United States show jumper and Nations Cup rider Sloane Coles has jumped some of the most impressive jumper tracks the world has to offer. But she is a believer that, no matter the track, you can learn so much from walking it and breaking it apart piece by piece. Sloane not only shows at the highest level, but also trains clients competing in everything from the 1.0-meter to the 1.40-meter divisions. To walk multiple jumper courses in a day, it is important to have a solid understanding of what needs to be done in the 10 to 15 minutes typically allowed for a course walk. Step by step, Sloane guides us through how to properly walk a jumper course in order to be effective when stepping in the ring with your horse.
Must-Have Traits to Look for in a Grand Prix Jumper
For many horse shoppers, the process starts with a checklist of must-haves for the perfect mount. The ideal candidate must be able to jump a certain height, must not be spooky, and must jump in a decent form. It’s a bonus if the horse can take a joke from an amateur rider.
Go Jumping With Sloane Coles: Virtual Clinic Video
Jumper Nation is excited to share the first video in our new series called “Go Jumping With _____” with top riders from around the world. The basic model is that juniors and amateurs submit a show video and then top trainers record a voice-over with commentary on their round. It is a sort of variation on the Practical Horseman column that George Morris used to write, except that it will be in video and audio form.
Learning from a master: Sloane Coles Appreciates True horsemanship thanks to François Mathy, Sr.
When U.S. show jumping athlete Sloane Coles looks back on the time she spent riding at François Mathy Sr.’s barn, Ecuries Mathy, located in Remouchamps, Belgium, she fondly remembers feeling as though she was a natural part of the Mathy family. With a rich equestrian legacy running through her own veins, she cherished the opportunity to learn from a legendary horseman.
Pro Pop Quiz: How do you approach matching a rider with their perfect horse?
Finding the perfect partner in a horse is exciting, but something that needs to be approached with patience.
Ingate: In The News
Traverse City Horse Show
Traverse City, Michigan
John Coles Is Quietly Completing His To-Do List
The master of foxhounds, father, farm owner, near-winner of the Maryland Hunt Cup and highly successful Northern Virginia real estate agent is both the most ambitious and the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.
Jumper Nation Clinic: Warm Up with Sloane Coles & Spring Ledge
Now that horse shows are running again, Jumper Nation Clinic continues — this time with exercises and tips to try in the warm up ring at shows. Jumper Nation has teamed up with top, respected riders who we love for both their horsemanship and their creativity with exercises they use at home and at shows. We’re bringing you new tips and exercises to try in the warm up. You’ll be primed and ready to have a great round! This week’s featured tips are courtesy of Sloane Coles, trainer at Spring Ledge in The Plains, VA.
Building A Barn Community with Spring Ledge LLC
Show jumping may be an individual sport on the surface, but a stroll down the center aisle of many lesson and training barns paints an entirely different picture. From young riders living out their idyllic childhood dreams together to a modern trend toward unified branding that helps instill a “team” atmosphere, horses bring people together. They do it in the best of ways, and sometimes in the worst of times.
Reset Your Riding: Two Exercises for Staying Balanced Through the Turn from Sloane Coles
Reset Your Riding is a new series on NoelleFloyd.com that aims to provide riders who may be returning to the barn after a break (or stay-at-home orders) with safe, productive exercises to perform with their horses. These are designed to require minimal equipment and be adaptable to a variety of levels. If your horse is green or out of shape, or you’re a bit nervous, try these exercises at a walk or trot – and it’s perfectly fine to stay there! Some of these can even be done in hand if you’re not back in the saddle just yet. Have fun, and stay safe!