Four tips from the show jumping lesson with Hannah Sue Hollberg
Many riders admit that show jumping is the weakest phase for them.
Even five-star rider and Prac team member Hanna Sue Holberg has faced challenges in improving her skills in this discipline.
While recovering from an injury at the same time and trying to improve her show jumping skills, she met her current husband, Matias "Mat" Holberg, a Grand Prix jumper, and he helped her improve her techniques.
She said: "For riding, having someone who specializes in show jumping is very helpful, like Boyd and Silva [Martin] for dressage.
Mat really helped me achieve success through simplicity.
Riders usually pay attention to a lot of details because they have to think about three different phases.
" Hanna tries to apply Mat’s simple training methods in all three phases of riding.
For show jumping, she believes it is essential to warm up the horses for the competition arena in the same way she does at home.
She said: "I desperately needed a routine, because I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing in competitions.
When I entered the arena, I didn’t feel prepared and I was always panicked.
When I met Mat, I said, 'Wow, this is so good' because I no longer had to think about what I was doing.
It became second nature to me because I stuck to the routine every day.
" Hanna notes that this simple approach to training is also beneficial for her horses, because they too enjoy a consistent routine.
She said: "The horses love it because they feel secure.
You don’t do anything new or strange in the warm-up.
You just follow your normal routine.
" Preparing the horse for success in show jumping, Hanna says this simple approach has helped her see distances better and be able to tell where she is going on a line.
At home, she keeps the fences low and practices moving through lines with a different number of strides to develop adjustability and work on straightness and pace control.
She said: "At first I may get too close to the second fence, but by the fifth or sixth time I learn how to make each stride the same.
When you ride better at home, your horse performs better in competition.
There are no tricks; it’s just good riding.
" Hanna notes that the simple approach to training is also beneficial for her horses, because they too enjoy a consistent routine.
©Amy K.
Dragoo Hanna says: "Especially at the higher levels of jumping, there is often this mindset that horses must give their all at every jump.
But when it’s that hard, no one—not the horse or the rider—can perform their best every time.
So, you have to show them an easy way to get over the jumps.
" She added: "If you consistently approach the fence while showing them an easy way, they will jump well.
Horses are the best animals; they are very forgiving.
We just have to give them the best chance to do their jobs.
» Straightness, Shoulders, and Relaxation: A Lesson with Hannah Sue Hollberg In her new video on Practical Horseman+, Hannah, along with her advanced horse, Diane Brant and Mint Monster (called "Minty" in the barn), teaches a show jumping course and focuses on small but vital points to deliver a smooth and relaxed ride.
Here’s a look at this lesson and four key takeaways from it.
1.
When preparing for a right turn toward a cross-rail, Hannah advises Brant to pay attention to Minty's left shoulder to finish the turn, keep him straight, and prevent extra strides.
She said: "Your pace looks good, but pay attention to an early look at the left shoulder during the turn.
That is almost exactly what you need.
If you have to add a stride, it’s because he went through the turn with that left shoulder."
2.
Then, Hannah asked the rider to continue doing a small course that begins with a left turn over a vertical and then turns right toward an oxer.
She said: "Really pay attention to straightness on the landing and keep your upper body up.
The first time you came through, you tipped a little forward.
Especially when you turn left after a fence, focus on keeping Minty straight because he tends to bend left."
3.
Then Hannah asked Brant to combine a small course.
She said: "I want you to practice having that beautiful counter-bend and really staying straight on the landing, especially when you later turn left.
Take a deep breath before the board and try to stay soft and relaxed."
4.
To finish the lesson, Hannah asked her student to do the same course once more after raising the jumps.
She said: "We do this twice because I want you to work on the lines and practice setting your pace to make sure you really understand the distances.
Especially on the lines, try to jump and keep each stride the same instead of speeding up and slowing down.
Just let him countercanter in the lines and see what happens; this is a vulnerable place, but you can do it.
When the jumps are bigger, they can actually make the lines easier.
Keep looking straight ahead and keep him exactly between your leg and your hand."
Conclusion Instead of overcomplicating practice and obsessing over the countless details riders face, focus on mastering the basic principles of show jumping — rhythm, pace, adjustability, and straightness.
Sometimes the simpler you keep things, the better your horse can do its job.
About Prac team member, Hannah Sue Hollberg After working as an intern for riders Karen and David O’Connor, Hannah Sue Hollberg launched her own training business.
She competed in her first five-star event in Kentucky at age 20 and helped win team gold and individual silver at the 2011 Pan American Games with Harbour Pilot.
She has also represented the United States at several European events.
With Capitol H I M, Hannah Sue competed at the Maryland 5 Star 2023 at Fair Hill and finished fourth as the top American combination.
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Source: Practical Horseman – Training