Jumping
Beginner
15 min
Bounce Poles at the Trot
Focus: Technique, Rhythm, Confidence
Equipment: 3 ground poles
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Set up 3 ground poles spaced 3 feet apart (bounce distance at the trot).
- Approach at a steady sitting trot. The horse will take quick, bouncy steps over each pole.
- Keep your contact steady and your upper body slightly behind vertical to support the horse.
- The horse should not have a full stride between poles — it bounces from one to the next.
- This exercise improves the horse's hind leg engagement and front leg technique.
- Repeat 4-6 times. The horse should get smoother with each pass.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Approaching too fast, causing the horse to jump the poles instead of bouncing.
- The horse stopping or running out because the close spacing surprises it.
- The rider getting ahead of the motion and landing on the horse's neck.
- Not enough impulsion, causing the horse to shuffle through lazily.
Variations & Progressions
- Increase to 4-5 bounce poles for a longer exercise.
- Raise the poles to cavaletti height (6-8 inches) for more engagement.
- Follow the bounce poles with a small cross-rail 9 feet after the last pole.
Tip: Bounce poles are gymnastics for horses. They develop the quick reflexes and hind leg engagement needed for jumping.
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