Jump Off Success

International showjumper Simon Buckley is known for his quiet and effective production of successful showjumpers and explains ..... the do's and don'ts of showjumping success.

I wouldn't recommend any capable rider who wants to aim their horse further up the scale to even think about trying to win a British Novice or Discovery class, as it can be detrimental to a horse's future in the sport of showjumping.

You do see it regularly, but I personally wouldn't go against the clock this early in a horse's career and much prefer to use the early years of taking horses to shows to educate them for the future. Particularly if you have good facilities at home, which we now have, you can progressively teach them jump off turns and how to take strides out without 'abusing' them at a show for £20 or £30 quid!

Young horses benefit from being kept in a rhythm, whether it's trot, canter or gallop they should still be in a rhythm. Even at the very highest levels of the sport, the winning rounds are smooth and rhythmical.

In any round of showjumping, but particularly in a jump off, riders must look very early where they are going - you shouldn't be looking at your horse. If the next fence means you need to turn your neck 180 degrees, then do it. You should be able to feel that your horse is on the correct canter lead and the rhythm with your eyes shut! Sometimes a good amateur horse can cope with being on the 'wrong leg' in canter and the best of them will change legs or try to, the help the rider and themselves, but it's not ideal. That said, when riders bring their horses to us for lessons, we are not trying to change the world, just help them improve in a realistic way so that they can enjoy the sport more.

Every rider and trainer, amateur or professional, needs to have aims and goals through a season and through each horse's career. It's especially important to remember that every class isn't important; you need to use some classes to produce horses - it's easy to ruin a horse just from galloping and it will definitely damage confidence, especially  in an inexperienced horse.

Thinking about management, you'll see the best riders think about producing their horses and will have them out in the morning before a classes working on stretching them and relaxing the ones that need more work to settle. Thought for your horse and how he is will help you to ultimately reach your goals. Horses are different, some are perhaps better fresh coming into a competition so they're revved up and going and if you do too much, they lack the 'blood' you needs to compete. Others can be very sharp and you probably can't work them enough to really settle them; it's all about feel and experience and an experienced trainer who also rides will be able to help you.

So when would I start to ask a horse the question in a jump off? If he has progressed steadily in his training and has gained experience, I think that towards the end of his five-year-old year I would start to think about jump off turns and taking a stride out. It does depend on the individual horse too. Some horses are balanced, elastic in the stride and can be asked to lengthen and shorten easily, whereas others are so baby-ish it takes longer. Start by doing your homework , teach them quietly and progressively at home, so that when you get to a show, they aren't being asked things they don't know.

Once they get into their six-year-old year, for me the horse that is going to go on will need to grow up a lot, so we will have done a lot of work through the winter. I think of the six-year-old year as Newcomers year and if the horse is good enough and on the ball, he will be ready for us to ask a question or two at that point.

At the very top of the tree, it's obviously very different, but a lot of the very big international classes produce few clear rounds to go forward to the jump off, so a double clear wins a good ticket nearly every time. So if you are thinking very long term, the horse has the scope and ability and the rider has the ability, there is really no need to ever teach them to gallop; it's all about riding a turn and taking a stride out. Those are the tactics that ensure horses progress in their career and ultimately, can win good classes and Championships.

About Simon Buckley - Simon Buckley started  the 2012 season with high expectations of then 7yo stallion HFS Valentino campaigning alongside his reliable and experienced stablemate, the Grade A Worrior van Dingeshof, but decided against the Portuguese Sunshine Tour that spring. An invitation to Royal Ulster in Northern Ireland produced huge interest in Valentino, resulting in his sale to Florida and a new life jumping under a different name.

Simon's care of his horses remains paramount and when he found himself and Worrior at several top shows waiting fruitlessly for rain to stop and the ground to dry a little, he eventually made the decision that saw Worrior move on as a schoolmaster for a young rider in Japan.

For the current 2013 season, Simon's young horse team has expanded, with Delinquent JX to contest 6yo classes, Dynamo H, bought as a foal and only now growing into his 'enormous' self as a 5yo, Clearly Z, another 6yo and the most experienced campaigner, 8yo Worsdworth II, aimed at the coveted Foxhunter Championship.

Wordsworth II's season has started well and he and Simon became the new Welsh Masters 7/8 Year Old Champions after jumping one of just three triple clear rounds over a demanding track . Simon, who rides on a Sue Carson Saddles Special jump saddle, said after his win; "It was a big track, but I had a good draw, knew what I had to do and jumped quite an economical round."

Wordsworth II, an 8yo owned by Johanna Gate, went on to win the Talent Seekers Championship at Addington and will contest the Championship at the Horse of the Year Show.

Simon has also qualified his own Delinquent JX for the National 6yo Championship with three confident clear rounds. Simon won this title with the stallion HFS Valentino in 2011, Delinquent JX is also heading to the Newcomers Regionals and Simon will be out and about on a growing string of young horses, all aimed a different levels of Championships this season.

For more information, visit www.hillfarm-ings.co.uk