Showjumper Jacqui Ridley Shares Her Latest Training Tips

It’s been an amazing year for French showjumping: Gold medals in Rio and more recently a full French podium in the Emirates Gold Cup CSI 5*at the Longines Masters in Los Angeles with the French (Kevin Staut, Simon Delestre and Julien Epaillard) riding fast and accurate rounds. 

French rider Paul Miran recently visited and I grasped the opportunity to have 3 days of intensive coaching with him. Paul has worked extensively with some of the best showjumping yards in France and Switzerland and has a wealth of knowledge, an awesome array of training techniques as well as an excellent eye. He recently had great success at Fontainebleau with a 7 year old he has trained and competed, which has now been sold to America.  I was keen to soak up all he had to offer!

Paul’s training focuses on producing the American style of riding we see when watching riders such as Katie Prudent, Reed Kessler and Beezie Madden where the rider is light in the seat with elegant shoulders, head up and the horse travelling forward in ‘equilibrium’.  
Paul focused on a number of exercises which really worked well with each of our horses and I feel this style of training is helping to lift their performance significantly. I would like to use this blog to share some of the exercises. Many of the exercises use cavalettis which give a better feel, more like a jump than poles, without putting the strain and stress on the horse that bigger jumps cause. All these exercises aim at improving your horse’s suppleness and flexibility and work towards helping them function their body properly over the fence.

Exercise 1 (lines and curves)

Starting with my 7 year old mare Uno, my focus was to shorten the rein, raise her poll to put more weight on her hind end and keep her in equilibrium. If you watch top riders Penelope Leprevost and Katie Prudent you will see that they spend a lot of time ‘off’ the horses back ‘in suspension’ in 2 point position with upright shoulders and head looking up and out - which allows the horse’s back to function more effectively.

Setting up the cavaletti in this formation (below) gives you a number of options to progress through. Initially ride the straight centre line, then progress to turning right or left over the 3rd element and riding around to the start again. When you’ve mastered turning right and left over the 3rd element try turning tighter and riding back through the centre line.

With this exercise, come around the corner leading into it in 2 point position (suspension), out of the saddle with the horse in equilibrium and the same weight on the shoulders and the hind end. Then 3 or 4 strides out from the first cavaletti go into 3 point position keeping the same contact and weight in each rein. Aim at maintaining the rhythm, with your horse staying supple and relaxed. Make sure you are always looking at the next cavaletti. Remember to keep your horse straight (the hind legs following the same path as the front legs even on the curves).

Exercise 1

Exercise 2, riding a line; Exercise 3, canter poles with a vertical; and Exercise 4, bounce grid.

Start with Exercise 2 coming down the centre line. Practice varying the number of strides - 5,6 or 7 - while keeping the same rhythm and contact. Also making sure you stay with the horse at all times and the horse is listening and waiting for you.

Exercise 3 is using canter poles on the ground with a small vertical followed by three canter poles on the ground. Again approach this exercise in suspension and once you are 3 or 4 stride out from the first canter poles you can take a light seat.

Exercise 4 can start off simply with small elements and progress to height appropriate to your level of training.

Exercise 5

This final progression ties all that you’ve focused on and mastered in the previous exercises. Again the heights of each element can vary depending on the training level that you and your horse are at. Start small and master the lines while maintaining rhythm and the same tension in your contact and staying with your horse. Remember to keep looking at the next element.

Exercise 5

When you incorporate gymnastic exercises like these always be mindful of your horse' s level of training and ability. Start with basics and gradually build them up when you and your horse are working confidently. Take the time for fitness and strength to develop so that injuries are avoided. As with any training schedule it's important to plan and structure your training appropriately.

Following these super training sessions with Paul my horses all had a very successful show south of Paris, with Gordie jumping clear in the Grand Prix.  They were really relaxed and using their bodies better whilst jumping and all stepped up a level.

Until next time I hope some of you enjoy the training ideas I’ve shared!

Celebrities, Champagne and Chantilly

For once I’m lost for words - I don’t think I can find words to adequately describe jumping at Chantilly, France! Never in my wildest dreams could I image such an exquisite venue for a show jumping event. I’m hoping it’s a case of ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ because there’s little chance of being able to describe the magnificent setting for this show.

As part of Team Haras Du Ry I headed to the magnificent venue of Chantilly to compete in an International 1* and 2* event in late April. This world class venue will host the Longines Global Champions Tour in July and the world’s best show jumpers will gather here … sacred turf indeed! The thrill of being at such an amazing venue is hard to describe. The build up to the event had certainly raised my level of excitement - preparation for my first International professional event with Gordon had gone well and I felt ready for the challenge. Travelling to Chantilly via Paris was in itself an experience, even seeing a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the distance was one of those moments!

Arriving at Chantilly I’m sure my jaw dropped and my eyes were popping. Even though I had seen photos of the course laid out right in front of the Chateau the reality was awe inspiring to say the very least. I was about to compete in an arena right in front of the most magnificent palace I’d ever seen.  It’s impossible to describe the mix of excitement, apprehension, exhilaration and awe I felt when we arrived at Chantilly, but let’s just say I think it’s a moment that will definitely be on my list of ‘once in a lifetime memories’!  

Team Haras Du Ry at Chantilly consisted of Amy Graham with Albert, Soraya D’Utah and her 8 y.o. mare Go Blesse competing in the 2* International, Thomas with Una competing in his first 1.25m class in the Amateurs and myself with Gordon in the 1* International.  

My first round on Gordon lacked a little focus on my part but I was still happy to get around a technical course with only four faults. On Day 2 my round felt so much better and again, although pulling one rail I was very happy with our ride. Without doubt the highlight of my weekend was the 1.30m professional class on Sunday. With some notable riders in the class, including French actor Guillaume Canet who stars in the French movie Jappeloup, I placed well. This clear round would have to be the best ride of my life so far! Riding the course on such a willing, talented horse as Gordon in such a magnificent setting was truly out of this world and a moment I will treasure forever! 

As if being in such an amazing location among Europe’s show jumping elite wasn’t enough, there was time to just chill out with cheese platters and champagne in the sumptuous champagne lounge. What a way to spend a weekend - I can’t believe it’s possible to top all this.

Needless to say there was plenty of celebrations after a successful HDR weekend with perhaps more than a few celebratory drinks on the truck trip home!!

So until next show at Le Touquet CSI3*** where we were sharing the same stable block as Edwina Tops-Alexander and Rodrigo Pessoa!! 

Introducing Jacqui Ridley

There will be a few times in your life when all your instincts will tell you to do something, something that defies logic, upsets your plans and may seem crazy to others. When that happens, you do it. Listen to your instincts and ignore everything else. Ignore logic, ignore the odds, ignore the complications and just go for it! 

My instincts told me that there was something more waiting for me…. I ignored logic, ignored the complications and critics and went for it! Listening to my crazy impulse has led me to Haras Du Ry in Normandy, France and opened up a whole new and unbelievably exciting time in my life!

Haras Du Ry, Amy Graham’s training facility in Normandy, France where I am currently riding and training. Photo credit (above and below): sporthorsesonpics, Daniel Sebire

Let me tell you more: I spent the past 6 years working as a civil engineer in a secure, responsible, job trying to juggle work and horses, but totally lacking the fulfillment and passion I yearned for. Then came the moment when those crazy instincts kicked in and I decided to throw caution to the wind and resigned from my job with no real plan for the future except to follow my passion and commit 100% to my riding. While I’ve done eventing and dressage in the past, jumping is where my heart is and where I’ve set my goal!

Recently competing at Deauville International 1* in France on Gordon Vd Riloo

Growing up in the country on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, I was able to have a horse as a child and did the usual run through pony club and lessons. Horses had an unavoidable attraction for me and I soon became totally afflicted by that dreaded disease known as ‘horse addiction’! All you fellow addicts will certainly understand: it’s surely something in our blood or DNA that makes it impossible to extinguish!

Trying to be smart, knowing that further down the track supporting my riding would be expensive, I eased back on my riding after leaving school in order to study. While completing an engineering degree at the University of Queensland, I did many clicks back and forth to home in order to ride as much as I could. I took on some ‘off the track’ project horses and also bred, broke, educated and sold a few horses too. When I left uni I tried hard to combine full time work and riding. It’s a familiar story… working to get enough to support your horses but ending up with no time to ride enough to get anywhere! Trying to prepare and compete 2 or 3 horses became a juggling act that ended up with too much frustration and permanent tiredness! 

After too many years trying to combine work and competing I decided to listen to those instincts and take the plunge! While leaving a well paid, secure job to follow an ambitious dream earned me more than a few disparaging comments, I felt that for once I was being true to myself and following my heart. 

After fruitless researching online for training opportunities in Europe I took a leap of faith, bought a ticket to Amsterdam and set off …. not really knowing where…. to satisfy my thirst for training.

Turning up on the door step of a few good stables I soon found myself in the saddle, having top quality lessons and riding a variety of horses, from young less experienced ones to schoolmasters. I was on a roll and for 3 months I wallowed in the European horse scene! Gradually I developed a string of wonderful contacts in the dressage, eventing and show jumping world and managed to travel to Germany, the Netherlands, France, Finland, Ireland and England. I had always appreciated that Europe was the heart of all things equestrian but actually being in the thick of it all was beyond my wildest dreams! The exhilaration of fox hunting in southern Ireland, seeing the elite of International show jumping at the Longines International 5 star in Helsinki, training at some of Europe’s top stables and competing along side some of the best riders in the world are just some of the experiences that those crazy instincts have led me to!  

The view from the grandstand at the Longines 5* in Helsinki, Finland

Fox hunting with the Tipperary hounds in Southern Ireland.

I personally just can’t get enough of Europe. In late 2013 I spent a few wonderful weeks training at Haras Du Ry in Normandy with Amy Graham, one of Australia’s top showjumpers currently competing on the International circuit in Europe. After a quick trip back home for Christmas I returned to Amy’s idyllic training facility early this year to train and ride…. and further fuel my passion. With WEG (World Equestrian Games) just down the road in August/September the months ahead are guaranteed to be full of wonderful horse-frenzied times.  

On a busy day I have been riding up to 8 or 9 horses and under Amy’s watchful, experienced eye I’m improving so much.  Next weekend I will be competing in an International 1* class at Chantilly in France on Gordon VD Riloo (Concorde x Lord Z).  Some days I definitely wake up and pinch myself!

Chantilly, France where I will be competing next weekend. 

So … is there a moral to my story so far? Simple…. life is too short to not be happy.

Do what makes you happy, and don’t give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about. You will not do incredible things without incredible dreams.

Buying a Horse

While many of you will have been through the process of buying a horse and pre-purchase vet checks, I’d like to share my recent experience when I purchased Gordon in France. It’s interesting to compare and see how ‘horsey’ things are done in different parts of the globe. 

Buying a suitable competition horse for me to campaign in Europe was certainly a huge step emotionally and financially. I had been fortunate enough to ride and compete Gordon for a few months but I needed to put him through the best vet check I could, to make sure that all was as it should be and he was the right man for the job!

Trotting up for a vet check at CSI2* Dinnard © Jacqui Ridley

Step one was to determine where I needed to take him. Back home in Australia I had learnt the importance of consulting the most experienced equine vets with access to high quality diagnostic equipment and skills. Fortunately I could rely on recommendations from Amy (Graham) and our own equine specialist at Haras Du Ry and I found that the place to take Gordon was CIRALE (Center of Imaging and Research in Equine Locomotor Affections http://www.vet-alfort.fr/web/fr/194-cirale.php) in Deauville. CIRALE is a unit dedicated to the diagnostic imaging of the equine movement and health with state-of-the-art equipment beyond my imagination. Gordon was to be examined in depth by the very best in France! 

Arriving at CIRALE I quickly realised that Gordon was in for the works and we were immediately surrounded by not one but 10 vets and trainee vets all eager to observe the investigation. Needless to say Gordon was on his best behaviour and we began with close inspection of general conformation, feet and legs etc. The all too familiar flexion tests came next. The purpose of the flexion test is to identify any potential sources of lameness.  Positive reactions to a flexion test are graded on a scale of 1 to 5 and any reaction warrants further investigation to determine where and if there are problems.

Flexion test © Jacqui Ridley

The next in hand test had Gordon walking then trotting around in a very small circle. Tight circle work can sometimes show a point of weakness and unevenness and all eyes were glued on him as he performed the circle work in hand with absolutely no problem. I must add that while the entire examination was in progress the staff of CIRALE were taking both video footage and photographs. The video was later replayed and studied in slow motion to determine the correctness of his action in all paces. 

With the extensive in-hand tests complete I saddled up and worked him under the intense gaze of these equine experts: walk, trot, canter, extended and collected work and then jumping. Again all was videoed and studied later in slow motion. There was a lot of incomprehensible (to me) discussion in French but everything was carefully summarised and explained to me in perfect English, (note to self - I must somehow master at least a basic smattering of French equine lingo sooner rather than later!).

I think it was safe to say there were enough vets present during the examination! © Jacqui Ridley

When the senior vet had seen enough of Gordon working under saddle it was time for the x-rays and scans to be taken. There seems to be a standard number of x-rays that are taken in France - around 22 is the norm. If there are any specific areas of concern then further images are generally recommended. In Gordon’s case I was recommended to have images of his front tendons taken since he is long in the pasterns. The length in the pasterns gives him a lot of spring in his stride but can result in strain on the tendons. One recommendation that came out of the examination was that I should have him shod with lighter aluminium shoes. Another additional group of x rays were taken of his spine to check for ‘kissing spine’, a condition where the processes of the vertebrae impinge on each other and result in back pain and other problems. Again Gordon was given the all clear. Another important area for any performance horse is the sacroiliac and lumbar regions. The vet used a rectal probe to check this area on Gordon. While there were some areas of fusion found I was told not to be concerned as this condition was congenital and even one of the best Olympic show jumpers had similar!

Getting the full work down with over 22 x-rays © Jacqui Ridley

Finally samples of Gordon’s blood were taken for checking. It is important to check for any diseases which the horse may carry - the presence of certain diseases may make a horse ineligible for import to Australia for example.

Gordon's conformation stance, this picture does highlight that he does have quite long sloping pasterns © Jacqui Ridley

Just some of the results of over 2 hours of radiographs and scans © Jacqui Ridley

Some more scans © Jacqui Ridley

With approximately 5 hours of extensive diagnostic examination Gordon came through with as near to perfect a report as one could wish for. For me ... ‘quite a reasonable’ vet bill (bit of an oxymoron) but the satisfaction that I have a healthy, capable horse to invest time, money and training in. Now let’s hope I can keep him in peak health and fitness for a long, long time!

A great reference picture for some typical vet check lingo