Jumping for showring

[Alyson Gilman]

I'm working with some alpacas and people who are getting ready for the fall show circuit including the Performance Class.

My challenge: getting the alpacas to JUMP over the jumps so that their legs do not touch the obstacle. Most of them just kind of slog over the jump hitting their legs.

We tried moving the jumps further apart, tried stopping the animal before getting to the jump and also tried encouraging them to "trot" the 10 feet approach to the jump. The trot seemed to work the best so far...

Which leads me to question #2: how do recommend to bring a camelid to a trot, ie quickened pace?

Thanks much.

[Marty McGee Bennett]

It does seem to be more common than not that alpacas in particular slog over the jumps. Try using something more exciting than just poles alone. Perhaps a garland of that tinsel stuff that people put on Christmas trees or something like that... another idea is to put a ground pole in front of the jump. Upright jumps are the hardest to judge. I would think that alpacas have the same depth perception challenges that horses do and a ground pole in front of a jump is a great aid.

Question #2... Getting an alpaca to trot is a matter of timing. You must give the signal to quicken the pace (a ratchet type signal-to the front not up) as one of the legs is coming up off the ground. Pick a leg, for me the easiest one is the one furthest from me, then give the signal just as that leg is coming up off the ground. That should get you a lengthening of the pace first and then a trot. Try this with a person and really get the timing down before trying it with an alpaca.