Walk the line you mean to ride… After a long hiatus, I was back in the judges box for Showjumping Equitation. I ran a show with Showjumping Equitation (SJEQ) a few weeks ago, and good friend, Peter Abisheganaden who runs KL Academy of Polo, ran a Christmas show with SJEQ yesterday.

I rarely get to sit in the judges box for showjumping, as I am normally competing. Being a judge is great but it means you have to decide whether you prefer to compete or to judge.. so since I am already a dressage judge, I often choose to compete in jumping. SJEQ classes are great as I find that there is much less pressure, compared to a normal jumping class.

Prize presentation sponsored by Zack’s Tack

Whilst sitting in the judges box, it gave me a lot of time to observe what riders were doing when they walk the course. I was always taught to walk the line that you want to take…

• Walk the lines
• Count the strides between related lines (both bending and straight) and combinations
• Walk through the start AND the finish line
• Lastly visualise the course after you are done walking it
• If it is a jump off course, you can repeat the above steps again

Naylisya competed in the highest SJEQ class of the morning. Very well turned out rider. (photo by Peter Abisheganaden)

Watching the riders yesterday, some wandered around aimlessly, just moving from jump to jump without actually focusing on the lines that they were going to take, without knowing how many strides in the combination or the related lines, and this showed when they did their actual jumping round.

Other riders that walked their courses properly and counted their strides ended up doing a much better job than the ones that just went for a walk in the park.

The winner of SJEQ3 – Charlene Yeo made the round look super smooth and easy (photo by Carmen Luque)

Some thing that is often forgotten is the approach to your next fence, is actually the departure from the previous fence. So the departure from fence 5 is technically the approach to fence 6, whether or not it is a related distance.

Nicely plaited horse (photo by Carmen Luque)

So, just some extra tips to remember for SJEQ (I wrote more in general about Tips for Competition previously)

1. Be appropriately attired to walk the course
2. Horse AND rider presentation is marked in SJEQ
3. It is not a speed round
4. Remember to salute the judge
5. SJEQ is basically dressage over fences – you will be marked on how correct you and your horse are in between fences and over fences
6. Try to make it look as smooth and as effortless as possible

With KLAPPERS Peter and Natasha, and my super scribe / dressage judge mentee, Tushaani Naidu

I hope to see more SJEQ classes in competitions next year. It is such a good way for  riders to go around a course without pressure and to get some feedback about their riding.

Christmas is quickly approaching and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. May we all have a better 2021!

Photos courtesy of Peter Abisheganaden / Natasha Mustapha