Are you looking for a fun and effective way to improve your horse’s balance, coordination, and flexibility, while also refining your approach and stride? Look no further! Classic Showjumps and Joss Stewardson (@itsthatjoss) present the Butterfly Pole Maze exercise. This exercise is designed to challenge and engage both you and your horse, enhancing physical abilities and stimulating your horse’s mind. It will help you as a rider with accuracy when approaching jumps and also encourage looking forward to the next obstacle when riding a course!
Equipment Used:
– 6 poles
– 4 Stackaletti (for raised poles)
– 5 obstacles made up of
- Classic Showjumps 4 Mini, 2 Maxi, 2 Parallel Block, and 2 X Block
You can find out more about these products qui
Setup:
We started by using raised poles for walk and trot as a warm-up. Arrange the poles in a butterfly pattern, with one pole for the body and alternating poles for the wings (as per the diagram below).
Instructions:
Warm-Up: Begin with a 10-minute warm-up, walking your horse around the arena to get them relaxed and focused.
Walk Through the Maze: Walk your horse through the butterfly maze at a walk, ensuring they stay balanced and follow the path.
Trot Through the Maze: Once your horse is comfortable walking through the maze, increase the pace to a trot. Maintain a steady rhythm and encourage your horse to stay straight and balanced. Focus on changing your diagonal as you change the rein.
Focus on Your Direction: Look ahead to your next pole and concentrate on your approach. Keep it steady, even, and central to each pole.
Change Directions: Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction, you can approach the centre poles from the top and the bottom.
Move Up to Canter: When you feel proficient, move up to a canter. Use the poles to focus on gaining the correct leg. Use the corners to change down to a trot and ask for the correct canter lead. You can practice making the change in less trot strides. When you get more proficient, you can aim to land on the correct canter lead.
Incorporate Obstacles: Once comfortable with the poles, move on to using obstacles. Focus on riding the course in the same way.
Cool Down: Finish with a nice cool-down, walking your horse around the arena.
Tips for Success:
– Stay Calm: Keep your movements smooth and calm to help your horse stay relaxed.
– Breathe: Its easy to hold your breath when concentrating, try to breathe constantly.
– Look ahead: Focus on the direction you want to go in and look to the next pole.
– Use Your Aids: Use gentle rein and leg aids to guide your horse through the maze.
– Progress Gradually: Start with walking and only progress to trotting, cantering, and jumps once your horse is comfortable.
Benefits of the Butterfly Pole Maze Exercise
– Improves Coordination: Navigating the maze helps your horse develop better coordination.
– Enhances Balance: The flow of the pattern encourages your horse to balance and shift their weight.
– Increases Flexibility: The turns and changes of direction help improve your horse’s flexibility.
– Prepares for Jumps: These exercises can help you see your next stride and maintain rhythm when approaching a jump.
Incorporating the Butterfly Pole Maze into your horse’s training routine is a great way to work on the foundations of jumping. You can create a fun and engaging exercise that not only improves your horse’s balance, coordination, and flexibility but also keeps them mentally stimulated. It is also great practice for you as a rider as well!
Remember to progress gradually and maintain a calm manner to ensure a positive experience for both you and your horse. Happy schooling!
