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No more poles down! Training exercises and tips to sharpen your horse’s reflexes and ace those important showjumping clear rounds

Emily Bevan Emily Bevan

    • Are you an eventer looking to sharpen your showjumping skills so that clear rounds become your new norm? We speak to international event rider Jeanette Brakewell and accredited trainer Cameron Beer to discover how to improve both horse and rider’s reactions and make sure you leave the coloured poles in their cups

    It’s easy for event riders to neglect training over coloured poles in favour of cross-country schooling practice. But whereas a little rub on a fixed fence or brushing through a hedge is part and parcel of efficient cross-country riding, most of us need to adjust our skills to learn how to stop a horse knocking down jumps when each one costs four penalties. We need to sharpen our showjumping reflexes (both horse and rider’s) so that our hard-won, speedy clear across country is not nullified by rails down.

    The boldness of a natural cross-country horse doesn’t always translate to the jumping ring, where a careful bascule, pinpoint accuracy and a good jumping technique are required. This is tested to the utmost at a three-day event, with the showjumping phase on the final day, when the horse may jump flatter and feel a little more fatigued than normal after his efforts on the cross-country.

    Of course, it all starts long before you even get into the competition arena. A good warm-up is crucial to securing those fault free rounds so make sure you use your time wisely, ensure your horse is listening to you and that you’re in the correct canter.

    How to stop a horse knocking down jumps: warm-up exercises

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