International Grand Prix show jumping star Todd Minikus works with a group of adult amateur riders. They start by warming up over a cross rail, stopping after the fence. “The most important thing an adult rider’s horse should do is stop,” he says. They move on to a gymnastic line where they focus...

International Grand Prix show jumping star Todd Minikus coaches a group of adult amateur riders through several courses. He emphasizes that the riders must sit up to not get ahead of the horse and give a good release, including grabbing mane if needed. The riders also need to know when to move up...

Nations Cup show jumper and successful hunter/equitation competitor Sloane Coles demonstrates the important exercise of properly executing a straight walk-canter transition. She shows all the rider aids and position of the horse that starts with walking a straight line and goes to asking the hors...

Ronny gives a brief introduction to his series of fundamentals on the flat and over small fences. He then shows and explains the equipment used by the demonstration riders and horses.

Ronny explains what he likes to see in the flat warm-up, which is a loose, forward horse that flows from the hind end into the rider’s soft hand. When viewed from the side, the rider should have a shoulder, hip, heel alignment. He wants to activate the hind end first before connecting with the hand.

In the warm-up, they move on to the canter utilizing the same principles of getting the horse forward and relaxed. The time it takes to warm up a horse depends on the individual so it’s important to know your horse and what he needs.

They finish the warm-up by implementing downward transitions from canter to trot to further help the horse’s hind end come under himself and the shoulder’s come up. This also helps prepare for the over fences work when horses need to listen to the rider for collecting and extending between fences.

After warming up on the flat, Ronny starts implementing the first jumps. To start, there is a trot pole to a small cavalletti. They move on to a ground rail to higher cavalletti. The focus is on being straight before and after the fence so that the horse is straight in front of the jump and then ...

The next step is to do the single cavalletti at canter. The principle remains the same where the rider wants a rhythmic canter and once out of the turn, a straight approach to the fence. The horse should be straight from the shoulders to the ears. Going straight after the fence is important so th...

The last part of the warm-up consists of two cavalletti set seven strides apart. The goal is to have a steady rhythm and straight approach to the first jump, stay straight between fences, arrive straight at the second jump and then go straight afterwards for several strides before turning.

Once properly warmed up, Ronny has the riders work on riding a 5-stride line. The concept is still the same to go straight before the first jump, between the two jumps and then after the second fence. A canter pole before the first jump allows the horse to have one stride before the jump and find...

International Grand Prix show jumping star Todd Minikus has riders do an exercise of jumping a fence on a square in eight strides rather than on a circle. Doing so helps control the horse’s shoulders and keeps the rider from simply overbending the neck. The rider also must make sure the horse get...

Holly explains how to make a tight right turn after a fence, something riders encounter in jump-offs. The ideal canter to the jump is quiet so the rider can make the turn after the fence more easily. On the approach, the rider looks to a point to the right and asks the horse to land on the right ...

Nations Cup show jumper and successful hunter/equitation competitor Sloane Coles demonstrates the fundamental exercise of how to halt a horse straight and in balance from the walk, trot and canter. She explains the proper rider aids and position so that the rider does not only rely on the hands. ...

In the first part of this exercise, Sloane demonstrates lengthening and collecting her horse's stride at walk, trot and canter. This is an exercise appropriate for all levels of horses and riders. She explains the rider aids necessary to complete smooth transitions within the gaits.

Nations Cup show jumper and successful hunter/equitation competitor Sloane Coles demonstrates cantering a crossrail and how to break down the exercise to prepare for asking for a flying change after the jump. The exercise is about more than the flying change. It is also about balance, straightnes...

In part 2 of this exercise, Nations Cup show jumper and successful hunter/equitation competitor Sloane Coles demonstrates cantering a crossrail and how to break down the exercise to prepare for asking for a flying change after the jump. It is important to work the horse in both direction because ...

Bliss does not regularly jump her horses much, but she does like to do gymnastics to help keep them fit and sharp. Here she is riding her 5* horse Antidote de Mars through a simple gymnastic pattern. It is also an exercise that can help the rider focus on position, rhythm and straightness.

Bliss rides Antidote de Mars, her 5* grand prix jumper, through a triple combination, vertical-two strides to an oxer-one stride to a vertical. While many people get anxious approaching three fences in a row, Bliss says it is ridden with the same approach as one fence or a gymnastic line. The rid...

Bliss gives tips for schooling a horse that is nervous or overly aware of his surroundings. She says it’s about getting the horse comfortable in his surroundings so to help build his confidence, Bliss works him outside the arena and in places where he’s not familiar. She reminds us that the more ...

Bliss Heers shows her basic flatwork routine for a young stallion after having a few days off. She explains why she lengthens her stirrups for flatwork compared to the stirrup length for jumping. She warms up on a light rein contact with the focus on sending the horse forward and in front of the ...

Once the horse is relaxed and forward at the trot, Bliss moves on to canter. Again, she is not concerned with where the horse’s head is. She stays light in the saddle to allow him to move more freely under her. She stresses that issues like straightness, leaning on the hand and problems with flyi...

Once the horse is warmed up, Bliss starts to take more contact and asks the horse to bend from the inside leg into the outside hand. If the horse is fussy, she recommends going slightly more forward than what the horse naturally wants to do and keeping a consistent rein contact. She wants the hor...

Grand prix jumper rider Bliss Heers tells us how she got involved with horses and show jumping, who she has ridden with and how they have influenced her riding today.