Steadiness when Jumping

For this new lesson, Michel teaches Charlotte who rides Bounty, a quite inexperienced 5 Year Old mare.

The exercise begins with riding in between the fences preparing for all the key elements that will lead to a successful jump: a rider in control of her mind and her horse’s mind, well seated with a steady canter and a straight mare.

Michel’s professional eye detects any interfering movement from the rider and its influence on the horse. We can see that a good landing is the results of a good approach. Therefore, the rider has to plan each phase of the jump constantly.

We will also notice how sensitive a horse is to the slightest disturbance of the rider’s mind. During this session, Charlotte will have to face a situation leading her to become confused. Her hesitation will impact the mare’s behaviour who will take the control over and decide for her rider.

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.