Horse jumping is a challenging equestrian sport and is only practiced by a small percentage of horse owners. It is also an expensive endeavor, with entry fees and other costs often reaching $10,000 or more per horse per year. This expense makes it necessary for horse owners to be highly selective about which horses they enter in jumping competitions. Therefore, horse owners who jump competitively need to be exceptionally careful in choosing their horses. In addition to selecting the right horse, a rider must also understand the different types of faults that can occur in jumping. These include faults in the rider, horse, rider-horse relationship, rider-horse communication, and rider-horse cooperation. Knowing what these are can help you identify potential problems before they lead to costly mistakes at a competition.
Faults in the rider
Faults in the rider are some of the most common mistakes made by horse jumpers and can be fatal to your chances of winning. A fault in the rider is when a rider performs something that is not allowed by the rules. Some common rider-related faults are:- Overcoming:- This fault occurs when the horse is ridden to jump with more energy than is necessary and this causes the horse to over-extend. This can happen when a rider gets too close to the jump before the horse is fully collected.- Riding too fast:- When a rider is nervous or scared, they may spur their horse to jump faster than they should in order to jump higher. This can cause the horse to over-extend, which is a fault.- Using the wrong aids:- Some riders use the wrong aids (i.e., the wrong aids to ask for a certain jump or hold the horse’s head at a certain position) while jumping, which can cause the horse to over- or under-perform. This can also cause the rider to panic if they realize they have made an error and don’t know what to do.
Faults in the horse
Faults in the horse are when the horse performs something that is not allowed by the rules. Some common horse-related faults are:- Riding too fast:- When a horse is nervous or scared, it may be too excited to jump at the correct pace.This can cause the horse to over- or under-perform.- Jumping too soon:- When a horse is anxious, it may jump too early. This can cause the horse to over- or under-perform.- Jumping too high:- When a horse is too pumped up, it may jump too high, which can cause the rider to lose control of the horse.- Jumping too low:- When a horse is too calm, it may jump too low and cause the rider to lose control of the horse.
Faults in the rider-horse relationship
Faults in the rider-horse relationship are when there is a breakdown in communication between the rider and the horse. Some common faults in the rider-horse relationship are:- Lack of trust:- Riders who don’t trust their horse may spur them to jump too soon or too high in an attempt to force the horse to perform at a certain level. This can cause the horse to over- or under-perform.- Lack of confidence:- Riders who lack confidence in their ability to jump may spur their horse to jump too high, which can cause the rider to lose control of the horse.- No consistent approach:- Riders who don’t have a consistent approach to jumping (i.e., don’t have a clear idea about how hard to spur the horse or how much to ask them to jump) may spur their horse to jump too high, which can cause the rider to lose control of the horse.
Faults in rider-horse communication
Faults in rider-horse communication are when the rider doesn’t understand the horse’s response to their aids. Some common faults in rider-horse communication are:- Using the wrong aids:- Riders who don’t use the correct aids may spur their horse to jump too soon, too high, or at the wrong angle. This can cause the horse to over- or under-perform.- Incorrect timing:- When a rider is nervous, they may spur their horse to jump too soon or too high. This can cause the horse to over- or under-perform.- Incorrect aids:- Riders who don’t know how to use the correct aids may spur their horse to jump too soon or too high. This can cause the horse to over- or under-perform.
Faults in rider-horse cooperation
Faults in rider-horse cooperation are when the rider and horse are not working together to achieve a successful jump. Some common faults in rider-horse cooperation are:- Horses that are too big for the rider:- When a rider is too small to ride a certain horse, it may be too big for the rider to jump. This can cause the rider to lose control of the horse.- Horses that are too small for the rider:- When a rider is too tall for a certain horse, it may be too small for the rider to jump. This can cause the rider to lose control of the horse.
Conclusion
Horse jumping is a challenging equestrian sport and is only practiced by a small percentage of horse owners. It is also an expensive endeavor, with entry fees and other costs often reaching $10,000 or more per horse per year. This expense makes it necessary for horse owners to be highly selective about which horses they enter in jumping competitions. Therefore, horse owners who jump competitively need to be exceptionally careful in choosing their horses. In order to do this, it is important to understand the common faults that can occur in the rider, horse, rider-horse relationship, rider-horse communication, and rider-horse cooperation.