How to Improve Your Horse's Jumping Ability

Perfecting your horse's jumping ability has much more to do with allowing the horse to think on his own rather than with your managing the horse every step along the way. Gymnastic jumping is the exercise of placing two or more obstacles a certain distance apart. If a horse approaches ground poles or jumps with a steady stride, he will stretch his neck, round his back and jump in good form. Adding gymnastic jumping exercises to your horse's training will not only improve his ability, it will increase his confidence as well.

Things You'll Need

  • Ground or jump poles
  • Measuring tape
  • Jump standards
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place four poles on the ground approximately 4 feet 6 inches apart from each other. Use a measuring tape to ensure an accurate distance between poles. Ask your horse to trot over these poles in a steady, rhythmical trot. You may trot over these poles in both directions to show your horse the distance and establish his balance.

    • 2

      Add a small jump (Jump A) 9 feet away from the last ground pole. This simulates a bounce -- or two jumps, one after another -- that require no strides between them. The horse will trot over the final ground pole and immediately jump over Jump A without taking a stride in between. This improves your horse's balance and will make him sharper over fences.

    • 3

      Expand the exercise by adding a small vertical jump (Jump B) 18 feet away from jump A. A horse will put one canter stride in between jumps A and B. This exercise gives the rider practice at waiting for the horse to jump and rebalance himself upon landing.

    • 4

      Use these distances to create new gymnastic exercises that become more challenging. For example, place three small jumps 10 feet apart to form three bounces, whereby the horse will land after one jump and immediately lift off the ground for the next. Increase the difficulty level by adding a fourth jump 20 feet away from the last bounce jump to add one canter stride. This exercise will help your horse see distances to each jump, making the takeoff and landing smoother and more balanced.