Jump in style with Olympic eventer Alex Hua Tian

Ever wondered how top horses make showjumping look so effortlessly smooth, when to you it often feels anything but? It’s not magic and it certainly isn’t luck – it’s all down to training your horse correctly.

The two main qualities a horse needs to refine his style come from listening to his rider so that he always reacts positively to their aids, and honing the ability to think independently, which gives him the confidence to process and tackle questions without needing his hand holding every step of the way. Sound complicated? With just a related distance, a forward rhythm and a helper on the ground, getting started couldn’t be easier.

Cool and confident

Riders who produce the most polished rounds have horses who are so tuned in to them that they can make corrections with their body, rather than relying on the rein contact.

If your horse runs on between fences, your aim is to be able to engage your core and shift your balance back to get his stride length under control, without the need for too much disruptive rein pressure. Using your contact is by no means a forbidden, but the aim is not to rely on it to balance your horse around a course of fences.

Confidence comes into the equation in two ways. Firstly, your horse needs to trust you as his rider. Among other things this means being clear in what you’re asking, staying in balance and supporting him with your leg if he’s unsure of what’s being asked.

Secondly, he needs to be confident in himself. Think about when he’s taking the contact forward in an easy, relaxed rhythm. He’ll feel as if he could take on the world and that’s the self-assured, chilled-out attitude that’ll help you both perform at your best in the jumping phase.

Set up

You’ll need…

• three pairs of wings
• at least six poles, with more as tramlines to aid straightness if you wish
• a helper on the ground to adjust fences for you

Build it

This simple exercise ticks a number of boxes, and will help you improve your horse’s reactions, confidence and technique all in one go. Set up an upright to a square oxer on a line of five open strides (21m), keeping everything small to start with. Place a groundline in front of the oxer, roughly 0.5–1m away from the base of the fence. The idea is to improve your horse’s form, encouraging him to lift through his shoulders and producing a more pronounced bascule.

Ride it

Initially, aim to ride through the line comfortably in the relaxed, open pace you’ve warmed up in. Keep your body and contact soft and go with him, with your leg wrapped around his sides to provide him with the confidence to keep travelling forward.

Grab your copy of  January Horse&Rider, on sale 2 December 2021 to continue developing your style over jumps with Alex Hua Tian