Jumping Intermediate 20 min

Fan Poles on a Circle

Focus: Accuracy, Bend, Adjustability

Equipment: 4 ground poles

Set up 4 poles in a fan shape on a 20-meter circle. The inside end should be 3.5 feet apart, the outside end about 5.5 feet.
At the trot, ride the circle and trot through the fan of poles.
If you ride toward the inside of the poles (narrower spacing), the stride will be shorter.
If you ride toward the outside (wider spacing), the stride will be longer.
Practice riding through the middle first, then adjust inside or outside to change the stride.
Maintain the bend throughout. The horse should stay on the circle path through the poles.

The horse straightening through the poles instead of maintaining the circle bend.
Riding too close to the inside (narrow end) and the horse tripping on closely-spaced poles.
Not maintaining a consistent path through all four poles.
Losing rhythm as the horse encounters the poles.

Canter through the fan poles on a circle at 9-foot outside spacing.
Use 6 poles for a longer fan exercise.
Combine with a jump at the end of the fan: poles on the circle leading to a small fence.

Tip: Fan poles teach adjustability without you having to move poles between exercises. Just change your path through them.