Some Jumping exercises/ideas

So I have some students who I want to try new things with to keep their jumping fun ... courses are great but I wanted to know if anyone has any fun ideas that you have done that I can use ... We have an arena full of jumps so I have tons of stuff to work with ... thanks!

Skinnies are always a fun, challenging thing. I also really like grids and bounces! They really test your ability to control the horse while staying in the proper position.

If you just want to have a fun date do a "relay" course. Two riders are a team and they are given a course. Each rider has to jump their specific jumps on the course and they can't do their jumps with out the other rider doing the one before it. For example. Say you have a simple course: red1 to red 2, green 1, blue 1 to blue 2. The first rider has to jump the red line before the second rider can go jump the green jump. Once the second rider has gone over the green jump then rider number one can go do the blue line, and so on and so on. If at any time a horse refuses, lets say rider 1's horse refuses at the second red jump, then rider number 2 has to jump that second red one and then go jump her green jump. This is all timed and the teams all have the same course so the fastest teams wins.

You can also do a gambler's choice. You basically assign "values" to each jump or set of jumps. Your students design their own course and each have a chance to jump and gather points. The person with the most points wins.

Thanks! Keep em coming!

I always find the jump serpentine fun. Set three or so jumps up in a line across the middle of the arena and have them jump it in a serpentine pattern. You can even make it into competitions like who can do it fastest, who can do it without breaking the canter, set a boundry and see who can do it with out making their rollback to the next jump larger than a certain size. Also I always love the game where you raise the height of the jump each time. Can't remember what it's called, sry >.< but it really builds confidence in your students.

I think you are thinking about a pussiance.

I remember one jumping lesson I had, the instructor told us a word (privately) and when we went over jumps, we had to say it.

It's not so much a game, but it was fun.

We played this game at jump club once where as you come towards the jump you start counting down the strides from 10 and you have to go over the jump on 0, it helps teach you about distances.

Oh I have another one. You set up poles on the ground in a circle so where you can get two canter strides inbetween and you have to keep the horse going over the poles while keeping the canter and bending to the circle! It's really hard but fun! It helps when you are jumping so that the horse bends and responds to you!

oh I like this one alot! Thanks!