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- 1). Halter your horse and attach your long line to the halter. The halter offers control and stability, and the long line allows your horse to work at a distance while still being under your control. Kigers are a very independent breed, and will wander off without proper containment.
- 2). Set up your jumps in a secure, flat area such as an arena or round pen. Place the jump bars on the ground in order to allow your horse to become familiar with the concept of stepping over an object in her path.
- 3). Stand with your horse on your left side and walk her forward toward the pole. Give her the command to jump, such as "up" or "over." Use this same command every time you ask her to jump, so that she associates the command with jumping an object. Kiger Mustangs learn very easily, and will quickly associate your command with jumping.
- 4). Continue working your horse over the pole, slowly raising the bar as she becomes more confident. Always give the jump command and allow your horse to work at her own pace to avoid burnout. If she falters or seems afraid at any point, lower the bar and work at a level she is comfortable with to encourage her to jump properly.
- 5). Tack up your horse and warm your horse up. A good warm-up, complete with walking, trotting and cantering, allows your horse to stretch all of his muscles and helps to avoid injury. Kigers are a sturdy breed with excellent conformation, so warming him up should only take a few minutes.
- 6). Place the jump bar on its lowest setting and again ask your horse to walk forward over the bar. Sit tall in your seat, push your hands forward and allow your horse to move forward slowly. Jumping while under saddle is much different for the horse than jumping alone, and she must be allowed to learn to balance herself to avoid injury.
- 7). Work her slowly at the lowest jump height, raising the bar as she becomes more sure of herself. Start by walking her over the jump, adding speed as you go along. The taller the jump, the more momentum is needed to carry horse and rider cleanly over the bar. With just a few short training sessions, your Kiger should be boldly jumping any object in her path.
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