Introduction to Free Leaping – Horse Illustrated

A riderless sport horse negotiates a sequence of floor poles and small jumps, discovering his wings alongside the way in which. That is free leaping, the place the obstacles are aligned in a row down a chute positioned on the lengthy facet of an enviornment. It’s enjoyable to observe, but a bit mystifying too. How does one train a horse to free bounce?

Right here, Ciaran Thompson, head coach at Spy Coast Farm, a sport horse breeding and coaching facility in Lexington, Ky., shares his data on this topic.

Why Free Leaping?

Thompson lists quite a lot of causes to free bounce horses. These embody assessing leaping expertise, exhibiting a shopper how their horse is progressing, as a advertising software for promoting younger jumpers, constructing confidence in an older present horse, or serving to a horse by means of worry of sure varieties of fences.

“It’s an effective way to present a horse time to determine leaping fences by himself so he features confidence,” explains Thompson. “Then with regards to doing it underneath saddle, he already has a better understanding. He’s used to it with out the affect of a rider, so it’s not sensory overload. It provides him the very best probability potential of changing into a assured and succesful jumper down the road.”

Within the spring of their 2-year-old 12 months, Spy Coast free jumps the colts they’re contemplating as stallion prospects to type out which will likely be gelded. This permits them not solely to watch the person colt’s leaping expertise, but in addition assists in evaluating every colt’s temperament and trainability.

“With stallions, you wish to be trying to move on all the very best traits that you just presumably can,” says Thompson.

Along with all of those causes, free leaping generally is a enjoyable option to bond together with your horse, so long as you put together correctly. Thompson provides the next step-by-step recommendation.

Research the Course of

To look at the method, you possibly can go to breed inspections, younger horse reveals, and/or clinics on free leaping. Take notes and ask questions. Volunteer the place wanted and be taught by doing.

Take note of how horses going by means of the chute react to totally different jumps, handlers, the longe whip, and different cues. Observe the place their eyes and ears are focusing. Be taught to learn their physique language to foretell whether or not the horse will undergo the chute willingly or if he is considering stopping earlier than a bounce. See in case you can inform if the horse feels relaxed and assured or rushed, confused or panicked.

Services & Tools

A smaller enviornment is best free of charge leaping so the horse doesn’t put on himself out in between leaping passes. It additionally makes the horse simpler to catch. Thompson says one thing on the order of a regular dressage ring dimensions (20 meters by 60 meters) would work properly. A bigger enviornment might be subdivided free of charge leaping, and an indoor enviornment is usually higher than an outside for this function.

◆ You’ll want sufficient poles, bounce requirements and bounce cups to construct the bounce chute, with extras constructed into the rely.

◆ For the edges of the chute, further bounce requirements might be turned sideways and used with additional rails, or stand-alone fence panels could also be used. The supplies needs to be protected if the horse runs by means of them. Issues resembling yellow plastic warning tape, carpenter’s noticed horses, tall potted vegetation, visitors cones, or stacked straw or shavings bales might all be helpful chute obstacles.

◆ Thompson says they use three handlers when free-jumping at Spy Coast: one to guide the horse into the chute, one alongside the center of the chute to maintain the horse on monitor and shifting by means of, and one to catch the horse on the far finish.

◆ Sufficient lead ropes and longe whips so that every handler has each.

◆ Wire or leather-based lace (about 36 inches in size) to loop by means of the close to bit ring to guide the horse as much as chute that simply slides away for fast launch.

◆ Bucket crammed with feed or treats to entice the horse to cease and be simply caught after every leaping move.

◆ Fast launch snaps on rein ends to simply detach/connect them to bit rings. These are nice for inspections or any time you might be free leaping the horse in a bridle.

◆ Digital camera or video digital camera to report the session.

Soar Chute Development

There are a variety of variations on the theme free of charge bounce chute constructing, however all of them use related distances between poles and jumps:

◆ 9 toes between the putting pole on the bottom (which inspires the horse to trot into the chute and units him up for takeoff) and the primary cross-rail fence.

◆ 21 toes from the cross-rail to the primary vertical

◆ 22-24 toes to the ultimate fence, which ultimately turns into an oxer.

The gap between fences might have to be adjusted for horses with totally different stride lengths. Watch to see if the horse struggles to make a too-long distance or has onerous time becoming right into a too-short distance as he travels by means of the chute.

There additionally have to be factors alongside the interior bounce chute wall that may be shortly opened (to no less than 4 toes vast) on the takeoff facet of every bounce in case a horse will get flustered and stops in the course of the chute. This permits a handler to enter the chute, calmly catch the horse, then lead him safely out the facet. The horse can then be ready to re-enter for an additional attempt.

Introducing Free Leaping to the Horse

Thompson stresses that the horse ought to lead properly, respect your house, and know easy methods to longe and/or free longe earlier than educating him to free bounce. He ought to know voice instructions and constantly comply with physique language and whip cues.

At Spy Coast, they first lead the horse calmly by means of the chute (with no jumps up) and reward him with meals from a bucket positioned on the far finish, properly after he’s left the chute. He cautions that they don’t need the horse to get used to stopping for a reward instantly after the ultimate bounce, however quite the horse ought to get used to touchdown and touring away from the bounce earlier than getting his deal with.

On the identical time, they inform the horse “whoa” in order that he can equate the phrase with stopping at that spot and the reward. They do that with the horse a couple of occasions, then trot him in-hand by means of the chute with a reward once more.

Thompson explains how they progress slowly from going by means of the empty chute at liberty after which introducing floor poles and later jumps within the chute. They begin off with only a single pole on the finish.

“From there, we construct it as much as the place we’ve three poles down and perhaps the putting pole firstly,” he says. “Then we lead the horse over the poles till he’s comfy with that. Then we add a small cross-rail on the finish so he strikes down by means of the poles and pops over the cross-rail. When the horse is assured with that, then we make a second cross-rail, then a 3rd. Often they get the entire concept and appear to say, ‘Oh, I’m popping round and going to the meals.’”

Over time and several other periods, they construct as much as verticals and oxers, and maybe later the jumps turn out to be larger and wider, relying on the expertise and age of the horse on the time. The handlers also needs to be well-versed in serving to the horse safely progress past poles and cross-rails.

Thompson emphasizes that all through the method, the horse wants to stay quiet. Don’t rush him by means of the chute by pushing too onerous with voice, physique language or whip. If the horse makes a mistake, then return down a degree and begin once more till he’s assured.
He advises protecting the leaping periods brief, now not than 15 to twenty minutes.

Security Suggestions

Thompson says that communication between the people within the ring as a horse is free leaping is vital for security. If potential, he wish to have the horse monitor be separated from the center of the ring all the way in which round, not simply within the bounce chute, so that there’s a protected place for individuals to be.

He advises that one particular person retains a watch on the horse always whereas others are resetting the jumps to keep away from a horse working in earlier than the chute is prepared and probably working over an individual or hurting themselves.

Handlers ought to all have longe whips—not solely to direct the horse by means of the chute, but in addition to push him away from the handler and different individuals within the ring. Warning needs to be taken when catching a horse, since they’ll generally spin and kick out on the final second.

Thompson makes use of protecting legwear (tendon and bell boots) on horses with sneakers, however doesn’t often use them on youthful barefoot horses, since he desires to have the ability to consider their leaping with none impact on type that the boots may trigger.

Studying the Horse

Over time, you’ll be capable to see when your horse understands what’s being requested. At this level, you’ll know you possibly can safely progress.

Some horses must have the jumps modified extra usually to maintain them desirous about the duty and never dashing by means of the chute. Others want extra time to determine issues out at a decrease degree. Some will want adjustment in distances between jumps or additional floor poles positioned to help them in leaping higher.

Thompson factors out that as a younger horse develops, his leaping type might change a bit. He additionally shares that there are horses that, regardless of how rigorously you put together, constantly wish to pace by means of the chute. These horses might be taught extra by leaping underneath saddle.

Discover full directions on setting bounce chutes, together with diagrams, right here.

In regards to the Skilled Ciaran Thompson is the top coach at Spy Coast Farm in Lexington, Ky., of their Younger Horse Improvement Heart. Rising up, he was an energetic member of Pony Membership in Eire, the place he acquired his A ranking. He has been at Spy Coast Farm since 2017, beginning as Younger Horse Coach, creating 2- and 3-year-old horses, and has been Head Coach since 2022, overseeing the manufacturing of horses from their first rides underneath saddle to competing at FEI occasions in each present leaping and eventing.