Trot Pole Exercise: Controlling Pace

"wait, wait, wait, squeeze"

Since staring with Connie back in October 2011, I have been exposed to many different training exercises (also called gymnastics) in order to help Ruby with control, bending, rounding, and muscle building. I have been working with Ruby for the past week on the following simple gymnastic (Connie usually sets up a gymnastic that I use for a week, or for about 3 riding sessions, and then set up a new one):

o     o     o     o     8 (one stride) 8

(Imagine you are looking at the gymnastic from the side- the o's represent trot poles, and the 8's represent jumps)

For the first ride through, I trotted this starting with the line of trot poles. The key here is to keep a steady pace so the horse can make it to the jumps with ease and in stride. At first, these jumps were 18" cross-rails, so I asked Ruby to trot over them as if they were the same as the ground poles. Once we could do this without any hesitations or mistakes, I changed direction and asked her to do the poles starting with the cross-rails. After getting both directions at the trot, the jumps were raised to verticals; about 2'. For this part of the gymnastic, I asked her to trot into the poles and then jump the first vertical, trot, and jump the second vertical. Ruby jumps with a squeeze. We then worked with this until I had her trot into the poles, jump the first vertical, one stride, jump the second vertical. This variation is fairly simple: keep leg on, look up, steer straight, and Ruby goes right on over.

The other direction, however...

Going the opposite direction (cantering the left lead), I asked Ruby to canter into the vertical, one stride, jump the second vertical, then trot the poles. If your horse is anything like Ruby, he/she will have a lot of momentum coming into the first vertical, a little less coming into the second, but still too much if you do not hold back for the poles. Asking Ruby to canter, jump, then trot was difficult, but we were able to figure things out after a few tries. Ruby and I both seem to perform better when we have more to do. I usually have trot poles in a circle placed at one (if not both) end(s) of the ring. If we get too forward or she starts moving with her head too high, I ask her to trot her poles on the circle. This helps with bending and encourages her to relax and stretch down (think "long and low")- I highly recommend using these circles!

When doing a bounce, the rider should stay in two-point position between jumps. I find one strides a little more awkward, especially if your hose is known to refuse. For Ruby, I usually jump, sit a slightly taller two-point, then jump. This keeps me from snapping up, but allows me more control than staying in a full two-point.

 When doing pole work, I ride in a half seat. If your horse is slow or not pushing from behind, I would sit these exercises in a full seat until your horse learns to accept your weight

 Eyes up! Most horses will hesitate or even refuse if you look down at your poles

I personally LOVE gymnastics/grid work. The exercises I do with Ruby can get pretty complex, but I don't usually ask her to school much over 2'6" with the occasional 3'-3'3" jumping course. As Connie always says "if your horse can do the low jumps, she can do the high jumps." Despite how much I disagreed with this at first, I am now learning that this is actually true.