A key secret in jumping and eventing: everything comes down to the ability to adjust the stride.
If we want to name one skill that separates a successful combination in eventing from one that just jumps over obstacles, that skill is "adjustability."
Sara Kozumplik, a five-star eventing rider, says in her new video on Practical Horseman+ that the ability to smoothly increase and decrease the length of the horse's canter stride on demand, without losing balance, rhythm, or connection, is crucial for navigating cross-country and show-jumping courses.
In cross-country, the horse must be able to gallop at a trot-like speed and effectively cover the ground, then immediately regain its balance for a turn, angle, or combination distance that changes with the terrain.
Show jumping also requires a similar skill in a smaller space; horses must collect for a tight combination distance one moment and then open up again for a longer distance the next.
Kozumplik emphasizes that if a horse only knows one type of canter — its natural, comfortable stride — it will always struggle with the course instead of working with it.
In contrast, a horse that has learned to confidently open and close its stride gives its rider options, and these options allow for safe and correct passage through technical questions.
She explains that adjustability is not just a jumping skill.
This ability is built with constant transitions between opening and collecting on flat ground and then refined and solidified by testing it over obstacles, where the consequences of lacking adjustability quickly become apparent.
In show jumping, horses must collect for a tight combination distance one moment and then open up again for a longer distance the next.
In this image: Kozumplik and Fly Me Courageous ©Amy K.
Dragoo Kozumplik reminds us that every horse's natural canter is different, saying, "For a horse that naturally doesn't have much suspension in the canter, you have to create that jump in its stride.
All our dressage is about this.
" On the other hand, a horse with a naturally large and downhill stride may easily offer more length but may need more encouragement to shorten.
In this lesson, Kozumplik demonstrates a Training-level combination and a four-star combination through flatwork and obstacle exercises to help them improve their horses' adjustability.
Next, we highlight the exercises and training tips she offers riders so you can incorporate them into your training program.
(To watch the full video on Practical Horseman Exercise 1: Open and close your horse's stride on flat ground Kozumplik asked riders to start with simple transitions of increasing and decreasing stride length in the trot during flatwork.
She explains that this exercise helps the horse respond to aids for lengthening and shortening the stride independently of the obstacle, so when you add the obstacle, the horse has already understood the question.
Here are her key points from these flatwork transitions: Maintain a straight line from elbow to bit.
Kozumplik says that when trying to collect the horse, many riders lower their hands too much.
She says, "This breaks your connection and can be very harsh and annoying on your horse's mouth bars.
"He explains that as the horse approaches the obstacle, its body naturally rises slightly, so keeping the hands low can easily create resistance.
Focus on maintaining a straight line from the elbow to the bit, regardless of whether you are lengthening or shortening the stride.
Creating adjustability begins with groundwork.
This exercise teaches your horse to respond to your aids for lengthening and collecting the stride without the presence of an obstacle.
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Use your seat, not just your hands.
To open the stride, Kozumplik advises riders to go into a half-seat.
Lighten up to create a bigger and freer trot.
He says, 'To close the stride, sit in your seat, keep your upper body straight and elongated, and adjust your horse's trot again.
' For collection, more leg is needed than you might think.
Many riders instinctively think 'shortening' means pulling back.
But Kozumplik explains that collection is built from back to front; first, the leg to keep the hind active and bring it under the body, and then a light hand to contain the generated energy.
To make collection easier, use the extension of the stride.
A horse already moving forward will rebalance much more easily than a horse left behind the leg.
He says, 'Use the extension of the trot to get your horse's hind moving, so when you lift it for collection, it becomes easier.
' Exercise 2: Straightness is Key for Adjustability Over Fences Before working on adjustability through a line of related distances, Kozumplik asked riders to approach the obstacle straight, jump straight, and land straight.
He says, 'Being straight on entry, over the obstacle, and on exit is the priority.
Everything else can be solved later.
' Before working on adjustability through related distances, riders warm up over a small vertical to focus on being straight before, during, and after the obstacle.
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Watch the full video here.
During this exercise, Kozumplik advised riders not to obsess over which lead their horses land on.
He says, 'If you focus too much on the lead, you'll twist your upper body in the air, disrupting the horse's jump.
' He suggested riders organize the horse after the obstacle by stopping in a straight line or, if confident in the horse, with a flying change or a simple change.
What happens after the obstacle is just as important as what happens before it.
Kozumplik emphasizes that you can't jump a line and then mentally check out.
You must immediately ride each stride after landing to be ready for what you need to do next.
Exercise 3: Adjustability for Precise Related Distances At higher levels of traditional show jumping, course designers often set distances that may be considered challenging, but Kozumplik explains that in eventing show jumping, distances are set based on a standard 12-foot canter stride."
He says: "Your responsibility as a rider is to straighten and balance your horse to find jumpable distances and understand what kind of canter you need for the course height.
Your horse's task is to jump over the obstacles."
To help riders do this, he asked them to practice a simple line consisting of two small obstacles set six 12-foot strides apart to get comfortable with the striding.
To make riders feel how this line is covered in a "normal" 12-foot stride, they first mastered it in six strides.
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For this line, instead of ground poles, he recommends using raised cavalletti or small verticals.
He notes that ground poles seem so insignificant that horses can pass them smoothly and effortlessly, making it difficult to determine if you've made a mistake, but a small vertical gives you honest feedback immediately after takeoff to understand what you might have done wrong and correct it.
He says: "If you enter this line a little slow or too boldly and don't reach the number of strides you aimed for in the first few passes, that's okay.
I don't expect you to be McLain Ward."
Kozumplik jokingly added: "But you should gradually understand what needs to change to make the line's exit easier for your horse."
He offered the following tips for troubleshooting to riders: After going through the line once, pay attention to how you approached the first obstacle.
Were you a little close?
Was there a gap?
Were you straight and did you jump from the middle of the obstacles?
If you were a little forward on the first obstacle, you might need to balance earlier along the line to avoid running out of room at the end and not jump the second obstacle under or around.
If your canter at the first obstacle was a bit weak or your distance came up short, let your horse land and ask him to take a step or two forward to make up for the lack of distance.
In the final strides before each obstacle, your work should be done beforehand to not interfere with your horse's jumping effort.
He should feel balanced and straight, as in this state, he can deliver his best jump.
Exercise 4: Expanding the range of strides Collecting and opening strides build on each other.
Kozumplik says: "Gradually, you realize the more you can collect your horse's stride, the more you can open it, and the more you open it, the better you can collect it."
When riders confidently rode the line in six "normal" strides, he asked them to start adjusting the strides to sharpen their aids for adjustability.
For example: 1.
Ride the line with six normal 12-foot canter strides.
2.
Go back again and add a stride, riding the line in seven strides.
You should collect and shorten your horse's stride while maintaining the same quality of canter and staying soft at the base of the obstacle.
3.
In the next pass, shorten and collect more to add another stride and ride the line in eight strides.
4.
In the fourth and final pass of this exercise, open your horse's canter stride again and ride the line in six strides once more.
In this exercise, Kozumplik asked riders to increase and decrease the number of strides on the line to sharpen their aids for adjustability.
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Kozumplik says the better your horse's adjustability, the more you can extend the range in both directions.
He says, "A Grand Prix jumper or a more advanced event horse can easily do this line in five strides and collect enough to get 10 strides.
"The wider the range a horse can work within while maintaining balance and rhythm, the more adjustable and rideable it becomes on course.
Once you've practiced collecting for fewer strides and returning to the normal six strides, Kozumplik suggests reversing the exercise.
On the first pass, start with the collected number of strides and then lengthen it again; you can start with eight strides, go to seven, then six strides, and then back to seven or eight.
Exercise 5: The "Call-It-In-the-Air" Test This exercise builds on the skills you've worked on, improves your reaction time, and teaches you how to make subtle adjustments.
However, Kozumplik explains that this is a more advanced test of true adjustability, so it's better suited for riders who have a good grasp of the basics of opening and closing their horse's stride length.
In this exercise, he asked riders to enter the line with an average stride length of 12 feet.
Right as they passed the first obstacle, without any prior warning, he announced how many strides he wanted them to take on this line.
Here, the rider performs the "Call-It-In-the-Air" test, adjusting their horse's stride length based on Kozumplik's instructions after passing the first obstacle.
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He emphasizes, "This is a good exercise because the ride doesn't always go as planned on the approach.
It helps you understand how much leg and hand pressure you need to rebalance or open up your horse's stride to reach the desired number of strides; thus, you can gradually make it more subtle and smooth.
" However, it should be noted that the unpredictable nature of this exercise is not suitable for all horse and rider combinations.
Kozumplik says that novice pairs or horses still learning the basics of stride adjustability benefit more from repeating a clear and logical stride pattern, like six–seven–eight–six, rather than being surprised by random numbers.
He says, "The goal is always to build confidence and connection, not to trick the horse or rider.
" Conclusion Kozumplik says with consistent practice, stride adjustability becomes second nature, and the rider can produce exactly the speed needed to navigate a challenging cross-country course or a technical jumping course with the horse.
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Source: Practical Horseman – Training