Every fall, the top junior and adult equitation riders in the country come together to compete for prestigious equitation championships– from the USET finals, to the THIS and Maclay finals at the National Horse Show. After years of preparation and regional competitions to qualify, everything rests on one round.
Equitation finals are known for their difficult courses and airy jumps that are not typically seen in everyday equitation classes. The jumps can often be spooky and cause issues for horses and riders on the day of finals, or even before then at the regional finals.
One great way to prepare for equitation finals is by practicing versions of the jumps that are likely to be seen in the final courses. Showing your horses these spooky and uncommon jumps beforehand makes it less likely that they will spook on course and help calm the rider’s nerves as well.
Here are the best jumps to use for equitation finals prep:
Solid Wall
Many equitation final courses utilize solid obstacles, specifically solid walls. The designs of these walls can vary, but common themes include walls with no standards, and fern walls are also very common. These walls can often cause horses to spook or hesitate at the jump, so it’s important to get them used to these obstacles before heading into the show ring. Practice solid walls in a variety of ways– out of a short corner, with standards and without.
Walls we recommend for practice: Lavender Swoop Wall (pictured above), Sunflower Wall (featured in the 2024 Gladstone Cup), Derby Wall, 1.10 Jumper Turf Wall (pictured below)
Castle Wall
Another wall found in equitation courses is the Castle Wall, or a wall with arched gaps at the bottom. Again, this is a jump that horses can spook or hesitate at, so it's vital to see it before competing at finals. DJC has a Castle Wall for every need, including the option to have different designs on each side.
Pro-tip: To create all these equitation wall variations without having to buy multiple walls, check out our 4-in-1 jumper wall. With this wall, you can create endless variations, including solid walls, walls with cutouts and so much more!
Swedish Oxer
The Swedish Oxer is no stranger to the equitation ring and forces the rider to have a straight approach to the jump in order to avoid rails. This obstacle can be created with both solid rails and striped rails– practice with both as these different pole designs change how the horse sees the jump. It’s never a bad idea to practice jumps that enforce straightness as this is an important theme in equitation classes.
Skinny Vertical
Yet another jump that requires straightness and attention: the skinny vertical. Although these are common in a variety of jumping divisions, what sets the skinnies at equitation finals apart is the jump design. Take our Turf Goal Skinny for instance (which was seen at Maclay finals several years ago), the standards start very skinny before curving out. Designs like this have been more commonplace in recent years, but can still be unfamiliar to many horses. Make sure to include this type of skinny in your equitation finals prep!
Jump with Letter Filler or Gate
To get ready for the big equitation classes, you should practice over any and all unique filler you can get your hands on– the more you expose yourself and your horse, the more prepared you will be for new jumps. Filler or gates that are often seen are ones with letters, like the ones seen at Maclay finals every year. These shapes are different from the shape of most filler or gates you see in the ring, so practice before you go.
Pro-tip: create custom letter fillers or gates that spell out your barn or brand name. Now you have another form of promotion while also a new way to practice!
Jump with Low or Standards
No matter how high you jump, most equestrians are used to jumps with 1.60m standards. When standards are 1.60m they help frame the jump and assist with a straight ride. Equitation course designers like to throw in curveballs that include standards set at or near the height of the actual jump. Another test of straightness– practice, practice, practice! The DJC Birch Equitation Jump is a must for practicing this.
Airy Jumps
Airy jumps– jumps with less filler and more space under them– are a common challenge in the big equitation finals. The airier the jump, the more likely the horse is to study it and the rider will have to manage the horse’s stride. A great jump for practicing these kinds of obstacles is our Gothic Pillar Jump. North Run’s Missy Clark actually helped design this! For another airy jump challenge, check out our Race Track Jump.
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Other than these equitation jumps, it's important to practice over typical hunter and jumper jumps, including jumping a combination of the both (i.e. jumper standards with solid white poles and hunter turf boxes). Study past courses for the specific equitation classes you plan to compete in and create schooling courses inspired off of those. When creating these courses, DJC is here for all your jump needs!
It’s no coincidence that most of the top equitation training programs in the country use Dalman Jump Co. equitation jumps to practice. Stonehenge Stables, the home of 2024 Maclay and USEF Hunter Seat Equitation finals champion Carlee McCutcheon, uses DJC products in their arena; so does North Run, which has a long line of equitation final winners; Beacon Hill Show Stables; and Frank Madden at Capital Hill Show Stables.
1 comment
last image I do not think is a fair test.