Grids etc

R

Rachael_jack

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 December 2005
Messages
456
Location
suffolk
Visit site
Can i have some ideas for doing grid exercises with my youngster. He needs to get the hang off getting to the base of his fence more and just general feel for sj.
Also when you are setting trot poles or a pole in front of a grid how many human paces is it?? i always forget!

Thanks
smile.gif
 
Placing pole in front of a fence is about 9ft (three paces).
Trotting poles 4-4.5 ft.

Can't think of any interesting grids though, as rarely jump at home.

Hope others reply to you, and give me some ideas as well.

FIona

Fiona
 
a lot of people put 7 small x poles in abounce grid.... and then take out the last, put a stride in and then a bigger jump. if that makes sense?

other than that im pretty useless... this topic will be very useful for me!
 
Don't do more than 3 fences as a horse is never going in his life time do more than 3 fences in a row. Can use canter or trotting poles, and start by placing your poles on the floor and gettting him to stretch down over and inbetween them keeping the same rhythm try this in trot and canter and then start with a one stride double and use cross poles as that keeps horses straight over the fence instead of drifting and not using themselves...Remember build the grids quite short to teach the horse to half halt after the fence and round his back rather that using speed and jumping flat. For your placing poles try to use flat poles ie planks encase horse steps onto the pole. Then increase height of cross pole.
You can then add another element making it 3 but still all one stride, remember keep a light seat inbetween to allow the horses back to round and be used..remember cross poles as it keeps them straight. Once you have built up over the weeks at doing them at a trot aproach and then canter...move to two strides grids for all 3 elements and then change the distances making 1 stride between 1 and 2 fence and then 2 strides between the 2 and 3 jump and then change it around.
Then move onto bounces start again in trot and then move to canter cross poles again to keep them central..bounces help to round their backs..keep in a light seat between.
Then combine all grids so maybe bounce in 1 stride to the last element.
Also v poles on straight uprights or spreads are good to keep them central and to make their front legs spring up..also poles on landing are helpful to keep them straight and put them on a angle inwards to keep the horse straight but remember flat poles if possible..
Another idea is for the canter or trot poles raise them slightly so the horses don't fall over the placing pole (gets them to look down and spring over the first element.
Remember keep your bodyweight straight and ride to grids like you are doing flat work so balance working in a outline and remember power rather than pace to grids allow the horse to have time to prepare himself and use their bodies..Can include halting before grids and after or circling before and after to get the control and respect..
Remember too much grid work is not always a good thing as sometimes the horse relies on poles to help them...so sometimes canter poles around a course is a good idea
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top