A slideshow presentation by Dominica Wambold. Basic tips and tricks for beginning equestrians who want to practice show jumping..

1. JUMPING
Equestrian
6 Basic Tips for
Beginners

2. Show-jumping (also known as stadium jumping or open jumping) is a very
impressive sport, stemming from the group of English riding events that
includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. It can be done for
exhibition, competition, or simply pleasure, but is usually a competitive
activity. In the history of equestrian sport it is one of the newest classes.
While training horses has been happening for centuries, the British
Inclosure Acts of the 18th century meant that hunting previously done
with very few obstacles to jump now had to jump over fences frequently
to follow fox hounds, as the act brought fencing and boundaries to the
countryside where before there had been only open land. As more and
more jumping training became necessary for a hunting horse, the sport of
training jumping horses developed as well.

3. It requires constant interaction with an animal,
patience to train gently and consistently, and a strong
bond that allows you and the horse to execute moves
together. This may seem daunting for a beginner, and
you may wonder how exactly to start show jumping. As
a novice jumper, it is important to keep a few basic
philosophies in mind that will guide you through the
process of growing within this sport. Here are a few tips
that any beginning show-jumper should know:

4. 1) Start with flatwork basics.
Any jumping session should begin with a review of
flatwork basics. Warm your horse up properly on the
flat. Before you begin jumping, make sure the horse
moves forward and backward from your aids and cues
promptly in all three gaits.

5. 2) If you’re introducing a new jumping concept, always
use an experienced lead horse.
Don’t use a young horse to introduce a new jumping
concept. Instead, use a horse who is already familiar
with the concepts. Horses are herd animals, so if a
young horse sees an old wise horse do a jumping
concept first, the young horse will think the concept is
okay, too.

6. 3) Go with your horse, no matter how green his effort is.
Inexperienced horses have a tendency to jump in awkward
ways. Make sure that you reward your horse’s endeavors no
matter what. You do this by following the horse in the air with
your upper body and arms. You should do this even if your
horse jumps from a standstill. Be prepared to grab the horse’s
mane or hang onto a neck strap. If you catch your horse in the
mouth when he tries to jump, the horse will quickly learn that
this game is not enjoyable. If you reward and follow, the jumps
usually smooth out with practice.

7. 4) Trot jumps first.
Trotting is a good way of teaching your horse to stay
calm on the approach to his fences. It will also
encourage your horse to rock back on his hocks and
jump in the correct manner. In the long run, trotting
will pay off in spades.

8. 5) Don’t give your horse the option of refusing.
During the first several months of your horse’s jumping
training, you should keep the jumps so small that he can go
over them even if he jumps from a standstill. If your horse
questions a jump, you should never allow him to turn away and
then re-approach the fence. If you let your horse do this, you
are teaching him how to say no. Instead, you should quietly
keep your leg on until your horse can hop over the jump from a
halt or walk.

9. 6) Find a ground person to help you.
You’ll need a helper on the ground, just in case you need to
change a grid or lower jumps. If you don’t have a helper, you
will have to get off of your horse and do these things on your
own. Your horse will have had way too much time to think
about whatever is concerning him in the time it takes you to
get off to change jumps and get back on.

10. Horseshow-jumpingisacomplexsport,andyou’reboundt
comeacrosssomeobstaclesalongtheway.Butwiththese
helpfultips,abeginnerhorseshow-jumperwillbeabletoavo
manycommonproblemsthatpeopleencounterwhenthey’
startingout.Goodluckwithallofyourhorseshow-jumping
endeavors!