how to remember a show jumping course

Give the picture of the course to a friend or family member and have them ask you which path you’re taking. Recite the jumps in order using the memorization techniques you’ve used. Have them ask specific questions, like where a certain jump is, so you can memorize the course from any starting point.

Full Answer

Is it hard to memorize the course for jumping events?

Since many jumping events don’t show the course until the day of the show, it can be difficult to memorize the path you need to take. With careful planning and some easy memorization strategies, you won’t forget the order of the jumps you need to make!

What is a show jumping course?

A show jumping course consists of a series of obstacles (10 minimum) in an arena. There will be a start and finish line to establish the time it takes a horse/rider team to finish the course.

Is show jumping hard to learn?

Show jumping is a popular equestrian event that challenges both the horse and the rider to quickly go through a course of jumping obstacles. Since many jumping events don’t show the course until the day of the show, it can be difficult to memorize the path you need to take.

How do you memorize a horse show course?

Recite the jumps in order using the memorization techniques you’ve used. Have them ask specific questions, like where a certain jump is, so you can memorize the course from any starting point. A horse I'll be showing on for the first time can be very headstrong, so I prefer trotting between jumps.

How do you read a show jumping course?

Draw the path you'll take to hit all of the jumps. Use your finger to trace the path over the picture you took. Follow the numbers and arrows on the obstacles so you know the order you need to complete them in. Refer to the text on the course layout to see what obstacles are included or excluded from your run.

How many jumps are in a show jumping course?

8-16 jumpsCourses are usually made out of 8-16 jumps. You'll want to make sure you can control your horse and complete a course. What is this? A show jumping course can consist of turns, angles, combinations, certain stride-lengths, and intimidating jumps.

How long does it take to learn show jumping?

For instance, a very experienced rider might be ready to do it within a month even on a very green or inexperienced horse. A rider who is new to Jumping might take six months, even if they're on a very well established schoolmaster who has jumped far bigger in the past.

How do you explain show jumping?

show jumping, competitive equestrian event in which horse and rider are required to jump, usually within a time limit, a series of obstacles that have been designed for a particular show.

How are jumpers judged?

Jumper classes are scored objectively based solely on the horse's athletic ability over fences as measured by time. A jumper's only job is to clear all the fences in the course as quickly as possible without incurring any faults.

Is dressage harder than jumping?

Which Discipline is More Difficult? Most riders find it easier to switch from dressage to jumping than the other way around, since beginning dressage is taught in a manner that is more technically intensive, and most find it far more challenging.

Is show jumping difficult?

It's very difficult today, but it's a different difficult. It doesn't encourage blood and guts. The most important characteristic of jumping was developing courage in a person, and that's what riding did and that is what it is supposed to do.

How do you sit a bumpy canter?

0:326:26Controlling and sitting the canter - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe proper way to do it is actually to let your hips almost roll with the canter.MoreThe proper way to do it is actually to let your hips almost roll with the canter.

At what age can you teach a horse to jump?

Most riders begin jumping before a horse is fully grown (5-7 years). With proper judgement, fitness, and horsemanship, schooling younger horses over starter fences is acceptable.

What does RT mean in horse jumping?

Round. The riders turn to jump a course. Course. The prescribed order of the jumps in a specific class. Courses are posted in advance so the riders can learn them prior to riding their round.

Do horses like jumping?

Some people (usually those who profit from jumps racing) would like us to believe that horses love to jump. Again, this is incorrect. Horses only jump obstacles at full gallop because they are forced to do so.

What does CSI stand for in show jumping?

Concours de Saut InternationalConcours de Saut International is a ranking system for the equestrian competition show jumping. All CSI events are approved by the international governing body of equestrian sport, the FEI. The CSI is broken down into a starring system, where more competitive events with more prize money have a higher number of stars.

When did show jumping start?

Show Jumping first appeared as an Olympic sport in 1900, but not in the same format we currently know it to be as it initially did not include any “faults” or marks down for hitting a rail. It wasn’t until 1912 that the Show Jumping format we now know so well became commonplace.

What do you need to show jump a horse?

Basic needs for show jumping your horse are pretty minimal, though you can certainly invest in far more gear if you desire. source: shelby dennis. Bridle (black or brown) Bit (make sure it’s legal for competition) or you can use a legal bitless bridle. Standing or running martingale.

Why do horses run out of jumps?

Not managing straightness is also common as riders may inadvertently cue the horse to go around the jump or “run out” due to nerves on the approach. Jumping ahead or behind the motion is also super common for beginners which is why learning over small, easy fences first is so important for the development of a rider.

Why do horses pack a rider around?

It’ll also help build rider confidence due to feeling safe and in control on a more experienced horse.

Why is my horse jumping so fast?

Riding too fast makes for an inability to rate the speed of the horse as you get in close proximity of the fence, this can result in the horse jumping very “flat” and across the jump, increasing the potential for a crash. It could also make the horse more likely to slip around corners.

Why do horses stay off the fence?

By staying off the back and moving with the horse over the fence, the rider makes it easier for the horse to jump correctly. It also avoids the back pain that is associated with a rider getting left behind or sitting too much over the fence, accidentally thumping onto the horse’s back.

What is a three day horse trial?

Also referred to as horse trials or combined training, a three-day event judges a horse and rider combination in three different disciplines—Dress age, cross-country, and show jumping, (also called stadium jumping).

Building a simple course

Make the first fence an easy one: an ascending spread – that is, one where the second rail is higher than the first – is the best. It should have good groundline. This is the easiest type of fence for the horse and will give him confidence at the outset.

Types of fences

Vertical or upright fence – that is, those in which all the poles or planks are in the same vertical plane – look simple enough but are the most difficult for a horse to jump well.

Walking the course

However modest the size of the fences, you should always walk a course before you try to jump it. Not only does it help fix the route in your memory, but it also enables you to stride out the distances between the fences so that you know in advance how many strides your particular horse will be able to take between each obstacle.

Shortening and lengthening the stride

When you come to jump a course of fences, and in particular combinations, you will soon realize how important it is to be able to lengthen and shorten your horse’s stride at will – and how invaluable all that flatwork is, particularly the upward and downward transitions within a pace, in this case, the canter.

Safe jumping

When building spread fences never use anything other than a single pole for the back element and never put any type of filler under the pole.