Show jumping for Eventers - British Eventing

1 jumping for EventersYour guide to getting the best result from the show jumping phase 01-13 SJ for Eventers :Layout 1 12/11/09 15:04 Page 1in a class of our own_____Classic Showjumps Ltd, Willow Farm, Fenn Lane, Fenny Drayton, Nuneaton, Warks CVI3 6 BJTel : 01455 212100 ConceptPROFESSIONALRANGEGYMKHANAGAMESC lassic Showjumps are proud to sponsor Oliver Townend and The Champions TourContentsYou ve jumped the cross pole,upright and parallel a few timesin the collecting ring and yourhorse is going forward in alovely rhythm, ears pricked,responding well. You are steward calls and you enterthe arena, running through thecourse in your mind, blankingout all that is going on aroundyou.

2 The bell rings; you circle,recreating that lovely rhythmyou had in the collecting ring,and from the top4 First things first6 Single fences 8BE classes10 Elements of a BE course12 Tips 14 The show - jumping phase 16at an eventWhat can I wear18for the show - jumping phase?What can my horse wear 21in the show - jumping phase?BE Accredited Coaches24 WelcomeThe show - jumping phase is often an Eventer snemesis; viewed and anticipated with dread. Riderswho are confident about their own and their horse sability to fly around cross country or perform wellin the dressage phase are often disappointed withtheir performance in the show jumping ring wherepenalty points can stack up as the poles we give you some advice about how toapproach this key phase, with the help of BritishSenior Eventing Team show jumping Coach, PeterMurphy and some practical hints, tips and exercisesto improve your way of going from double BritishOlympic show Jumper, Geoff Billington.

3 As well warm-up tips, a variety of exercises andringcraft advice, we also list your nearest BEAccredited Coach who can help you get your seasonoff to a flying not gain more ringcraft experience ineventing off season at BE s own show - jumping andindoor- Eventing series, JAS Eventing ? Or have a goat Jump Training, where Accredited Coaches watchyour first round, then offer vital feedback to helpyou improve before jumping your second round?They are both great fun. For more details, check outthe BE website. Shows run all over Britain fromJanuary through to good luck and enjoy yourself this season! ADAM FANTHORPEFRONT COVER: ADAM FANTHORPEB ritish EventingStoneleigh ParkKenilworthWarwickshireCV8 2 RNTel:0845 262 334401-13 SJ for Eventers :Layout 1 12/11/09 15:09 Page 262 3344 Tips from the topBritish Senior Eventing TeamShow jumping Coach PeterMurphy offers these tips forEventers, from flatworkthrough to choosing your level of competition Flatwork Make sure you are not trying toreplicate your dressage flatworkin your show - jumping flatworkas you warm up.

4 The pace youare going at needs to be morepowerful; not necessarily fasterbut more active and forward. WithersMost important here is that your stirrups are the right length;don t have them as long as in thedressage phase or as short ascross country. Ideally, you don twant to be sitting too far over the horse s wither or too deep inthe saddle. Ultimately, you needto be comfortable in adjustingyour balance in the saddle over a fence. Using your hand and leg It is very important that the riderdoesn t purely use the hand andleg as the stop and go button. It sKIT HOUGHTONDAVID SINCLAIR FANTHORPE01-13 SJ for Eventers :Layout 1 12/11/09 15:09 Page 262 3344 RingcraftThis is where the abovepointers all come together;you need to make sure you are in a good powerful pacefor this phase, making sureyou are maintaining bend and control with your handand leg.

5 Ride the course asyou walked it, making sureyou come to your fencesstraight and maintain accuracy. Moving up a levelA common mistake here isthinking that once you havecompleted successfully at your current level you areautomatically ready to go up a level. This is not necessarilythe case. Talk to your coachand make sure you discusswhether you and the horse are ready to move up a levelor whether you need somemore training to go forwardsin the future. Getting the right trainerUltimately this is yourdecision; different peoplerespond to different teachingstyles. Some individuals needconstant pressure whereothers need a quieterapproach.

6 I personally thinkthat you know that you havethe right trainer when theyare making sense to you,when they aren t telling youtoo much in one go, orrushing you. Basically, theyneed to be thorough with you in each phase. key that you use your leg topush though corners and lineson the course. Also ensure youuse your hand and leg toregulate the pace and to keepthe horse supple and bending. Using pace Adjusting your horse s paceaccordingly for the timeallowed on the course iscrucial. When you walk thecourse you must walk exactlywhere you are going to ride;knowing exactly where you will need to adjust the power to keep within the time isessential.

7 Don t allow the pace to get too long and flat as this willreduce your accuracy in yourlines to the FANTHORPE01-13 SJ for Eventers :Layout 1 12/11/09 15:10 Page 262 3344 First things firstGeoff s top three tipsObedience is crucial in the show - jumping ring. Essentiallyyour horse must go where youwant him to go and do what youwant him to do, when you wanthim to do horse must learn to wait, between hand and legbetween possible, use your upper-body weight instead of your hand to shorten and lengthenyour horse s stride and speed. You can practice this by gettingyour horse to lengthen andshorten in the school. Firstly, fiveAbove: Two of your own strides is thedistance you need either side of apole for landing or take-off.

8 Thenwhen walking out a distance to placeyour fence, measure four of your ownstrides to one of your horse s stridesstrides lengthen, five stridesshorten. Then change the pattern,finally getting down to threestrides lengthen and three jumping using cavaletti or polesJumping small fences in a grid, such as a cavaletti, workswonders for both your balanceand your horse s co-ordinationand will improve your feel the jumps are small, you can concentrate on your ownposition, allowing your horse toALL PHOTOS: ADAM FANTHORPE01-13 SJ for Eventers :Layout 1 12/11/09 15:10 Page 262 3344have a bit of fun whilst movingforwards through the , it is up to you to getthe horse to the fence it is thenhis responsibility to jump it!

9 You can trot or canter throughthe grid it is up to you, but theimportant thing is to always aimfor the centre of the fence, to giveyour horse the best possiblechance of making a clean jumpand steer him to the middle ofthe fences all the way and keep a normal, regularcanter stride along the line ofcavaletti, not altering or changingthe can also vary the distancebetween the cavaletti, so you can alter your horse s stride. Youcan go from two strides to one or two to three or vary themalong the length of the grid, thusincreasing the challenge for thepair of you have mastered goingstraight down the line and lookedat different distances in-between,try a few exercises like turning asyou land over the last the line of cavaletti on both the left and right reinand then turn the opposite waywhen you have exited that will increase your horse ssuppleness and reaction time.

10 It will also keep him listening to you as he doesn t know whichway you want him to turn is also a great exercise toencourage your horse to land on the correct leg. Top: control is important for athletic jumping . Above: practice turning intoand out of your line of cavaletti to increase flexibility and co-ordination01-13 SJ for Eventers :Layout 1 12/11/09 15:11 Page 262 3344 Single fencesBy jumping along a grid, you willhave improved your feel for agood canter rhythm. Try bringingin a variety of single fences,varying your approach and you have mastered that,maybe try riding a figure of eight,so you have your cross pole inthe middle of the eight, and drawan imaginary figure of eight infront and away from it.