In the jumper ring, you would typically use an inside turn to save time. Often even one less stride in a turn will make you a little faster than the next horse. An inside turn in the equitation is a good example of how those classes are a stepping stone to prepare for the jumper ring.

In the hunter ring, inside turns only come into play for a handy or a derby class. Sometimes people think in a derby it’s just about being fast, and while you can do an inside turn to show off your horse’s handiness and get extra bonus points, the most important score is still the one out of 100, so if your inside turn isn’t good it’s probably not worth the risk.

In all aspects of riding, a correct position is your base: your position in the hunter, equitation, and jumper rings should be consistent whether you are executing an inside turn or not. Classic and effective position is important at any stage of the game (see rider exercise tips on page 34 to improve the core strength necessary for maintaining proper position.)

Advertisement