Need some inspiration for gridwork exercises in a 20x40 arena

charlimouse

charlimouse

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My '101 jumping exercises' book has gone AWOL, and I am therefore feeling a little short of ideas for grids and jumping exercises. Pickle and Jem both need a jump tomorrow as they are eventing Saturday. Jem hasn't jumped since Richmond ODE, and Pickle hasn't jumped since the unaff ODE he did a couple of weeks ago. The last fences they jumped were XC. For Jem I need to work on getting her up in the air over the fence and keeping her careful, aswell as maintaining the rhythm round the corner and into the fence as she has a tendancy to try and bounce on the spot round the corner, then wants to fire at it. With Pickle I stil feel like we are gotting to know each other, so the main aim is to keep up both confident in ourselves and each other. He does struggle to keep his hocks under him, and therefore ploughs onto the forehand and gets a bit speedy. He is only 5 and balance is the main area we working on in the flatwork, and it carries through into the jumping.

Any bright ideas appreciated. I am limited space wise in a 20x40, but have plenty of poles, wings, fillers etc.

Thanks!
 
My trainer usually creates jumping exercises which aren't just lines of bounces and would work well in a smaller arena, for instance he has had a single fence 4 strides from end on the quarter line with two options after it, one straight on, one on a dog leg you have to jump one then the other and after the one on a dog leg you go one way after the other one you go the other. He will use canter poles throughout and then start to take them away, usually 3 or 4 strides between the fences, and generally a placing pole a couple of strides out.
We do lots in small arenas I will try and think of a few more.
 
badgermyers said:
As for jumping exercises, I like to build grids to lose jump now. V poles and fillers and really getting the horse to think for itself. They seem to enjoy a nice break from the ridden work too
Click to expand...

I do sometimes loose jump them, but I also need to get my eye in, probably more than the horses :o:rolleyes:!

siennamum said:
My trainer usually creates jumping exercises which aren't just lines of bounces and would work well in a smaller arena, for instance he has had a single fence 4 strides from end on the quarter line with two options after it, one straight on, one on a dog leg you have to jump one then the other and after the one on a dog leg you go one way after the other one you go the other. He will use canter poles throughout and then start to take them away, usually 3 or 4 strides between the fences, and generally a placing pole a couple of strides out.
We do lots in small arenas I will try and think of a few more.
Click to expand...

I have done a variation on this exercise, 2 jumps on a related distance on the CL, then 1 on a dogs leg to the left, and another to the right, so the horse has to keep listening to where they are going next, and be manouverable.

siennamum said:
Here's one which is a bit eek! Objective is two strong strides off placing pole to an offset fence and land on the right lead, which we failed to do, which is why I am contorting myself!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1001083731199.406777.535976198&type=3&theater
Click to expand...

I haven't come across that one before. Will put it on my to do list!

siennamum said:
Here is a version which shows the poles at the start, really good for focussing on a rythm and stringing 4 or 5 fences together, you can't really take a check. The offset fence gets them to snap their knees up and you can work on one rein then the other, the straight fences keep horse forwards & confident:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...0880564661496.397265.612696495&type=3&theater
Click to expand...

The picture isn't working :confused:. Is it a variation of the above exercise, or a different one entirely?
 
Really simple but I would go for a placing pole to a fence (oxer), 5 strides if you have room but less if not. I would have a take off and landing pole for the fence (I would also start with all poles on the ground).

For Jem to get her in the air, I would (once she has jumped it a few times) sit a pole diagonally across the top of the oxer.

This should help you get the right canter and not bounce and put you on the right stride to get your eye in.

I would do the same for the 5yr old but keep the fence low.

Good luck for your event at the weekend, where are you?

ETA: Once you have done that you can then roll the poles in and jump the oxer on an angle on Jem ready for XC!
 
Not a grid as such, but one of my favourite exercises is three fences along the centre line, one at right angles to the track at A, one at right angles to the track at C and one at X (i.e. all three parallel with the long side of the arena). You can then jump them as a figure of eight, changing legs over the one at X, or you can jump two fences on a 20m circle or going large as many times as you like without having to change canter lead.

The fences come up really quickly (so start small) and will help your jumping from a turn and keeping a rhythm, not to mention landing on the correct lead if you choose the figure of eight route!

Have fun and good luck for your competition:-)
 
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