My Ultimate Grid

This is an exercise that I do with all my horses and riders to help them improve their techniques and most importantly the way they work together.

I call it the ultimate grid because the first part of it is designed to help the horse develop a good basic shape and technique over a fence and to use the shoulders, whereas the second part of it is about getting the horse to come back onto his hocks and go up. It’s simple but tests the horse in all departments. It develops and improves technique because the horse can’t rely on his pace and power alone to get over the jump.

I. Take the simple plank and cross pole as the first part of your grid.This encourages the horse to jump in the correct shape.

2. Add a bounce fence as the second element. I use a simple parallel pole placed 3.2 metres from the cross pole. The idea of the bounce fence is to get the horse to use his shoulders and front end. Again it encourages a good shape or bascule.

3. Then add a plank on the floor 3.1m after the bounce. This is to make your horse take a nice round stride and use his shoulders.

As a rider you have to keep in balance with your horse and use your knees as shock absorbers as you go over the bounce. Practise this small grid a few times to make sure you can get it right. As your horse rounds his stride over the cross pole, release your seat, keep your head up and move with your horse over the bounce. It is vital that you can do this without interfering with your horse before you add other elements to the grid.

4. When you are ready, add a parallel or oxer 6.3m after the bounce fence. This is to help your horse to produce power in his jump and put weight back on his hocks.

The grid becomes cross pole and bounce to make the horse use his shoulders, plank to ensure a nice round stride before he gets his weight back on his hocks for the parallel.

5. Once your horse is jumping this basic grid with confidence, raise and widen the parallel by 10cm moving it in towards the bounce fence.This makes the distance shorter to encourage the horse to come further back onto his hocks.

This simple grid has all the components to develop and improve the jumping technique for both of you.

Your horse is encouraged to jump in a good shape, keep his rhythm and stride regular, sit back on his hocks to make the spread.

You are encouraged to move with your horse over the bounce, maintain a light seat, an elastic contact and to look forward.

Remember if you are using this exercise for smaller horses and ponies you may need to adjust the measurements, a pony canter stride is 10 foot or 3m.