This article was written by Argentinian eventer and instructor, Agustin Martinez Zuviria (who posts on HHO as UncleJr). He is a retired Lt Colonel and has been a show jumping, eventing and dressage instructor since 1984, and has competed in show jumping and eventing for approximately 30 years, show jumping to 1.40m. He now trains young horses for all disciplines and has just been placed seventh with his five year old El Comandante in the horse’s first CCI* near Buenos Aires City.

Many people can be helped, and many accidents can be prevented, if young riders follow the advice of experienced riders. Note I didn’t say “old” riders, as the young ones would consider/call us! To young riders who don’t listen, I say: “There are three categories of people, dumb ones, clever ones, and wise ones. Dumb ones don’t learn from their own experience, clever ones do, but the wise ones learn from others’ experience”. I try to be in the second or third category… it doesn’t always happen though! Many times I have feelings of what should be done (instinct?), but it’s great when it is put into words; ideas and feelings are clarified. That’s what’s good about these articles – riders can read things  that are not discussed often.

Regarding safe riding, there is something I ALWAYS insist on, for show jumping as well as for cross country, and it is about the right take-off spot. In Spanish, we say “finding the distance”. It is difficult for beginners to find the distance, and it comes with training and jumping. For some it is easier than for others. When riders start knowing how to find that distance, at moments of insecurity they will ask for a big one, a take-off far from the fence, with the horse spread (not collected), loose reins, moving upper body, etc… all of which put the horse more off balance.

I have observed that most falls (cross country and show jumping) are because the rider asks for a huge jump, too far away from the fence. The horse doesn’t always agree, and then problems occur. I’m talking about average horses.

If asked for a long one, the horse can either think:
1st thought: “No way am I’m going to jump from this far away”, and add one more stride… or refuse.
If the horse adds one more stride and jumps, two things can happen:
a) the horse clears the fence, but an inexperienced rider might lose his/her balance because of that one more stride (and the ensuing awkward jump), and fall off.
b) the horse might be too close, or not be fast enough to lift knees and forehand, so it strikes the fence as it comes up off the floor, and falls (the dreaded rotational fall.)

Or, if the horse stops, inexperienced riders can be thrown because they do not have a secure seat. They have already allowed their weight to go forward in anticipation of the horse taking off. The same can happen to experienced riders in both cases, but not so often.

2nd thought: “…Ummmmm…, I’m not so sure…” Hesitation. Indecision. Both mainly caused by the rider’s hesitation and indecision.
If the horse thinks this, then you know a disaster can happen. These are the cases when you can observe a foreleg on one side of the pole, and the other on the far side (pole between horse’s forelegs) – a scissors effect here, and the horse falling. Or the horse paddling through the air, and possibly not making it across the fence, leading to a fall.

3rd thought: “Ok, let’s go!”
The horse takes off, and two things might happen:
a) he will clear the fence, which is probably more likely if it is a vertical. However, even though he has jumped the fence successfully, he might well be a bit rattled, and worry that the rider will do the same at the next fence. Also, this kind of long, flat arc almost inevitably flattens the horse’s jump. Jumping from a good or slightly deep take-off point strengthens the horse, improves his bascule; jumping from a long one does not.
b) If the fence is a wide spread, the horse might not manage the width, and hit the  back pole.

I don’t like taking initiative away from my horses, because I’m absolutely conscious of my many mistakes, and this has saved me many, many times from accidents. BUT I like obedient attentive horses doing what I ask them to. And I always ask them to wait, wait, until I’m sure. They learn to do that, and get more and more confident with time.

[KW: N.B. This is NOT the same as hooking. It is waiting, especially with the shoulders, while keeping the horse’s stride round and balanced, until the stride is apparent. There is always a stride there, sometimes it is obvious from way out, sometimes you have to wait for it to appear…!]

So what I ALWAYS say to my pupils is: Never ever ask for a jump until you are 100% sure. 95% is not enough, not useful. You MUST be 100% sure. In the case of not being sure, then hold and wait, hold and wait. That “hold and wait” means collecting the horse and shortening the stride a little, until the distance “appears”.

Horses have to make a HUGE effort when taking off far from the fence. If they constantly jump like this, having to put so much effort in every jump, then one day they say: “ok dude, that’s enough…” It is easier for the horse to jump from close to the fence. With a disciplined horse, a rider with a cool mind and appropriate training, problems are much less likely to happen.

Another thought: the urge to win leads some riders to ignore the horse’s physical capabilities, demanding of the horse more than he can give. [KW: Due to immaturity, and/or lack of fitness, tiredness, and/or lack of scope, perhaps]

Not my words, but I always remember: “Winning is not about being the best among all, but about obtaining the best out of oneself.”

Agustin at the recent CCI* Buenos Aires on five year old El Comandante, practising what he preaches: Fences 8b, 9, 10, 11ab, and 12ab – Fences 21abc, 22, and 23.

2010. Photos Trevor Holt & Tony Meredith – Videos by Pilar Larcade