Jumper Nation Clinic: Sloane Coles & Spring Ledge

Jumper Nation Clinic continues with a new exercise to try at home.  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.  Each week, we’ll be bringing you a new grid or exercise to try at home.  You’ll be primed and ready for the show ring when we are able to get out there again!

This week’s featured grid is courtesy of Sloane Coles and Spring Ledge.

Sloane Coles is a hunter/jumper professional who has claimed victories across North America and made her Nations’ Cup debut at the Spruce Meadows Masters CSIO5* in 2019.

Diagram courtesy Sloane Coles.

This exercise consists of: 

  • Four trot poles set 4’ apart on the quarter line to be completed at the walk and the trot
  • Five cavaletti bounces with no ground lines, set 9’ apart on the long side
  • Trot pole, 9’ to a cross rail with ground line, 9’ to a trot pole set on the opposite long side from the cavalettis (use the trot poles to guide your eye and establish your distance)
  • Three trot poles set 4’ apart, 9’ bounce to a cross rail with ground line, 9’ bounce to a vertical with ground line, one stride set at 18’ to an oxer with ground line, two strides set at 32’ to an oxer with ground line, one stride set at 21’ to a vertical with ground line down the center of the ring

Sloane Coles on Pembrey Condors Diamond. Photo by Jump Media.

Sloane Coles states: “I like to start at the walk over the trot poles to get the horses used to them, and then build to the trot, adding in the cavalettis. The first three lines should be completed in both directions with the cross rail being jumped at the trot or the canter. The centerline grid is designed for one direction, but can be approached at the trot from both the right and left. 

I use these exercises for all my horses and riders because they are beneficial for both seasoned and green horses no matter the height of the jumps. While the horse is focused on jumping clean, straight fences, the exercises serves a good tools to help riders concentrate on their position and develop balance, patience, and straightness over fences.”

Additional tip from Sloane:

  • Add “V” rails to the two oxers and final vertical to help keep the horses straight.

Sloane’s challenge for you:

  • You can add another bounce at the end of the centerline grid for experienced horses, but be sure to keep the jumps small.

Sloane Coles. Photo by Jump Media.

About Sloane Coles

Sloane Coles grew up in The Plains, Virginia, immersed in all things equestrian.  Her father, John, is a former steeplechase jockey and currently Joint Master of Orange County Hounds while her mother, Julie, is an accomplished hunter and jumper competitor.  Sloane enjoyed a successful career as a junior, winning equitation, hunter, and show jumping titles at the country’s top horse shows.  She has trained with some of the best in the sport including John and Beezie Madden and Johnny and Kitty Barker, as well as Andre Dignelli’s Heritage Farm, Mark Leone’s Ri-Arm Farm, and Stacia Madden’s Beacon Hill Show Stables.

Together with Chippendale’s Boy DZ, Sloane made her Nations’ Cup debut at the prestigious CSIO5* Spruce Meadows “Masters” tournament in Calgary, Canada, in 2019.  She is currently developing Coldplay and Pembrey Condors Diamond for the top levels of the sport.

About Spring Ledge

Spring Ledge is a top-class hunter/jumper facility located in the heart of Virginia’s Hunt Country. Owned and operated by Sloane Coles, Spring Ledge’s emphasis is on the development of horses and riders, nurturing and encouraging them through a customized training program that allows them to reach their full potential. 

Spring Ledge welcomes clients across all levels, as well as young horses for training, showing and promotion, while also offering a superb selection of green and veteran hunters and jumpers available for sale or lease. In addition to developing horses and riders for the show ring, Sloane and her family operate a retirement program out of Spring Ledge, where they care for more than 50 horses.

To learn more about Spring Ledge, click here, and be sure to “like” the farm on Facebook and follow on Instagram.

Missed previous weeks’ grids?  Check out them out here:

Go Jumping!