[eponacowgirl]

Cookiepony, our trainer and I are putting together a "long format" clinic this weekend. CP is very generously donating her time to talk about the history of the long format (something she is very passionate about!), while our trainer will be doing lessons on pace and I will be teaching about jogs.

I've only had the fortune to jog once in my life at the T3D in 2011, so I'm hoping you guys can chime in with things you wished you'd known, your favorite advice, general tips that I might leave out, etc etc.

Thanks!
ecg

[KateWooten]

I think it's best to dress like your pony. And practice trit-trotting. For example, Po and I regularly launch into our famous in-hand trit-trot with pointy toes whenever possible. Also it helps if you and your horse have the same stride length. Fortunately, we do. I will be mostly wearing little black boots, brown leggins and a shiny metallic buckskin dappled outfit.

<<<SORRRY LAUUREN, IT'S MAKER"S MARK-THIRTY and I have an early morning >>

[deltawave]

Well, it's not rocket science. Just teach the basic rules: practice, don't wear stupid shoes or clothes, be on time and ready, greet the judges politely then HUSH, stand the horse up comfortably and don't worry about it being "square", LISTEN to what the judges ask you to do, jog the horse on a LOOSE rein while unobtrusively keeping pace at its shoulder, turn the horse clockwise at the end, and on the way back jog past the judges and keep going by unless you're asked to stop. Smile. Breathe. Look nice. School the horse to jog politely. It is a pleasant formality and fun to do, not worth stressing about.

[KateWooten]

Is that clockwise as viewed from above, or from below ?

[eponacowgirl]

Oh for goodness sakes.

It's a good thing I like you both.

[yellowbritches]

(Pet peeve that has nothing to do with jogging for 3 days, but I wish more people understood to turn their horse to the right when jogging for the vet!).

Anyway, the biggest thing to stress is PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. No one wants to be one dragging their pony or getting dragged by their fire breathing dragon (or, what will likely be my case, getting mowed down by their homicidal horse). So, practice, a lot, at home before you get to the event. And in your shoes once you pick out your outfit

You may also want to stress the importance of keeping the horse moving and getting a few practice jogs in before the actual jog, especially on the last day, when the horses could be a little stiff. You want the horse to present as limber and fluid as possible, so standing around gabbing while your horse stiffens up is not a good idea.

[KateWooten]

The funny thing about turning the horse for the vet, well, my vet particularly, is that he wants to see the horse turn both to the right and the left.

[scubed]

Figure out in advance if your horse needs a whip and have a reasonably attractive dressage whip handy so it doesn't detract from the picture

Jog on a looser rein than you think so that the horse can stretch head and neck

this is a useful video http://barnmice.com/video/samantha-st-jacques-ask-an

[GotSpots]

Please practice! It's painful watching someone semi-dragging a horse down the jog track. I often find you need a couple sharpening runs with a dressage whip in your left hand to tap-tap-tap a sluggish one so that they trot off smartly when asked.

Otherwise, DW has it right. Walk up with purpose and a smile to the judges, halt the horse, and stand in front of the horse, facing its nose with one rein in each hand. When they nod or say off you go, turn back to the horse's left side, cluck if needed, and trot off with the bulk of the reins in your left hand and the right hand on the reins LOOSELY below the horse's chin. You need enough rein to have control should you have one who can get a little nutty, but you also need to make sure they can use their head and neck and step out. Run FAST - faster than you think you need to be. Done right, the horse will step out strongly and freely. At the end of the lane, come down to a walk, turn the horse away from you around the turnaround point, and same thing back. Trot past the judges - don't slow up there. At the end, come down to a walk, and walk off confidently. Do not stop and look back with a please-let-him-pass look.

That's the main points. There are lots of finer ones, including folks who may jog a horse on the off side, may use a subtle rein pressure to try to affect the gait, etc. etc. If you ever get a chance, watch folks jog on Sunday morning at a big three day - there's a lot of art to it at that level. Particularly when the truth of the old euphemism that the shorter-the-dress, the lamer-the-horse is being tested.

[yellowbritches]

The funny thing about turning the horse for the vet, well, my vet particularly, is that he wants to see the horse turn both to the right and the left.

I was always taught not to get between the horse and the vet. If the vet has wanted to see the horse turn to the left, they ask. I also think I was always taught that, too, for practice for jogs (even when you're jogging your head bobbing lame horse up for the vet, you can still make it good practice ).

[Ltc4h]

Person needs to run bigger[longer] not faster[shorter].
Just like trot strides, best learned by not being stiffly upright, have some bend in knees. Try walking in 3 foot strides, then adding speed.
Horse should hop right up into nice forward trot.
Pick a landmark out in the distance, will help keep you straight.

[Duckz]

It's actually a contest of who can wear the most white while dodging projectile horse snot. Extra credit for wearing heels and not falling on your face. Double extra credit bonus for white stilettos. Low cut shirts and short skirts go great with a horse of iffy soundness. Good times.

[faybe]

You may also want to stress the importance of keeping the horse moving and getting a few practice jogs in before the actual jog, especially on the last day, when the horses could be a little stiff. You want the horse to present as limber and fluid as possible, so standing around gabbing while your horse stiffens up is not a good idea.

^ Many upper level horses get ridden before the jog. I don't mean get on and go for a lazy hack, I mean WORKED through all three phases, lateral work- whatever it takes to get them really limber. Not worked to the ground, obviously, but it is very common for them to get out for a good solid leg stretch to be really loose before the jog.

I know one FEI vet that tells their clients to practice their jog by saying "practice your soundness"- not implying in any way that the horse is unsound, but usually that the rider is jogging the horse in a way that makes them look lame (pulling on the reins with every stride, not jogging them forward enough, jogging them TOO forward etc). You'd be amazed at how easy it is to make a sound horse look lame by jogging it poorly.

Your goal is to present the horse at its best and to be as unobtrusive as possible. This extends to attire- clothing should be modest and subtle. Fun colors are ok in moderation, but if they detract from the horse's presentation, best to leave them at home (channel your inner George Morris, not your inner Pony Clubber, when dressing for the jog ). Unless of course, your worried about your horse passing the jog- what's the adage? The shorter the skirt the lamer the horse? The flip side of that is- do put some thought into your attire! Sloppy dress detracts as much from the horse as being overdressed does, and it kills me to see some of the adorable, petite lady riders in our sport jogging down the lane dressed like frumpy grandmothers.

[FlightCheck]

Wear underwear.

Practice RUNNING in your outfit. Have someone video you. Check your outfit whilst viewing video for "wardrobe malfunctions".

[scubed]

Modest enough, subtle - not so much (hopefully I got the setting to public correct)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

[KateWooten]

THAT, can only be worn with an appaloosa.

[nextyear]

Modest enough, subtle - not so much (hopefully I got the setting to public correct)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Great outfit Seema!!

[teddygirl]

Wear underwear.

Practice RUNNING in your outfit. Have someone video you. Check your outfit whilst viewing video for "wardrobe malfunctions".

Underwear? I knew I was forgetting something!