Barrel Racing Jumping

The group jumping lesson this weekend involved assembling a combination of skills.  I had set up three barrels in the arena on one end in a triangle shape.  On the other end of the arena I had set up four jumps.  One pair was set at a distance such that the horse could land, canter one stride, then take off again.  This configuration is called an "in-and-out".  The other two jumps were stand-alone cross rails set up end to end.

We started the lesson by working on the barrels.  Each horse has a side that they prefer, so I assigned each rider and horse pair to the pattern that would have them perform two turns in their more difficult direction.  For example, this diagram with the grey route drawn in shows the pattern Dewey was doing because he has a harder time with his right turns, so he ended up doing twice as many to the right for extra practice as I try to better his symmetry.

Each horse and rider pair went through the pattern at the walk and then the trot, trying to be precise in their steering by approaching the barrel on a wide turn, then bending the horse around the barrel closely in the second half of the turn.  The goal with this exercise was to get the horses and riders thinking about what it takes to get their horse using their haunches by putting more weight on the hind legs in order to complete the turns accurately.  Even if my students never go to a rodeo, this is important because it's the same required body mechanics for dressage, jumping, and barrel racing. The horse needs to be able to rock back on his haunches and spring in all three disciplines.

Once everyone was doing the turns well I added a small course over the fences, so each rider would go through the barrels, then ride down to the other end and do the jump course.  The idea was to get them to think about their jumping turns as they had thought about the barrel turns.  I wanted them slowing down, sitting and pivoting rather than just racing around the tight corners with the horse heavy on the forehand.

It worked incredibly well!  All four horses had great success.  I was riding Dewey (it's easier for me to ride when I teach these lessons so I can show the riders the patterns) and he really had a breakthrough moment.  He started out clumsy as usual for him, but by the end I had him in a balanced rhythmic canter doing 5m circles to the right around two of the barrels.  It felt miraculous for my baby horse to finally be physically capable of this kind of movement.
 

Jasi and Beauty worked on looking ahead in the courses, both around the barrels and over the jumps.  This simple task of looking where you're going (and not peeking at the jump you're going over) gives the horse a ton of information about where they are headed next and which lead to take when they land in the canter.

Alice and Sloane were working on keeping a steady rhythm to the fences just like they had around the barrels.

Kim H. was on her mare, Rain, and Kim worked on waiting for the fence since she had Rain balanced.  Riders new to jumping, and some who have been doing it a long time, often will lean forward or "jump ahead" of the horse.  This results in the horse being thrown off balance just before she takes off, and often eventually produces horses that stop at fences.  To fix this before it becomes a habit I had Kim drop her stirrups as she approached the first jump and then continue through the course without them.  It works incredibly well to do this.  Without stirrups to brace on, it's not possible for the rider to get up on tiptoes and pop out of the saddle.  Here are photos that show the "before" with stirrups, and the "after" with no stirrups.  It essentially keeps a rider's building blocks lined up and pertinent joints in a balanced plumb line because they can't brace on the stirrups and throw themselves out of balance.

no stirrups, awesome plumb line in a balanced jumping seat

with stirrups, too far out of the saddle, leg slipped back, and leaning too far forward on landing

without stirrups, sitting up and balanced with perfect leg position on landing

I love these Saturday group lessons, it is so much fun to see the progress the horses and riders make when we incorporate all kinds of disciplines into the lesson plans.