Jumping without a ground pole?

[Silverspring]

When I learned to jump (back in the good ol days when Milton was a lad) I was alwasy told to use a ground pole or fillers. I twas unheard of to put a fence up with one pole spanning two wings and sweet FA else. It seems I am the only person who does this, every person at my yard is happy to pop and entire course of fences not a single one with a ground line or filler. I actually makes me cringe. On a scale of 1 - 10 how anal am I?

 

[ForeverBroke_]

I can see both sides of this.

Without a ground pole - I die

It really makes the world of difference with me and my Loon.

With Fillers - I also die

We're working on that one!!

 

[emma69]

Provided the horse is an experienced jumper, ground lines aren't essential, and I would be happy to pop round a small-medium sized course without really thinking about it. I always use them for novice jumpers tho, and used them when I was teaching as it helps give a better jump (less getting underneath the fence, and less standing off) and I would always choose to use them over high fences, as why make things more difficult than they need to be.

 

[JessPickle]

My horse jumps so badly with ground lines! He aims to thread of them or put his foot in tiny gap between jump and pole. He has broken many a pole doing this. Therefore its much easier to jump without for me.

 

[milliepops]

I always build my own fences with groundlines, and the same if I put them up for anyone else. My trainer doesn't always use them though - puts 2 poles close together at the top and then a huge gap to the floor. I hate it!! Makes the fences look huge

 

[Silverspring]

Yeah I think because I was usually on young ones I'm just used to them being there and giving me a bit of confidence. I would happily take my old jumping pony round a course without any ground lines but he was a point and go pony

The horses at the yard are very mixed, some are only jumped a handful of times a year and these are 3'3" to 3'6" fences, some of them rather narrow and they just don't seem to want to make it easy for the horse.

Ok I'm giving myself a 9 for being anal, a 10 if I actually said anything to them about it

 

[emma69]

Maybe mention it to them that it makes it easier for the horse to judge, but if they are managing fine, no need - over 3'6'' most horses can sort themselves out.

 

[Irishcobs]

We always use a ground pole under a fence at work, it doesn't matter if I'm jumping a baby or the foxhunter. But we only really use a ground line (a stride from the jump) with the babies.

 

[ester]

I always do unless I am working on a particular filler issue so just want him to pop the pole before the filler is put underneath.

 

[Silverspring]

[ QUOTE ]
We always use a ground pole under a fence at work, it doesn't matter if I'm jumping a baby or the foxhunter. But we only really use a ground line (a stride from the jump) with the babies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well at least I'm not the only one out there then

I would called a pole a stride from the jump a placing pole, and I have seen horses try to take off from the placing pole...Anglo Arabs seem to be particular prone to that stupidity

 

[CrazyMare]

Sometimes do, sometimes don't. Got to say, when we are competing they aren't always there, although there are often fillers.

Sometimes use diagonal poles like this

Or this fence is just one pole, but has my mock water tray - an old blue banner underneath

I think if you teach them right from the start, you can teach a horse to jump anything if you ask them. Scare a baby though, and they may always be looking for gremlins in fences.

 

[KatB]

Funnily enough, with my baby I will use a placing pole often, but often without a groundline. However, if jumping a fence without a placing pole, I like some sort of ground line

My coloured I always used to jump with a groundline out from the base of the fence slightly to encourage him to back off it, and I have seen groundlines used in the middle of oxers to encourage the horse to make a shape by getting in deep.... so using a false groundline

I would prefer to use no groundline than a false groundline on an upright though!!

 

[JustMe22]

I use them sometimes, but I'll jump wth or without. A single vertical I often have one, but again, I'm perfectly happy to jump it without.
Spreads/oxers I don't bother so much with them.

Actually...I sort of just jump whats in the arena

If it has a ground pole, fine. If not, so be it. Hehe.

 

[MagicMelon]

I always use one, probably just out of habit. I dont think it matters if the fence is tiny but as they get bigger, they are more welcoming IMO with a ground line! A big fence looks very gappy with just one pole! I feel the horse can judge the height better with a ground line too.