How To Keep Your Horse Sound – Expert Advice Video

Top show jumping riders and trainers offer tips for keeping your horse sound.

Show Jumping horses are high performance athletes engaged in ongoing training and competition. Keeping them healthy and sound should always be our top priority.

However, anyone familiar with the sport can attest to the fact that Show Jumping can put a lot of strain on a horse. Nobody wants their horse to be uncomfortable or risk injury. While a portable horse shelter and similar facilities can help the animal rest well, there are certain other aspects that needs our attention.

With that in mind, we asked top show jumping riders and trainer to share their tips and ideas for keeping their horses sound.

Hap Hansen

Do your best to ensure that the footing you’re training on is the best it can be.
Footing that is too soft or too deep can be hard on the tendons
Footing that is too hard can result in hoof or bone bruises.
If you are forced to ride on footing that is a little hard, invest in hoof packing. This can help draw inflammation out of the hoof.
If you end up riding on footing that is deep, be sure to wrap your horse to give extra support to the tendons.

Will Simpson

Slow down!
Do most of your training at the slower speeds. Train your horse how to supple himself. Do shoulder in, haunches out etc. And all these moves can be done at the walk, or trot. Break everything down and train at slower speeds.

Christian Heineking

Balanced nutrition and exercise.
I’m a big fan of exercising horses. Our horses are used to a lot of moving and training.
Fitness is the key.

Bruno Diniz Das Neves

To stay sound, your horse needs to be fit. Amateurs should not be afraid of getting their horse too fit.
I don’t jump my horses a lot. Focus on gymnastics.
While a younger horse may need more practice jumping, older horses that are going to shows, do not need to jump that often at home.
Flat work is the basis for everything.