FEI CD LindaAllen

Course Design Clinic: 

Course Design Clinic Created by Linda Allen FEI Official International Course Designer and Show Jumping Course Designer for the 1996 Olympic Games © Linda Allen

Course Designers have a Responsibility toward:: 

Course Designers have a Responsibility toward: The Horses The Riders The Show The Spectators The Sponsors and The Sport

Good Course Designers:: 

Good Course Designers: Are good horsemen with extensive knowledge and background in the sport. Take the responsibilities of the job seriously. Have an ability to organize, set priorities, and manage details. Use tact and skill in working with show officials and their helpers and crew. Are flexible enough to cope with anything that might come up.

Course Designers MustAlways Consider:: 

Course Designers Must Always Consider: Safety, first and last. Producing fair and fun sport. Promoting horsemanship by always rewarding good training and riding. Presenting the sport in a beautiful and natural way. Directing the future of the sport.

A Course is Only as Good as it is Suitable!: 

A Course is Only as Good as it is Suitable! Every course should suit: The level of the show. The kind of class it is. The purpose of that particular class. Where it fits in the horses’ and riders’ schedule at the show. The size of the arena. The weather conditions and the footing. The time schedule for the ring that day.

Jumping Courses are Tests of:: 

Jumping Courses are Tests of: The level of training of the horse and rider. The degree of communication and cooperation between horse and rider. The riders’ judgment and concentration. The horses’ boldness, carefulness, stride, balance, and concentration.

Just What is a Course? : 

Just What is a Course? No two courses are alike. Many factors go into making up a given course Distance Sun In-Gate Track Height T.A. Color Material Footing

Elements of a Course: 

Elements of a Course The “track.” Types and locations of jumps. Especially the position of combinations and ‘related lines’. Jump construction. Distances used between jumps. Height and width of the jumps. Cups and top poles used. Speed and measurement for the time allowed. Footing, light, the in-gate, and all the other important factors.

Difficulty Factors: 

Difficulty Factors Obvious: Height of the jumps. Width of the jumps. Distances between the jumps.

Difficulty Factors: 

Difficulty Factors More Subtle: The track. The type of combinations and lines. The type of jump. The approach. The distractions. The time allowed.

Difficulty Factors: 

Difficulty Factors Subtle: The fence material. The colors and the background. The decorations. The length of the course and number of efforts. The balance and flow of the course.

Combinations: 

Combinations Use variety. Don’t compound the questions. Save distance problems for special circumstances. Watch the number of spreads. Careful with the approaches.

Think about the Consequences!: 

Think about the Consequences! How likely is a mistake? What will be the result of a mistake? Can you make the price of an error more educational and less of a punishment, especially for the horse?

What Makes a Great Jumper Result?: 

What Makes a Great Jumper Result? There are no bad ‘crashes.’ Every competitor has the chance to finish the course. Every competitor up to the standard and without an error can produce a clear round. Weaknesses in training or riding mistakes produce to faults. Faults are ‘educational’ and not ‘punishing.’ Many competitors have only one fault, and the faults occur all around the course.

STATISTICS: 

STATISTICS Evaluating your Jumper Course: Watch every horse go. Keep track of fences that come down. See where the ‘four-faulters’ had trouble. Look for ‘balanced’ results.

The Course Designer’s Job: 

The Course Designer’s Job

Taking a Course Designing Assignment: 

Taking a Course Designing Assignment Be sure of show dates, location, specific duties, and your fee and reimbursement of your expenses. Request a written contract, the schedule, and a sketch of the arena(s) with dimensions, and locations of entrance/exit, judges box, and any permanent obstacles or features. Confirm details of arrival and departure days and times, lodging, transportation, expected weather, ring crew, copy machine, etc.

Essential Tools of the Trade: 

Essential Tools of the Trade Measuring tapes and wheel. Map wheel and calculator. Appropriate clothing - with rain gear always! Blank course plan sheets, pens, pencils, highlighter, white-out. Rule book(s) and Schedule. ‘Cheat sheets’ Plans for at least the first day’s classes. Lots of energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge.

Arriving at the Show: 

Arriving at the Show Meet the Organizers. Check for any schedule changes and update your time schedule. See the arena(s) and check their size, footing, lighting, and any irregularities. Meet with your assistants/crew. See if a tractor and trailer are available for your use. Locate and try out the copy machine.

Getting to Work: 

Getting to Work Make a detailed inventory of the material you have to work with. Finalize your first days plans and make copies for the crew. Explain your system of working to your assistants. Build the course. Confirm when everyone will arrive the next day.

Course Plans: 

Course Plans

Drawing Plans #1: 

Drawing Plans #1 Preliminary Work: Make a good plan of the arena. In pencil, plan the track and the location of lines, combinations, and single fences. Do most important class of the day first. When you’re satisfied with flow and track, ink in the fences and jump numbers. Next work on the other tracks for the day

Useful Tips: 

Useful Tips Work to scale! Use color to differentiate between the different courses on one piece of paper. Use circles, squares, underlines, etc. for copies. For fences to be added later, use dotted lines. Use large circled numbers for the first course of the day. Stay consistent for the sake of your helpers!

Drawing Plans #2: 

Drawing Plans #2 Next steps: Determine the materials to be used for each jump. Decide on the distances and heights and spreads, including those for extra jumps to be built but only used later in the day. Make enough copies of the final ‘building plan’ for all your knowledgeable helpers.

More Tips: 

More Tips Work first in pencil, then ink things in and erase the pencil. Don’t forget if a fence is part of the jump-off, becomes #1 or part of a combination or moves for later classes. This can affect the material you choose. Learn how to make simple and easy changes to the course that will make different and more suitable courses for later classes. This takes practice and thought.

Drawing Plans #3: 

Drawing Plans #3 Final Steps: After the course is built, draw a new plan with all fences in their actual positions. Make copies of this “master.” Using the ‘master,” make a plan for each class of the day showing the class information and with arrows and numbers showing the track. Put dimensions and distances on your working plan and copy for your helpers.

What Needs to be on a Course Plan: 

What Needs to be on a Course Plan Class name and number. Fences numbered and with arrows to show direction. Start & Finish. Table, Speed, Length of Course, Time Allowed, Time Limit, Jump-Off information. Indicate: Option Jumps, Closed Combinations. Helpful items: day, time, in/out gates, show name, class level. To make them special use logos, art work, etc.

Course Plan Copies: 

Course Plan Copies How many? Keep a copy of your “Master.” Make just enough “Clean Copies” of the plan for each class for the judges, the in-gate, and the press or office if requested. Keep one extra filed away just in case you need it! Prepare plans showing the adjustments and dimensions for each course change during the day; copy these for each of your helpers in the ring. Avoid making more copies than you need!

Course Plans for Big Events: 

Course Plans for Big Events The Press and Television: Need plans ahead. Need dimensions. Suggest leaving out distances. Adding the Times Allowed. Spectators: May need a plan for the start list Leave out dimensions and TAs Commentator: Likes to have a plan with dimensions.

Building a Course: 

Building a Course From an Empty Ring to Ready for the First Horse

“Lay Out” the Rails: 

“Lay Out” the Rails Make a list of the rails needed: one for each element of every jump to be built. Position each rail on the ground; walking the distances to get things close. Look at the track as a whole. Now’s the time to make any needed changes to the course!

“Frame” the Jumps: 

“Frame” the Jumps Put the wings on the ends of the laid out poles. Another list of what you’ll need helps. Measure distances and spreads as you go. Put poles up as the top poles (at the correct heights) on each jump. Keep the wings straight. Cross measure the lines and combinations so they are straight.

“Fill” & Decorate: 

“Fill” & Decorate Add the walls, gates, ladders to each fence. Determine spacing of elements. Add flower boxes, take-offs, etc. Add plants or shrubs to sides of jumps. Add start and finish markers, flags and numbers to jumper and equitation courses.

“Finish” the Course:: 

“Finish” the Course: Check for proper cups. (And that no extras are lying around.) Put straightest and lightest poles on top of each jump. And re-check heights and spreads. Check for tight poles and direction of pins. Walk the whole course to see all the details. (the jump-off too!), and re-check the distances. Measurecourses and calculate the time allowed. Cross off (or take the flags off) unused jumps. Be sure of your ‘spare’ materials.

Building for the Second Day: 

Building for the Second Day Use the same basic technique, except: Work around the ‘old’ jumps. Move only the ‘lay out’ poles first. Keep extra material in the ring when possible, with ‘Dummy’ jumps and ‘winging’ material to the side. Take extra material out last of all.

Jump Offs: 

Jump Offs Considerations: How many jumps? Left and Right balance. Verticals and oxers. Turns with oxers. Inside turns. ‘Handy’ vs ‘Galloping’ Swedish Oxers Triple Bars Combinations. Changing the Dimension of the Jumps

Jump Offs: 

Jump Offs What makes a good one? Viewable and exciting for the audience. Suitable length. Balance of left and right. Turns before and after jumps. Place to gallop. Angled approach. Optional distance. “Inside/outside” option.

Start and Finish: 

Start and Finish Things to Keep in Mind: Where any wire to the ‘eyes’ will reach. How they work. Changing them between classes. Moving them for the jump-off. Width of Start and Finish lines. How far away from the jumps. Straight or angled? Positioning the flags.

Becoming a Course Designer: 

Becoming a Course Designer Walk courses and watch whole classes to study how they ride. Ask designers what they’ve done and why. Volunteer to assist a variety of designers. Work at a variety of shows. Travel out of your area to watch & assist. Read the classic books on horsemanship.

Goals of this Clinic: 

Goals of this Clinic Look at Course Design from the perspective of the Rider, the Trainer, and the Course Designer. See how the quality of the courses can affect every aspect of the sport. Gain a greater awareness of the obvious, and not so obvious, factors that make up every course. Learn techniques and tricks for quicker and easier construction of courses.

Clinic Format: 

Clinic Format Friday PM Discussion of the various aspects of course design, from Low Hunters to the Olympic Games. Followed by tips for taking a Course Designing job. Saturday Building courses – from ‘paper and pencil’ to ‘ready for the first horse.’ Sunday Reading, walking, and riding courses in the show ring; along with designers’ tips for making the necessary course changes from one class to another.