▁and ▁forward ▁motion . ▁ ▁The ▁r ider ▁should ▁always ▁focus ▁ahead , ▁rather ▁than ▁looking ▁down ▁into ▁the ▁d itch , ▁to ▁keep ▁their ▁balance ▁aligned ▁correctly ▁and ▁allow ▁the ▁horse ▁to ▁give ▁their ▁best ▁effort . ▁ ▁Drop ▁F ence ▁ ▁These ▁f ences ▁ask ▁the ▁horse ▁to ▁jump ▁over ▁a ▁log ▁f ence ▁and ▁land ▁at ▁a ▁lower ▁level ▁than ▁the ▁one ▁at ▁which ▁they ▁took ▁off . ▁ ▁They ▁are ▁closely ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁bank ▁f ences . ▁Many ▁rid ers ▁have ▁fallen ▁badly ▁on ▁drop ▁f ences ▁if ▁the ▁horse ▁s wer ves ▁unexpected ly . ▁J ump ing ▁drop ▁f ences ▁places ▁a ▁good ▁deal ▁of ▁stress ▁on ▁the ▁horse ' s ▁legs , ▁and ▁therefore ▁practice ▁should ▁be ▁kept ▁to ▁a ▁minimum . ▁To ▁help ▁minim ise ▁the ▁conc uss ion ▁on ▁the ▁horse ' s ▁legs , ▁the ▁r ider ▁should ▁encou rage ▁it ▁to ▁jump ▁the ▁f ence ▁as ▁conserv atively ▁as ▁possible , ▁with ▁little ▁bas c ule ▁or ▁speed , ▁using ▁just ▁enough ▁power ▁to ▁safely ▁clear ▁the ▁log ▁before ▁dro pping ▁down . ▁ ▁Drop ▁f ences ▁require ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁trust ▁of ▁the ▁horse ▁in ▁the ▁r ider , ▁because ▁often ▁the ▁animal ▁can ▁not ▁see ▁the ▁landing ▁until ▁it ▁is ▁about ▁to ▁jump . ▁It ▁is ▁important ▁for ▁the ▁r ider ▁to ▁keep ▁their ▁leg ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁base , ▁and ▁not ▁" drop " ▁the ▁horse ▁before ▁the ▁f ence , ▁as ▁this ▁may ▁result ▁in ▁a