Improve Your Position Over Fences with Trotting Poles

A secure position over a fence is built long before the horse leaves the ground. The jump itself is only the visible moment in a chain of decisions involving rhythm, balance, leg position, eyes, hands and the rider’s ability to follow the horse’s movement. Trotting poles make that chain easier to feel because they slow the exercise down and remove some of the pressure that comes with a full course.

For event riders, this matters across every phase. A tidy, balanced position in show jumping can help a horse land in better balance, while the same control is valuable when preparing for cross-country fences. Trotting poles are especially useful for riders who tip forward, brace against the reins, lose their lower leg or fold too early when nerves arrive.

The exercise also suits real-world Australian training. Many riders work in shared arenas, private paddocks or compact yards where a few poles and standards are more practical than a large jumping setup. Whether you ride near Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney or a regional pony club, a carefully planned pole session can produce meaningful changes without needing a full set of competition fences.

The key is to treat poles as a way of improving the horse-and-rider partnership, rather than as a shortcut to jumping higher. The aim is a consistent trot, an independent upper body and a leg that stays connected through the approach, take-off and landing. Height can come later, once the position is reliable.

Start With Rhythm And Straightness

Before placing poles on the ground, establish an even working trot. Your horse should travel forward without rushing, while you maintain a soft contact and a steady line between your leg and hand. A fast trot often makes riders feel productive, but it usually encourages the upper body to become tense and the horse to fall onto the forehand.

Ride large loops, changes of rein and transitions within the trot before approaching the poles. Check that your shoulders are above your hips, your heels are lower than your toes and your eyes are looking beyond the exercise. The goal is to arrive at the first pole with the same tempo you had on the rest of the arena.

A straight approach gives you better information. If the horse drifts, fix the line with quiet leg and rein aids rather than steering sharply at the last moment. In Australia, where arenas can become deep after rain or firm and dusty during a dry spell, assess the footing before beginning. A pole session is safest on level, consistent ground with enough space to regain balance.

Build A Reliable Two-Point Position

Begin with one pole on the ground and ride over it in a light seat. Do not throw your chest towards the horse’s neck. Instead, close your hip angle slightly while keeping your seat close enough to return to the saddle when needed. Your lower leg should remain underneath you, with the calf gently supporting the horse rather than gripping hard.

The movement should come from the hips and ankles. Think about allowing your seat to hover while your hands move forward a little to follow the horse’s neck. A common mistake is to shorten the reins when rising into two-point, which restricts the horse and makes the rider balance on the mouth. Keep the contact elastic and your elbows soft.

A friend or coach can stand beside the pole and watch for three basic details: your heel staying down, your lower leg remaining stable and your shoulders not passing the line of your knee. Video is also helpful. Many riders believe they are in a balanced jumping position until they see that their hips have moved behind their heels or their hands have become fixed.

Practise holding the light seat for several trot strides before and after the pole. This develops strength without turning the session into a test of endurance. If your thighs begin to clamp, return to a normal trot, reset your posture and try again with less effort.

Use Pole Patterns To Create Better Feel

Once one pole feels straightforward, add three or four poles set at comfortable trot distances. The exact measurement depends on the horse’s stride, so begin generously and adjust after watching the first pass. A smaller pony, a short-striding horse and a large warmblood will not use the same spacing. The horse should step through the pattern without rushing or chipping in.

Trot poles provide instant feedback. If the rider leans forward, the horse may speed up or flatten. If the rider sits heavily and blocks the back, the horse may hesitate or knock a pole. If the rider’s hands are uneven, the horse may drift to one side. Use those responses as information, not as reasons to become busy.

Try riding the line in a normal rising trot first, then repeat in a light seat. You can also change the rein and approach from both directions. The horse should remain straight and the rider should be able to keep the same leg position regardless of which diagonal is selected.

Raised poles can increase the challenge, but they should be introduced carefully. A few centimetres of height is enough to encourage the horse to lift its feet and the rider to follow the motion. There is no value in making the exercise dramatic. Correct repetition is more useful than a complicated grid that overwhelms the partnership.

Progress From Poles To Small Fences

When the horse and rider stay balanced through a line of trot poles, replace the final pole with a small cross-rail. Keep the approach in trot and maintain the same rhythm used for the ground poles. The purpose is to make the fence feel like the next step in the exercise, rather than an event that causes the rider to change position abruptly.

At the approach, keep your eyes on the centre of the fence and your leg supportive. As the horse takes off, allow your upper body to follow instead of pushing it forward in anticipation. Your hands should travel with the neck, giving enough rein for the horse to stretch without losing connection. Over the fence, feel for a stable lower leg and a quiet release.

After landing, do not immediately sit deeply or pull the horse into a sharp turn. Ride forward for several strides, re-establish the trot and then make your correction. This is particularly important for event riders, because the balance needed after a fence is part of the skill. A rider who collapses on landing may still clear the obstacle but will struggle to organise the next movement.

Keep the fence small enough that you can concentrate on position. Riders often want to raise the height as soon as the horse jumps cleanly, yet a low fence gives you more time to notice whether your shoulders, hands and lower leg are working together. In many Australian training groups, shared equipment and busy arenas mean patience is essential; use the space available to make the exercise precise.

Fix Common Position Problems

If you fold too early, place a pole a few strides before the small fence and focus on maintaining the same body shape over both. Count the rhythm quietly and wait for the horse to complete the approach. Thinking “stay tall, then follow” can stop the instinct to dive towards the neck. Your eyes should remain up, even when the fence is close.

For a slipping lower leg, shorten the stirrups by one hole for jumping work and ride frequent transitions before returning to the poles. Check that your knee is not gripping upwards. A relaxed thigh allows the calf to stay in contact, while a clamped knee often pushes the heel forward and leaves the rider vulnerable at take-off.

If you catch the horse in the mouth, practise with a neck strap or a loop of baling twine around the neck. Hold it lightly rather than using it to pull yourself up. This gives the hands something stable to follow and helps you discover whether your balance is coming from your core and leg or from the reins.

Some riders sit behind the movement and lose the forward feeling. In that case, ask for a more active trot without chasing speed. A few transitions from walk to trot, followed by a pole line, can help the horse step underneath the rider. Keep sessions short enough that concentration remains high, especially in hot Queensland weather or during summer training in South Australia.

Make The Exercise Part Of A Training Routine

A useful pole session may take only twenty minutes. Begin with a warm-up on both reins, include transitions and lateral flexion, then ride the poles in several variations. Finish with a few calm laps in a normal working trot and a long rein. The horse should leave feeling confident, not physically exhausted or mentally confused.

Plan one clear focus for each ride. You might work on keeping the heel under the hip, following with the hands or remaining centred through the line. Trying to correct every detail at once usually creates tension. Ask your coach to identify the most important change and measure progress against that point.

Record a short video when possible and write down what happened after the ride. A simple training diary can reveal patterns that are hard to notice in the arena, such as losing balance when approaching from the gate side or becoming rigid after a mistake. Riders who enjoy reflecting on the emotional side of competition may appreciate these candid horse-trial recaps as a reminder that progress includes the mental work as well as the technical work.

Vary the setting when your horse is ready. Ride poles at home, at a local pony club rally and in a different arena before expecting the same position at a horse trial. Australian competitions can involve unfamiliar surfaces, bright weather, wind, spectators and long waits between phases. A rider who has practised staying balanced in ordinary situations is better prepared when the atmosphere changes.

Safety remains part of the plan. Use sound poles, stable cups and suitable protective equipment, and check the arena for holes or slippery patches. If you are schooling alone, keep the exercise conservative and have a phone accessible. A qualified instructor is valuable when introducing raised poles, grids or a rider returning after injury. Practical advice from a useful equestrian resource can also be considered alongside guidance from your coach and veterinary team.

The best results come from regular, uncomplicated practice. A few accurate passes twice a week can change how a rider feels over fences far more effectively than an occasional ambitious jumping day. Trotting poles teach the body to stay organised, the hands to remain sympathetic and the mind to wait for the horse.

Set out a small line at your next schooling session and give yourself time to notice the details. Ride for balance, reward the horse for calm rhythm and finish while the exercise still feels achievable. Then carry that quieter, stronger position into your next lesson, rally or horse trial.