Cross Training the Dressage Horse: Jumping with Friends

Some of you may have known that Guinness was trained as a hunter before I acquired him. I joke that he's basically the George Morris of horses. Jumping is easy for him, and he knows all the rules. I'm pretty sure he counts down his strides. He's embarrassed by poor turnout. And, he demands good hands and a solid release from the rider.

"Woman! You best wrap those polos evenly! And your lack of proper footwear is embarassing!"

If his rider is wrong, he rolls his eyes and not-so-gently reminds you to sit up and ride like less of a sloppy mess by bucking after the line. If the rider is out of his way enough, he'll turn himself inside out to nail the line, and canter away in perfect balance.

Honestly, it's really just absurd how much he enjoys the job.

Though his fetlocks make jumping regularly a bad idea, I do like to throw in a jump or two every few months or so just to let his brain have some fun. It's good dressage cross training (bulk up that butt!), and helps give him a break from my constant micromanaging (note to self, less of that mkay?).

So, when my friend Lauren (Who just started a blog! Check it out!) asked if I would mind being the safety-second and support person while she did worked her Training horse through some uphill grid work in the back field ... I leapt at the chance.

Go, Eddie! Eat that grid for breakfast dinner! 

Lauren had set the grid along a relatively steep grade on our back hill. The distances were set short, since we'd be jumping it from a slow canter/trot and heading uphill. She'd tossed the wooden liverpool few strides from the end of the grid, "just for fun."

Of course, the horses didn't realize we'd left these landmines for them. The moment we topped the hill they were convinced we'd laid a trap for them. Thank god for dressage training, though. I was able to keep Guinness very straight and moving forward, so the liverpool was never really an issue. And despite knocking everything down the first time through, he quickly remembered how to jump like the pro he is...

The jumps stayed super low, which was a blessing. It turns out jumping in a dressage saddle with long stirrups is maybe not the most secure of positions. I tried my best, but felt very behind the motion for the whole exercise. Thank god my horse is a total saint!

Maybe when the ground gets softer, we'll do this again...

Have any of your done any great cross training lately? Does doing something different help your horse feel more confident or happy in his work? Do you ever forget to hike up your dressage length stirrups before jumping?