Dressage Behaviour Horsemanship Riders
Vet and head judge: "The competition format has to change"
Celine Bønnelykke
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The water tray is often the type of obstacle that causes showjumpers the biggest problems. During the Olympics, it was by far the obstacle that challenged the show jumpers the most - causing many stops and setbacks for a number of Olympic participants. But what makes the water tray so difficult, and how you can teach your horse to be okay with it. We have asked experienced show jumper Claus Hundebøl.
• 25 years old from Branderup in Denmark raised in a family that was not originally interested in horses.
• Has ridden since he was 7 years old. For the last 6 years he has been competing.
• Makes a living teaching, riding and training horses for others with a primary focus on showjumping.
• Works with a philosophy based on patience, trust and training - and not the least kisses, treats and love.
• He has trained two S-horses and several MB / MA horses over the years.
What are the basic challenges of jumping a water tray with the horse?
“One of the challenges of jumping a water tray is that you do not have the support to frame the jump. It can be a little confusing for some horses. Another thing about the water is that the horses cannot see how deep it is. Plus, the fact that sun and other kinds of light often sparks reflections. This can make the horse unsure of how far to jump.”
What mistakes do you typically make when jumping a water tray?
"Unfortunately, I often hear and see that people almost chase the horse to the water tray, put a lot of pressure on. This can for most horses result in a defensive attitude where they will try to back off. In many cases, this can cause the horse to become frightened or insecure about the jump afterwards.”
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Some say that a horse only has a certain number of flawless jumps over a water tray in it. Do you think that is correct?
“I think it is very different from horse to horse. Some horses are more careful and look more, but others quickly become a little indifferent. For some horses it is best to jump water once a week or every other week to be comfortable with it. Often, they have enough respect for the water to come out flawlessly on the other side every time. And then there are other horses who are more carefree about stuff, water and general jumping. They may be better off only seeing the water tray for the show, so they jump with more energy.”
How do you best teach your horse to jump a water tray and become comfortable with it?
“Knock on wood. I have never had a horse that would not jump water. Yes, I have had some who were very skeptical and did not want to go there.
For me, it works best if I remove all pressure. I start by folding the water tray so that it is only half size. Then I trot towards the water, change to a walk and give it the rein so it can lower its neck and look at the water. I make it so that it itself begins to pull towards the jump. When it does, I really just follow the horse and let it jump without pressure.”
Is there anything else you think is important to highlight when it comes to jumping water trays?
"It is better to let the horse do 10 jumps over a small water tray, which it feels comfortable with, and it shows interest in it itself. Rather than to push it towards the water tray, because it can often give the opposite effect."
