For the majority of folks the thought of jumping hedges is frightening.  To the horse it is the most natural thing in the world to jump … in fact in the natural world it is the ONLY thing to jump.

Hedgehopping is only a matter of confidence … and teaching the horse that he does NOT have to clear the hedge … he can pull through the top half with impunity.

With the aid of the unique adjustable hedge we train the horse to realise that he can do the job easily … sometimes we lunge him over it first to show the rider JUST how easy it is for the horse.  IF THE RIDER DOES NOT TRY TO “HELP”

During a session the hedge not only grows in size but in thickness.  It starts off so “airy”  (almost like an old-fashioned bullfinch) that the horse quickly learns that he can brush through.  By the time he finishes the horse knows exactly which ones he can pull through and which ones have to be cleared.  Just like an experienced hunt horse!

With the advent of “brush top” fences in eventing, it is extremely important that the horse learns that he can brush through the top 20 cms of any brush top fence, for that is the amount by which the brush is allowed to exceed the height of any solid fence in that class.  This means that a 1 metre fence appears to be 1’20 to the horse who has not been taught how to see and recognise the difference. No wonder he is far more likely to” down tools”.

For this reason we always have a solid fence on the other side of the school so that the horse gets to be able to recognise the difference … there is no way in the world that a rider can explain that “this one he has to jump over and this one he can brush through”,… whilst on the approach to a fence.

THE CLINIC IS DESIGNED TO BE APPROPRIATE, RELEVANT AND HELPFUL TO ALL RIDERS INTENDING TO HUNT, TEAM CHASE OR EVENT, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO LIKE TO FEEL PROPERLY PREPARED!  I WILL BRING THE ADJUSTABLE HEDGE WITH ME SO WE CAN CATER FOR THOSE WISHING TO JUMP ‘TINY’ OR THOSE WHO WANT TO JUMP ‘TERRIFYING’.

FOR VENUES/CLUBS/YARDS THAT DO ALL THE ORGANISING, BOOKING AND PROVIDE ALL FACILITIES – £40 PER HOUR.  TRAVEL CHARGE OF 25P A MILE FROM OX136AD (ROUND TRIP), WILL APPLY IF LESS THAN 5 HOURS. ORGANISERS DETERMINE LENGTH OF SESSION AND NUMBERS. PRIVATE SESSIONS BY NEGOTIATION.