Breaking it down
When teaching this exercise, it is crucial to start small so that if the horse makes a mistake, he can quickly help himself out. The horse I’m riding, Codebreaker, is one of my top young horses. He’s a sevenyear-old who is just moving up to three-star level. He is very confident in his jumping and respects bigger fences.
1, Channel straightness
I like to use guide poles to keep the horse straight. They help to aid straightness and to make sure the muscles develop symmetrically to create a strong athlete, and to prevent the horse jumping with a drift.
This is particularly helpful to channel a green or less experienced horse and keep them straight. I like to incorporate guide poles in my training, even with the more experienced horses, as a reminder to both horse and rider. It also helps with symmetry and muscle building.
2, Add a first fence
Once your horse is happy and jumping rhythmically over the middle oxer, then add in a small upright on the first set of wings. Again, take your time with this double combination, riding this exercise on both reins. If your horse makes a fault at the first part of a treble, he will struggle with the second fence and cannot clear the third, so focus on getting the pace and the rhythm right before adding the final element.
3, Add a third fence
As the final part of this exercise, add in the third element. Always make sure that your first and third element are easy, so your horse gains confidence in this sequence, even if he loses his balance slightly after the middle fence.