins, however, are long enough to permit the horse to stretch his neck out as much as possible, especially during the approach phases.

The exercise over cavalettis and the line of cross-poles encourages a regular canter, and the horse to be right over the middle of the obstacles.  You can notice Michel's relaxation and his hands accompanying the movement almost to an exaggerated degree during the take-off and over the obstacles.  The horse has practically always a regular, constant canter.

If the rider's looking down, the following movement of the exercise will be problematic as the preparation and anticipation are fundamental to the success of this exercise: « What am I thinking about?...… Why?..Is that useful right now? »

If something goes wrong, the root of the problem often occurs a few seconds before.

The difficulty of the exercise is also to stay very straight on the approach and on the fence. Again, keeping the panoramic vision is very important.

The horse also needs a correct trajectory on the jump to go thru the set-up properly. This exercise will help horses that aren’t comfortable on combinations to gain confidence. As this exercise is easy, horses of all levels can do it.

This exercise requires discipline from the rider. He has to commit to respecting:

- the path and getting the horse to jump the middle of  the fence

- a steady rhythm on the approach and on the landing

At the same time, the rider needs to focus on his position to let the horse move freely and to let him flow thru his movements.

For the horse, it’s an excellent gymnastic to allow him to improve the coordination of his movements. To be successful going thru the grid, the horse has to organize himself to correctly place the take-off stride at each jump. The exercise also allows the horse to develop his concentration and his ability to react quickly.

 

Heights: between about 40 cm and 1 metre – keep the first fence very small. The heights increase from the first to the last fence. For example: 50 cm - 70 cm - 85 cm - and 1 metre for the last vertical.
Normal short strides

It is crucial to approach the fences and land perpendicularly to the line. There is no point in putting up the fences if the rider is unable to keep his horse straight and in the centre of the exercise. This exercise in particular requires a slow and cadenced working canter while approaching. One must not tolerate any lengthening of the stride. If the horse speeds up 3 strides off the first fence, the rider must circle or halt.

This form of training is effectively totally incompatible with a rider who is out of control or a horse that rushes its fences. Equally, this line cannot in practice be ridden if the rider does not maintain wide-angled vision.

The horse :
This exercise is aimed at improving the horse’s jumping technique, and above all the way it uses its neck allowing it to quickly pull up its knees (only if the rider accompanies the movement with his hands).

The rider :
You must, above all, remain centred on your reference position and keep contact with the horse because these are short distances. The eyes are of course looking towards the end of the line. You should also ensure that the horse is kept well within the axis and at the centre of the line.