Anna-Clara Pettersson's Tips:

Prepare for Success in the Show Ring

Our Team Rider Anna-Clara Pettersson is an experienced competition rider and in this article, she shares her key factors for a successful show jumping round.

Amanda

Mon 31 Oct - 22

Walk the Course Like a Pro

“I think sometimes you change your plan when you see others riding and you think: Oh my, are they riding that many strides for this distance? And then you maybe change your plan, but it usually doesn't turn out well. It's best to stick to the plan that you’ve discussed and trained with your coach.”

Top Five Tips
  • Know how your horse behaves at shows

  • Walk the course the exact same way that you will ride your horse

  • Don't change the plan according to how the other riders choose to ride

  • Stick to your plan, discuss and train with your coach

  • Remember, you know yourself and your horse best so make a plan that suits you

 

Enter the course with the right mindset

“When I enter the course, I usually think about how I shouldn't think too much. Instead, I try to remind myself that we've trained and prepared as much as we can and now it's showtime. It's just a matter of buttoning up the show jacket, getting my feet in the stirrups and picking up a gallop!”

 

Level up your warm-up game

“I approach the warm-up differently with each horse. Some horses need a shorter and more intense warm-up. Another horse may need a little more time, it may need a little longer in the warm-up area. It may not always be possible, but some horses need a longer warm-up to have enough time to relax. Sometimes it's even necessary to take a break, to take off the saddle and get back on again later. For another horse it may be best to shorten the warm-up time a bit so that it can stay sharp and alert.”

Top Three Tips
  • All horses need their individual warm-up

  • Get to know your horse and dare to try out different things

  • It's important that your helpers know what you and the horse need

“I think it's important to dare to jump lower during the warm-up if you feel like your horse doesn't want to jump too high, even if it means jumping 20 cm lower than on the course! Some horses want to jump some more oxers, and other horses are more comfortable jumping verticals during warm-up. One thing that is important is that the people who are going to help you know a bit about what you and the horse need. This makes it easier to change the obstacles inside the warm-up arena as there sometimes can be a lot of people wanting to jump the obstacle at the same time.”



/ Anna-Clara Pettersson

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