Schooling Liverpools

Young horse training; Liverpool

Introducing the Liverpool and natural elements to a young horse is something I like to do after I have had good success with basic training i.e. Flat work with laterals, and jumping simple gymnastics and short courses confidently at low levels (2’9”-3’). When I have established a confident and willing relationship with my young horse I will start testing them with new obstacles, I like to start out with a solid object like a wall or small roll top, spooky shapes and ultimately I bring them to the Liverpool.          

  I have had great success working with young horses on the Liverpool, even though they are definably challenged and some don’t take to it at first, the trust I established early on, allow them to explore and ultimately conquer their fears! If I don’t have the option of a small, shallow dry ditch to start on I will use a freestanding Liverpool which is movable and useful later to create new course arrangements. You could build a permanent one and I actually have plans for one in my next outdoor course, now under construction; but it isn’t needed and is far more involved.

I start out with a preformed pool, and dry at first, folding it in half, about 2’ wide and the average width of 12’(a blue tarp that is secured on all sides can simulate this also), by folding it in half it is much less intimidating, using a low 12” height in an “X” arrangement of poles in front of the folded tarp with a ground line and expect that my young horse with some leg support, will jump it the first few times with a little extra height! I don’t ever rush training, but prefer that the horses let me know that they are consistently improving before adding to the game.

I am always very careful to not catch the horse in the mouth, no matter how ugly the jump gets as it a sure way to ruin the whole school and render him with some fear. After I have taken my horse over it enough times that I have it relaxing, I will unfold the Liverpool to a full width usually (4’) and continue to school till my horse isn’t concerned too much. Next I will continue to move it higher, keeping the horse centered and when it’s a consistent even jump I will build a vertical in front and school the horse over several sessions to gain confidence. Each change is going to challenge the average horse; I may at this point remove the poles and jump it like an open water jump, each time it’s a learning curve.

Coaching my student over the "spooky" liverpool

When it’s time to introduce actual water in the liverpool it takes on a new look and believe me, almost all of my horses will approach with confidence and about the last stride will bury their head between the knees and “have a cow” as they say, jumping with a little more “snap”, adding substantial lift off the ground, yea haw!

I would suggest an X as before and then working to a single pole in the middle of the actual water element as it gives the horse a little perspective (before) you jump it as open water.

 I have had great success after a few goes and I believe they like the excitement; horses hate to be bored, so I change it up a bit and introduce new schooling to them often enough to keep it interesting, but never overdo any jumping or schooling movement with a young horse, that can undo everything I worked so hard for and twice as hard to re-school then to keep it right! Just get it done and move on to something easy; later I bring them back to it and incorporate the Liverpool into my short course work. It’s so easy to address it early on, why be in show and suddenly realize it’s in the course plan and having never been schooled, face elimination. Do the homework! Even though I mostly concentrate on showjumping’s technical aspects, I am not surprised to see horses face a Liverpool or other natural obstacle in the equitation ring and with the popularity of the hunter derby, horses must be keen and versatile to any number of fence types. I have more than a few of horses I have worked with, having gained their confidence in my program and are now out in the Gran Prix and Equitation rings; that is a huge reward to me as a horse trainer.

All my young horses hit the trails and also experience many types of obstacles as I believe that a horse needs to have many experiences and challenges to build confidence. I believe constant schooling in the ring can ultimately be inhibiting or even devastating to a young horse’s development.   I keep it fun, for my horses and they are always eager to explore!

  Clay Jackson - March 2016