Training

Jump into Dressage

Whether at a show or just to break up the monotony of a long winter indoors, this mix of dressage and jumping can be a refreshing and challe

Susan Stickle Photo

By: Alison King | August 29, 2016

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you're listening to an article from horse sport.com. jump into dressage by: alison king. it’s no secret that adding pole work, cavalettis, and small jumps to your regular training routine can provide excellent cross-training and a change of pace for the dressage horse. doing so by competing in a prix caprilli class can also add some fun to your next dressage show. the concept isn’t new; jumping one or more obstacles was a routine part of many dressage tests up to the late 1970s. today, the prix caprilli class is mainly seen at ec bronze competitions, schooling shows, pony club rallies, and other events including the prestigious lendon gray youth dressage festival in saugerties, ny. perhaps it’s time for this all-around test of skills to make a comeback! don barnes, a long-time ec senior silver dressage judge and ontario chapter president of the canadian dressage owners and riders association (cadora), has judged many prix caprilli rides over his 35-plus years in the judge’s booth. he thinks they offer a good test for both horse and rider, while also adding an element of fun to this traditional sport. “the prix caprilli is designed to test the adaptability of the horse, whether it’s a dressage horse adapting to a basic jumping course, or a jumper negotiating a test with some dressage in it,” says barnes. “i’ve always felt it’s a fun thing to do, and most of the dressage riders i’ve seen do have fun doing it.”. advertisement scroll to continue with content in addition to publishing its own walk-trot through fourth level tests, cadora offers its members a number of tests including freestyles, pas de deux, and prix caprilli to be used at schooling shows and other unlicensed dressage events. although the prix caprilli may be a bit unusual, it is not easy. cadora’s version includes a line of three cavaletti to be “bounced” without a stride between each jump, two single jumps to be negotiated at the canter, as well as more traditional movements such as 20-metre circles at trot and canter, free walk, and a rein back. jumps can be as high as 2’6”. “the most common error riders make is not having their horses securely on the aids,” says barnes. “therefore, they are unable to change styles from one discipline to the other, which has to be done very quickly, since most of this test is performed in canter. also, horses tend to get very excited after jumping a fence – no matter how low – and tend to ‘run away’ in the dressage parts.”. to avoid these dilemmas, barnes suggests, “the most useful exercise to work on at home is a few hundred transitions from dressage to jumping and back to dressage until your horse is comfortable and controllable in both disciplines.”. if you’re considering giving the prix caprilli a try, barnes offers his top three tips for a successful test:. n be aware that the test is very short and the transitions from gait to gait and discipline to discipline come up very quickly. n make sure your horse stays calm over the cavaletti (see following exercises). n if possible, show a clear distinction between a ‘dressage’ way of going (full seat, low hands, etc.) and a ‘jumper’ way of going (half seat, short release, etc.). many riders use their dressage saddle, but shorten the stirrups by one hole. what the judge is looking for:. rhythm of approach. quality of movement over cavaletti or jumps. calmness and smoothness of transitions. accuracy of circles. straightness before and after jump if on straight approach or maintaining curve on a circle. try this at home:. introducing the dressage horse to cavalletti. training with cavalletti at the walk and trot can be very beneficial for dressage horses, as it increases the activity of the hind leg, strengthens the back, and improves elasticity of the gaits. while many riders introduce their horses to this work with poles on the ground, using cavalletti on the lowest setting is safer, as it reduces the risk of a horse stepping on or stumbling over a rolling pole. start with a single cavaletti and gradually add more as your horse becomes more comfortable maintaining his rhythm and balance. exercise #1 – lengthening and shortening the stride. placing cavalletti on a 20-metre circle allows you to vary the distance over which you are working without having to re-set the poles. for most horses at the walk, the poles on the inner side of the circle should be approximately 80 cm apart, and one metre apart on the outside. riding the inner line of the circle will require your horse to shorten his steps, while the outer line encourages him to lengthen the stride. ride the circle in walk at first, allowing the horse freedom to stretch into a longer rein and balance himself. alternate riding the inside line and the outside line. as the horse becomes more comfortable, gradually increase the contact while maintaining the same steady, forward rhythm. add transitions within the circle from walk to halt and walk to trot, returning to walk before the cavalletti each time. increase the distance between the poles to 1.2-1.5 metres to perform the exercise in trot. focus on maintaining the same rhythm for the entire circle without it changing while approaching or trotting over the cavalletti. tip: for horses who have never been introduced to pole work, begin with no more than two cavallettis. slowly add more to increase the difficulty of the exercise as your horse gains strength and confidence. exercise #2 – canter. preparing your horse for the jumping elements of a prix caprilli test begins with cantering over a single raised pole on a 20-metre circle. be prepared for the horse to jump the pole initially rather than just canter over it; maintain a deep seat and soft contact. once the horse can canter smoothly over a single pole without losing balance or rhythm, add a second pole on the opposite side of the circle (at the 12:00 and 6:00 positions). use transitions within the gait and between gaits on the circle to increase attentiveness and responsiveness, returning to working canter before the poles. &&>

It’s no secret that adding pole work, cavalettis, and small jumps to your regular training routine can provide excellent cross-training and a change of pace for the dressage horse. Doing so by competing in a Prix Caprilli class can also add some fun to your next dressage show.

The concept isn’t new; jumping one or more obstacles was a routine part of many dressage tests up to the late 1970s. Today, the Prix Caprilli class is mainly seen at EC bronze competitions, schooling shows, Pony Club rallies, and other events including the prestigious Lendon Gray Youth Dressage Festival in Saugerties, NY. Perhaps it’s time for this all-around test of skills to make a comeback!

Don Barnes, a long-time EC senior silver dressage judge and Ontario chapter president of the Canadian Dressage Owners and Riders Association (CADORA), has judged many Prix Caprilli rides over his 35-plus years in the judge’s booth. He thinks they offer a good test for both horse and rider, while also adding an element of fun to this traditional sport. “The Prix Caprilli is designed to test the adaptability of the horse, whether it’s a dressage horse adapting to a basic jumping course, or a jumper negotiating a test with some dressage in it,” says Barnes. “I’ve always felt it’s a fun thing to do, and most of the dressage riders I’ve seen do have fun doing it.”

Scroll to continue with content

In addition to publishing its own Walk-Trot through Fourth Level tests, CADORA offers its members a number of tests including freestyles, Pas de Deux, and Prix Caprilli to be used at schooling shows and other unlicensed dressage events. Although the Prix Caprilli may be a bit unusual, it is not easy. CADORA’s version includes a line of three cavaletti to be “bounced” without a stride between each jump, two single jumps to be negotiated at the canter, as well as more traditional movements such as 20-metre circles at trot and canter, free walk, and a rein back. Jumps can be as high as 2’6”.

“The most common error riders make is not having their horses securely on the aids,” says Barnes. “Therefore, they are unable to change styles from one discipline to the other, which has to be done very quickly, since most of this test is performed in canter. Also, horses tend to get very excited after jumping a fence – no matter how low – and tend to ‘run away’ in the dressage parts.”

To avoid these dilemmas, Barnes suggests, “The most useful exercise to work on at home is a few hundred transitions from dressage to jumping and back to dressage until your horse is comfortable and controllable in both disciplines.”

If you’re considering giving the Prix Caprilli a try, Barnes offers his top three tips for a successful test:

n Be aware that the test is very short and the transitions from gait to gait and discipline to discipline come up very quickly.

n Make sure your horse stays calm over the cavaletti (see following exercises).

n If possible, show a clear distinction between a ‘dressage’ way of going (full seat, low hands, etc.) and a ‘jumper’ way of going (half seat, short release, etc.). Many riders use their dressage saddle, but shorten the stirrups by one hole.

What the judge is looking for:

rhythm of approach
quality of movement over cavaletti or jumps
calmness and smoothness of transitions
accuracy of circles
straightness before and after jump if on straight approach or maintaining curve on a circle.

Try This at Home:

Introducing the dressage horse to cavalletti

Training with cavalletti at the walk and trot can be very beneficial for dressage horses, as it increases the activity of the hind leg, strengthens the back, and improves elasticity of the gaits. While many riders introduce their horses to this work with poles on the ground, using cavalletti on the lowest setting is safer, as it reduces the risk of a horse stepping on or stumbling over a rolling pole.

Start with a single cavaletti and gradually add more as your horse becomes more comfortable maintaining his rhythm and balance.

Exercise #1 – Lengthening and shortening the stride

Placing cavalletti on a 20-metre circle allows you to vary the distance over which you are working without having to re-set the poles. For most horses at the walk, the poles on the inner side of the circle should be approximately 80 cm apart, and one metre apart on the outside. Riding the inner line of the circle will require your horse to shorten his steps, while the outer line encourages him to lengthen the stride.

Ride the circle in walk at first, allowing the horse freedom to stretch into a longer rein and balance himself. Alternate riding the inside line and the outside line. As the horse becomes more comfortable, gradually increase the contact while maintaining the same steady, forward rhythm. Add transitions within the circle from walk to halt and walk to trot, returning to walk before the cavalletti each time.

Increase the distance between the poles to 1.2-1.5 metres to perform the exercise in trot. Focus on maintaining the same rhythm for the entire circle without it changing while approaching or trotting over the cavalletti.

TIP: For horses who have never been introduced to pole work, begin with no more than two cavallettis. Slowly add more to increase the difficulty of the exercise as your horse gains strength and confidence.

Exercise #2 – Canter

Preparing your horse for the jumping elements of a Prix Caprilli test begins with cantering over a single raised pole on a 20-metre circle. Be prepared for the horse to jump the pole initially rather than just canter over it; maintain a deep seat and soft contact.

Once the horse can canter smoothly over a single pole without losing balance or rhythm, add a second pole on the opposite side of the circle (at the 12:00 and 6:00 positions). Use transitions within the gait and between gaits on the circle to increase attentiveness and responsiveness, returning to working canter before the poles.