ANSWERS: 3
  • Make sure you know how to ride a horse first and how to ride during bumpy situations.
  • Great balance, strength of back stomach, and legs, AND MOST of all, independent aids, are of great value.
  • A background in dressage! You want complete control of all the parts of your horse. Shoulder-in, Haunches-in, leg-yield, half-pass, counter-canter, simple and flying changes, extension and collection, are all tools you will apply towards the winding roll-backs and bending lines you will encounter on a show jumping course. Distances will be set up long or short on purpose to test your collection and extension of the horse and test your eye for distances. You, as a rider, need excellent equitation and a strong base of support. No stirrup work, arm exercises (like airplane arms) on the lunge line at the trot and canter, work on your release and form thru gymnastics, and a good work ethic are a must. The number one thing you need to have to be a sucessful show jumper is a good horse. He needs to be of good conformation, a good mind, and an even greater heart. Careful can't really be taught so you need to find one who naturally hates hitting the poles. Good Luck! Show Jumping is the coolest thing you could do with your horse ever :)

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