Galop 6In the saddle
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Foot and shoeingKnowledge
- 03DiseasesKnowledge
- 04Requirements and conditionKnowledge
- 05BreedingKnowledge
- 06Identifying a horseKnowledge
- 07The rein-backKnowledge
- 08Qualities of the gaitsKnowledge
- 09Judging a testKnowledge
- 10On the bit and impulsionKnowledge
- 11Counter-canterKnowledge
- 12Training aidsKnowledge
- 13Work on the flatIn the saddle
- 14DressageIn the saddle
- 15Show jumpingIn the saddle
- 16Cross-countryIn the saddle
- 17Lunge and long reinsOn foot
- 18Turnout and careCaring for the horse
- 19RevisionRevision
The show-jumping part: riding a Club 2 course
At Galop 6, getting over the fences is no longer enough: you must link them, count strides, choose your line and control the canter in between.
In the exam programme
- Be steady and supple through grids of about 1 m.Show jumping
- Canter in an even cadence and at a suitable speed through 90 cm fences.Show jumping
- Steer on an exact track through related fences.Show jumping
- Control the canter through fences on set distances and through combinations.Show jumping
- Change gait between related fences.Show jumping
- Ride a Club 2 show-jumping or Hunter round, or the equivalent Pony class, fluently.Show jumping
The show-jumping part asks you to be steady and supple through grids of about 1 m, then to ride a show-jumping or Hunter round at Club 2 level over fences of about 90 cm. Under the FFE’s 2024 rules, a Club 2 show-jumping course has fences of 85 cm, up to 90 cm if announced, and one or two combinations. The names of the fences — upright, oxer, triple bar, wall, water jump — were covered in Galop 5.
Steady and supple through grids
A grid, or gymnastic line, sets out several elements at fixed distances: the horse finds its own take-off points, and you can concentrate on your position. Heels down, lower legs on and under you, upper body folding over the neck without getting ahead of it, hands that follow the movement of the head over every fence. Being supple means going with the horse without getting in its way or holding it back.
| Combination | Distance |
|---|---|
| Bounce (no stride) | about 3.50 m |
| One stride | about 7 to 7.50 m |
| Two strides | about 10.50 to 11 m |
| Each extra stride | about 3.50 m |
These distances are shorter for a pony and vary with the ground and the type of fence: the course designer sets them. When you walk the course, you measure them on foot: four human strides of about 90 cm make roughly one canter stride.
Cantering, counting, choosing your line
- Cadence and speed: a regular canter, active enough to jump 90 cm, without speeding up on the approach. Regularity matters more than speed: it is what brings you to the right take-off point.
- An accurate track: walk the course on foot, pick out your turning points, and meet every fence straight and in the middle, after a few straight strides.
- Distances and combinations: decide the number of strides while walking the course; in the saddle, lengthen or shorten the canter early, from the landing, not in front of the next fence.
- Changing gait between two fences: come back to trot after a landing to jump the next fence from trot, or pick up canter again on the correct lead for the next turn, straight and without losing your line. At Galop 6 you change leg through trot; the flying change comes in Galop 7.
The Club 2 round
In show jumping — CSO in French — faults are counted: a pole down, a refusal, a run-out, going over the time allowed. In Hunter, a judge marks style, rhythm, the accuracy of the approaches and the flow of the round: the judge rewards a round that looks easy. Either way, Galop 6 expects a fluent round: a constant canter, prepared turns, no hauling on the reins in front of a fence.
Safety
In the collecting ring, jump the practice fence the right way — red flag on the right, white flag on the left — and warn the other riders before you set off. Check your hat, the horse’s boots and the girth before you go into the arena.