Gridwork in a limited space?

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ecrozier

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Hi everyone!!
Just wondered is anyone had any suggestions - I've finally moved to somewhere I have a school - YAY!

So now able to jump a bit more regularly, and really want to do some grids with the boy. Never had to build my own grids before though (only done them in lessons
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), so a bit lacking in inspiration to be honest! We've got loads and loads of poles/wings/fillers etc. but the school is 20 x 40 so slightly limited space.

Horse's problems are staying 'bouncy' in canter to a fence as he tends sometimes to get a bit fast/flat and drops a back leg, and even sometimes when in a decent canter he can drop a foot, usually one or other of his hind legs, and tip the poles, so its all about striding and improving my ability to see a stride!! He tends to jump best slightly close to the fence (short coupled, little horse with a powerfull backside!) but I have a tendancy to go for the long one and then we have poles down!!

So, any suggestions about grids I could build him?
E.xx
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Our school is 20x44m so a similar size to yours and I still find I can easily fit a one stride triple down the long side. So you could probably still fit a 2 stride double or 3-4 stride related distance in too. I usually put poles on the ground for each non-jumping stride to help maintain the rhythm and a placing pole should help you take off in the right place.
I sometimes build 2 doubles on each diagonal line - say a cross to an upright going HXF and an upright to a parallel going MXK and try to keep a nice rhythm doing a figure of eight through the 2 grids. Gives you a bit more room for the approach and landing and you can still jump something off either rein without having to constantly get off and change the height of the first part of the grid so you can come off the other rein. I find it a bit tight to do anything other than a 1 stride double on the centre line - but my horse is a bit forward going and we end up motorbiking round the corner at the top if there's not too much room on landing.
 
Hi ann-jen, thanks for response! So when you say a one strride triple you mean one fence, land one stride to next, land, one stride to last? And then a pole halfway between each element as a placing pole?
Mine is rather forward going too, so I like the idea of doubles on the diagonal - hadn't thought of that! So could do a one stride double accross one diagonal and a two stride accross the other couldn't I? Do you use poles through there too?
Thanks so much for ideas!
 
Yes thats exactly it. Its more tricky to use the poles on the ground on the diagonals without ending up with poles interfering with the middle bit of the opposite diagonal if you know what I mean. It should be feasible to do it with a 2 stride double though although I've never tried (will give that a try myself next time). I usually just use a crosspole or a small upright to set myself up for a more substantial second part when doing the diagonal lines thing.
 
A line of three or four bounces is a good exercise as it will make the horse sit on their hocks and round their backs, and makes them think about what they are doing with their legs. You can then take a bounce out so they are doing two bounces to a one stride, and this will help the horse to stay in a steady rythem. A placing pole in front of the first fence will also help set the horse up in the correct take off spot and help you with seeing your stride better.
 
Thanks xbessx, how far apart would you put the fences for a bounce? My horse is pretty standard stride-wise, 4 of mine to one of his.
 
i put pole on the floor, three of mine strides, small upright, three of mine, small upright, three of mine, pole on the floor, long three of mine then an oxer at the end.

this bounce exercise really backs off my forward going mare and it teaches them to pick up their legs over the bigger parallel at the end.
 
I've done this one with my instructor too and the bounce is really good for your own position to make sure you are sitting up and in a good position for the oxer at the end.
 
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