# Memorizing tricky show jumping courses



## JumpingJellyBean

So I was just wondering how you guys memorize your tricky show jumping courses. Any tips to help memorize?


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## Dartanion

My friend's mom will make a song out of the jump colors for her. I can't remember one right now but I hear her singing or humming before her classes. 

What I do is go over the course visiually and then have someone take the paper away from me and ask me the course every couple of minutes. I've gone over it at least 10 times before the class. If they let you walk it, even better! hope that helps .


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## upsidedown

I go by colors, names, and grouping. 
I never memorize the first one, because to me its always a given. From there I try to group as much as possible so there is less to remember. Like line to bending, to triple, to double, etc. if its impossible to group them I remember them by a color or a name. Basically the first thing I think of when I look at the jump. One show I called a purple and orange jump Blurple. One show I named one jump "Haven't" because it was the only jump that I hadn't jumped in the previous round.


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## JumpingJellyBean

upsidedown said:


> I go by colors, names, and grouping.
> I never memorize the first one, because to me its always a given. From there I try to group as much as possible so there is less to remember. Like line to bending, to triple, to double, etc. if its impossible to group them I remember them by a color or a name. Basically the first thing I think of when I look at the jump. One show I called a purple and orange jump Blurple. One show I named one jump "Haven't" because it was the only jump that I hadn't jumped in the previous round.


haha i like it.


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## upnover

Wow, I think putting the jumps to a song might throw me off even more!! I'd be so concerned at what note came next....  

1) practice practice practice. the more you memorize courses the easier it gets.

2) go over the course repeatedly and walk it if you can. plan each jump and turn so that way when you're finished wtih jumping, say, the green one you're thinking about the approach you have to take to the yellow. You won't randomly just jump the red because it wasn't in your plan. 

2) assign a number to each jump in order, then think of the jump as "jump 3" or "jump 6". This is important to learn to do anyways since at the bigger shows they will actually number the fences and the jump off jumps will just be listed on the course sheet as "jump 3 4 7 2 1 and 4". That way you'll already hve the numbers labeled in your head.


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## MIEventer

I don't do anything fancy - just go over it time and time and time again.

I walk the course repeatedly - both stadium and cc. CC I walk it up to 4-5 times, stadium I do about the same.

I walk the course the first time with the paper in hand, then I walk it without to see if I can remember it without having to look. If I have to look, I walk it again.

Then when I am on my horse in the waiting ring, I will visualize myself riding the course by looking at the fences, and I will even draw the course on my thigh.

If you are determined, you can do it.


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## wild_spot

I walk the exact course I will ride, wide corners, avoiding sticky ground, etc. Sveral times while walking I stop and trace the course over with my finger in the air. 

That's about all... It just works for me! watching other people helps as well.


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## PoohLP

It's been a while since I've been to a show, but always before and in my lessons now, I say the course and draw/trace over it in the air with my fingers. (does that make sense?) I'm very audio/visual,so hearing it and "seeing" it is more effective for me, than just looking at it on paper.


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