Do you find yourself out of time to tackle the little imperfections in your horse’s way of going? Don’t sweat the small stuft– with Tina’s instant exercises, he’ll look better than ever over fences

In this feature… ► Teach your horse better technique in the air ► Train a better approach ► Maintain a quality rhythm between fences

Just as we might go without stirrups to improve our positions, or book Pilates classes to unlock a higher degree of suppleness, our horses need time and tailored exercises geared towards helping them achieve a greater level of refinement in their work, too. If you’re keen to improve the overall picture when it comes to showjumping, targeting the specifics can only bring you closer to achieving that goal. This month, we’re going to look at how you can use your equipment to improve your horse’s shape and straightness over fences as well as teaching him to balance, wait and focus between them.

The right mindset

Before you approach these exercises, or indeed any training session, take a moment to put yourself in a productive headspace. Aim to come to the session feeling…

• disciplined and striving for perfection in the things that are within your control. For example, do what you can to ensure you’re meeting fences in the middle, and riding straight and purposefully away from them. Getting into this habit will not only assist you in competition, when there’s no time to take a breather until the end of the course, it’ll also encourage you to set up your horse in the best way possible for success