Leading up to a big competition, like the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—East, I always want to make sure my students and their horses are well prepared. To do this, I set a course with questions they will likely see at the competition and break it down in manageable sections. The course we are going to practice for this article is an adaption of a previous year’s USEF Talent Search Final. While I can’t predict exactly what’s going to be in the class again, perhaps we will see some form of these questions.

Almost all the exercises in this schooling session focus on rideability. The big questions will be on steering and the ability to lengthen and shorten the horse’s stride while maintaining the horse’s jumping style. But the main goal for this session is to present the exercises so the horses can understand and succeed, which will build the confidence of both horse and rider. 

Before tackling individual jumping exercises, we do a light warm-up on the flat and then a simple jumping warm-up with a few cavalletti to introduce the horse to some gymnastic elements. 

Warm-Up on the Flat 

When getting ready for a big competition, the emphasis is really on jumping so I don’t spend too much time warming up on the flat. Since the jumping exercises are going to be questions on steering and going from long to short and short to long, I have my students practice this on the flat in trot and canter. It’s also important to ride from the leg to the hand to make a good connection and create balance, so the horse can be adjustable in his jumping efforts. 

Start in a nice extended trot rising on the long sides of the ring, then shorten the step to a working trot sitting on the short sides. To get the horse light to the inside leg and rein, ask for a few steps of shoulder-in, and then allow him to go forward and straight. 

Pick up the canter and counter bend slightly down the long sides of the ring to prepare for counter-canter. We counter bend the horse before counter-canter because it’s a good test to make sure the horse isn’t going to anticipate a flying change. He should not change his lead because of the way he’s bent. A lead change should come from the rider’s leg. Ask the horse to come back to an active walk to properly set him up for the counter-canter by slightly bending him toward the lead and cantering from the inside leg.

Practicing the counter-canter is important because it is one of the tests riders will see in competition. After about a lap in counter-canter, make a reverse turn back (turning from the inside of the arena to the outside) to the true lead and do an extended canter down the long side of the ring, then back to working canter on the short end, continuing to go back and forth from lengthening and shortening to make sure the horse’s stride is open enough for the forward parts of jumping exercises to come. Then, change direction and repeat the trot and canter work. Once the horse is warmed up on the flat, shorten your stirrups a hole or two before jumping.

Warm-Up Over Fences

Setup: Place three raised cavalletti 3-foot-6-inches apart in the center of the ring. Set two single verticals with nice ground lines on the rail.

Purpose: This exercise warms up the horse and rider for the exercises to come. The cavalletti are a good introduction for the more complicated gymnastic exercises they will practice later. Additionally, the long approaches to single jumps with nice ground lines with one jump off each lead are a good place to start before getting into more difficult exercises. 

The Exercise: Tracking left, trot three cavalletti in a row. Then pick a canter, jump the first vertical, ride a reverse turn and change your lead, then jump the second vertical on the right lead. 

How to Ride It: When riding toward the trot cavalletti, separate your hands to help rate your horse’s speed and steer, to guide and to collect. Stay a little to the front of the saddle over the trot cavalletti so you don’t fall back on your horse. After the last cavalletti, collect, keep contact on the outside rein, pick up the left lead canter, get off the horse’s back and jump the single vertical out of stride. You want the horse to be connected in the bridle and adjustable in his canter. Then, like you practiced on the flat, make a reverse turn, change your lead and ride the long approach over the other vertical on the right lead. If your horse is heavy in the bridle or getting quick, halt him in a straight line after the last fence.

Exercise 1

Setup: Build a bending line of four fences, all set 64-70 feet apart in the center of the ring. The line will be jumped in both directions, and includes a Swedish oxer, wall, liverpool, and a second Swedish oxer. 

Purpose: The bending lines can be ridden in a very direct four-to-four-to-four strides, or with a little shape in five-to-five-to-five strides. We will ride the five-five-five to show steering, control and straightness. 

The Exercise: Start by jumping the last Swedish oxer in the line on a long approach to give the horse a warm-up fence. Then begin the exercise. Track left, canter down the long side and jump the first Swedish oxer, put in five strides to the wall, five strides to the liverpool and five strides to the second Swedish oxer. Since you come off the turn to the first jump from the left, when you finish over the Swedish oxer, stay to the right, circle through the middle, and then jump the line in the opposite direction off the right lead.

How to Ride It: In this exercise, turn with both reins to the middle of the fences. This is challenging if you depend on the crest release instead of an automatic release or if you have a bad habit of opening your thumb and resting it on the horse’s neck because you’re not able to be independent and steer each stride. The horse doesn’t necessarily have to land on the correct lead in the line, but if you’re on the correct track, balanced and riding leg to hand, the horse should be able to make the change in the middle of the line. 

I like to use the Swedish oxers on the outs because riders tend to track wide by using their track instead of collecting the horse to fit the striding. If you overshoot the track instead of collecting the horse, you will end up on the tall side of the Swedish oxer and could knock it down. Keep in mind if you have to override the liverpool because the horse hasn’t jumped it yet today, then it’s going to be a bit harder to get him back together and might make the striding to the next jump a little shorter.

Exercise 2

Setup: Build an outside line of four fences. Set two verticals one stride (26 feet) apart, then measure four strides (64 feet) to a Swedish oxer and then a longer four strides (66 feet) to a second Swedish oxer. Set a water jump on an angle toward the end of the ring. (If you’re not jumping water jumps, set a liverpool or regular oxer instead.) I like to use striped rails on the verticals because it helps the rider focus on keeping the horse in the middle.

Purpose: This is a good test of adjustability to see how well the riders can lengthen and shorten the stride and keep the horse in the middle of the jumps. The one-stride requires the horse and rider come in at a specific speed and distance and the rider has to judge the striding in the four stride and then again in the longer four stride, all while maintaining straightness because of the Swedish oxers. Because of this, it’s also a good line to practice the automatic release, which is more advanced than the crest release. 

The Exercise: The line will be jumped in both directions, starting with the left lead over the in-and-out verticals. Pick up the left lead canter and jump the one stride, to the nice four to the longer four. Once you’ve ridden through the line, change direction over the water jump, make a big circle, and jump the exercise from the other way, starting with the Swedish oxers. Coming from this direction, the line will ride as a long four to a steady four to a short one.

How to Ride It: Try to jump in the middle of the fences. Ride with short reins and a strong position through the line. At the water, give a nice release, get right up to the box and ask the horse to stretch across so he doesn’t land in it. Then quickly check that your reins are short enough to collect and balance for the next fence. The water might encourage the horse to come in on a big stride, which may help to get the long four stride between the Swedish oxers. Use your voice going into the steady four and short one-stride to collect your horse and then finish with a nice, straight halt. The halt reinforces the idea that you’re asking the horse to collect. 

Exercise 3

Setup: Set a cavalletti on the ground as a placement rail(3-foot-6) followed by a trot jump vertical or crossrail, then a one-stride (23 feet) to a vertical, then two strides (36 feet) to a vertical. 

Purpose: A trot jump is a typical test at a competition that includes a gymnastics phase so it’s important to practice this as it can be challenging for horses and riders because it takes a lot of balance and good timing. The placement rail, which will help the horse with timing, is the same cavalletti I used in our jumping warm-up because I want the horses to be comfortable with trotting raised cavalletti before they are faced with three obstacles behind it, which might make them anxious and want to rush.

The Exercise: Trot over the cavalletti placement rail and the trot jump, then canter one stride to the first vertical and two strides to the second vertical. 

How to Ride It: Come to the trot fence off the right approach. Keep your upper body tall to invite your horse to wait and be patient. For horses that might be cautious or want to rush the jump and add a canter step, try to keep a soft leg to maintain your connection at the trot. Try not to interfere with your horse’s jump and stay balanced at the second and third verticals. When you land from the third jump, turn left and canter down the long side, then bring the horse back to trot and jump the exercise from the left approach. After the second time through, halt straight. The horses do so many courses during the year when you’re schooling, it’s good to ask for a straight halt after a line to make sure the horse is listening.

 Exercise 4

Setup: Build an outside line consisting of vertical to an oxer, four strides (64-66 feet) apart, and then another vertical five strides (73-75 feet) from the oxer. 

Purpose: Often the first question in a championship is something that is a bit bold to show that the rider understands how to come in the ring and put the horse right up to the bit. It’s also a good test to show the rider’s ability to lengthen and shorten. This would potentially be an early line in the course at the competition. 

The Exercise: Start by cantering on the left lead and ride the long four to short five. Change direction over the Swedish oxer used in Exercise 1, circle and approach the line from the opposite direction.

How to Ride It: Set your pace on an open stride and start with the long four, then collect your stride to make the short five. Pay attention to every step. Some strides the horse may try to get behind you and need to be put up to the bit by adding your leg. Some strides a horse might be trying to pull the reins through your fingers and will need a half-halt. When you change direction over the Swedish oxer and circle, it should help get the horse soft so you can come back balanced and round, with weight in your heels and wide hands for the collected five. Collect early enough in the five-stride line so that you’re coming forward the last stride. This will prepare the horse for the long four that’s coming next and will give the appearance of an invisible adjustment. Then halt in a straight line after the last fence. 

I like to end the session with the horse doing the exercises correctly, but I never want to drill him over and over to the point where he gets exhausted. Horses usually do something better the second time, which is what we are looking for in this schooling session. By practicing these exercises, you and your horse will feel prepared to tackle the competition course with confidence.

Watch Stacia Madden’s series on EQUESTRIAN+ here.

About Stacia Klein Madden

Known as one of the most successful trainers of young riders in the country, Stacia Klein Madden began her career as a successful Junior, winning the 1987 ASPCA Maclay National Championship and placing in the USEF National Hunter Seat Medal Final and USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—East. She turned professional in 1988 and started working out of Beacon Hill Show Stables, now located in Colts Neck, New Jersey. Madden also worked for Johnny Barker in North Carolina, before returning to Beacon Hill where she began teaching and developed a passion for working with young riders and matching them with horses. 

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of Practical Horseman.