I teach clinics across the country, and what I notice again and again are riders who are too busy with their aids and try to push too many buttons at the same time. These conflicting messages are like white noise to horses and prevent them from hearing what the riders are asking. I think the solution is to do less, or as I call it, the art of subtraction. 

The exercise I’ll describe in this article will help you learn to do just that. Instead of using strong and sometimes conflicting aids to ride it, you’ll work on communicating with your horse using subtle aids and riding softly. You want to be more like your horse’s dance partner and less like his drill sergeant. This exercise will help you find moments where you can lead the dance and the moments where you can follow and let your horse do the job. This requires repetition: The more you practice subtle, guiding aids, the more in-tune you and your horse will become.

This exercise is also a great way for you to practice sticking to your plan on course. It’s your responsibility to set out with a plan and stay diligent, but it’s easy to allow circumstances (such as a distance you didn’t like, a break in canter rhythm, a rail down or a butterfly going by) to talk yourself out of your plan.

When you deviate from your plan, you’ll be more likely to throw away your canter quality, the track you walked and planned and your position—and when this happens, riders start to ride their horses like dirt bikes and forget they’re supposed to be working with their partner around the course. And that’s when things really start to spiral faster than a blender. This exercise is a good indicator of how you might deviate from your plan on course, so you can practice improving those areas.

Setup 

This exercise is easy to set up and can go in any size ring. It’s also scalable—you can make it very easy or more difficult without having to change the setup. I can do this exercise with my 3-year-olds who are just getting started, all the way to my grand prix jumpers and Advanced-level eventers.

Study the diagram. You’ll need two verticals, eight tennis balls or cones and two poles. Position two poles parallel to each other in the middle of the ring to create a lane, and put the verticals at opposite ends of the ring. Set the fences to a height that feels like a real jump for you and your horse but is a comfortable height. Place two sets of four tennis balls on a diagonal on the track between the verticals and lane of poles to create inside, middle and outside tennis-ball lanes for you and your horse to pass through while riding the exercise.

The distance between the tennis balls and verticals doesn’t matter, but try to challenge yourself. If you know you have a harder time with longer distances, set the two verticals further away from the center of the exercise. And if you have a harder time with shorter distances, set the two verticals closer to the center of the exercise. You can also easily change the distances—you could set it for about five strides one day, and 10 strides on another day. 

I like using tennis balls because once the horses go by them a couple of times, they kick sand on them and then tend to ignore them, so it becomes more of a rider exercise to create the inside, middle or outside track. You can use cones, but horses tend to steer around them on their own. Therefore, tennis balls will challenge you to steer more accurately.

The Exercise

I’m a huge believer that success breeds more success, so start by setting the verticals as ground poles, and warm up over the exercise at the trot. Trot over the first pole then through the middle tennis-ball lane, change direction in the lane of poles, then go through the next middle tennis-ball lane and over the second pole. 

Then, try it at the canter. When changing direction through the lane of poles in the middle, I like to start by doing a simple lead change in the lane before introducing a flying lead change. Try doing five steps of trot in the lane, then if that’s going well, three steps. And if your horse doesn’t have a flying lead change, just stick with the simple lead change.

Gradually increase the difficulty by making the poles crossrails, then a 2-foot vertical, then continue to slowly build the fences to a height that’s comfortable for you. You can also start mixing up which tennis-ball lane you’ll ride through. Make sure you do the exercise in both directions so you’re spending roughly the same amount of time on both leads.

Throughout the exercise, focus on keeping your canter consistent, while the track is the variable. In order to make it through the exercise successfully, use consistent guiding aids by aiming your eyes where you want your horse’s eyes to be, the buttons on your shirt where you want your horse’s withers to be pointing and your belt buckle where you want your horse’s hips to be going.

After you jump the first fence, you should be looking at the lane of tennis balls you want your horse to travel through. Then, use your eyes and body to guide your horse through the lane of poles, and again through the next turn and to the second tennis-ball lane and fence. 

As you ride through your turns, think about how simple you can make each one. A course is essentially a bunch of turns stacked on top of each other, so this exercise will prepare you for riding smooth courses both at home and at competitions.

If you’re practicing this exercise without a trainer, bring out a white board and predetermine which tracks you’re going to do and in which order to hold yourself to your plan. In the moment, it can be tempting to change your plan to what seems easier, but that won’t help you improve your riding.

Variations

This exercise can be adapted based on what you’re working on and what you want to improve and is one of my favorites to help riders practice doing the opposite of their natural instincts so they can progress.

Once you’ve ridden through the exercise a few times, here are some ways you can vary it:

• Mix-up which tennis-ball lanes you ride through. In addition to riding inside lane to inside lane, middle lane to middle lane and outside lane to outside lane, try riding any combination of lanes. For example, inside lane to outside lane, outside lane to inside lane, middle lane to outside lane, etc. There are lots of different combinations at your disposal. 
• Count … or don’t. If you count your strides all the time, try not to. And the opposite is true, if you never count your strides, count out loud as part of the exercise.
• Play with the canter. Strive to maintain one lead through the whole exercise. Or determine where you will make your lead change—whether it be before the middle lane of poles, right in the lane, after the lane or anywhere on the course. Or, make sure you trot exactly five steps between the lane of poles and then change your lead. 
• Add circles. If you or your horse rushes to the fence, add circles anywhere and everywhere throughout the course
• Try trot or walk steps. Mix in a certain number of trot or walk steps at different places on
  the course.
• Fix your position. Almost any position exercise you can do on the longe line, you can do through this exercise because it’s so controlled. If you tend to sit and drive or if you do the opposite and perch, use this as an awareness exercise and make sure you are touching the saddle between the tennis balls and middle lane of poles, then get out of the saddle through the middle lane of poles, and the touch the saddle again between the middle lane and tennis balls. If you tend to pull on one rein to steer, ride it one-handed. 

Subtract the Noise for Success

If you struggle while practicing this exercise, think about how you’re communicating with your horse. Riders sometimes try so hard to get it right, they end up crossing too many wires with their horses. Are you overusing your aids? Are you sending conflicting signals?

Try doing less. If you’re still struggling, try doing even less. See how little you can do in this exercise. I’ve never seen this exercise achieved with force. There’s no way to kick and pull through it—you have to guide your horse. If you have to walk the exercise to be able to do it in harmony with your horse, that’s OK. 

I hope this exercise helps you find ways to get on the same team with your horse. You should always be striving to simplify your relationship and build a better partnership with every exercise you do.

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About John Michael Durr

John Michael Durr has competed successfully in eventing, show jumping, dressage and hunters, developing horses to the upper levels and achieving top results. Mostly recently he switched his focus from eventing to show jumping, with successful grand prix results. He is the youngest person ever to achieve the highest level of certification through the USEA’s Eventing Coaches Program (Level 5) and is an FEI Eventing Level 2 and USEF Senior ‘S’ Course Designer. He also serves on USEA’s Licensed Officials Committee, Cross Country Safety Committee and Course Designer and Builder Committee. He is based at his Durr Eventing & Show Jumping in Tyron, North Carolina and Ocala, Florida.