Advice Needed- Horse jumps big

[Hal1k1]

Today I started jumping my 11 yr old ex- flat racer. I'm not in a rush as we are just going to do fun rides etc. My boy loved it so we had a lot of fun over jumps up to 50cm.

Every jump was jumped as if it was 3-4ft high which was a bit surprising at first, especially as I havent jumped for a very long time. Is there a way of encouraging a horse not to jump as excessively so that as the jumps get higher I won't be catapaulted out of the saddle as my trainer did say that she was very pleased that I managed to stay on during some of the leaps?

 

[Bug2007]

Be careful as overjumping (as in jumping bigger than the fence) can sometimes lead to them lacking in confidence as much as over facing them.
They can scare themselves by jumping too big.

Might not happen just be aware.

Don't put the jumps up just because he is clearing the smaller ones so easily, keep with the smaller ones until he learns to only do what he has too.

Sounds like he will be fab though.

 

[soulfull]

Grid work and keep them small it really helps build their confidence and technique

as Bug said its often greeness and lack of confidence that causes it

 

[tigerlily12345]

if you are able to sit them i would say, stay low until he works out nothing is going to jump out and attack him and he will! trust me, my old ex-racer would jump a 50cm jump 3-4foot but after a while he didnt over jump so much. by the time you are both ready to be jumping bigger he should be happy enough to jump sensibly over them.

this is mine first time he saw the water tray (but this was typical of what he would do over all new jumps)

i dont have any photos of him jumping close to the jump (well none HHO will let me post) but by the time he was sold he would jump 3 foot happily and smartly.. no deer leaps!

 

[Luci07]

Another one who would say that your boy is jumping green so perserve with small fences, low key and often. Keep to easy grids too (not too many bounces or loads of related distances) and just keep repeating till he gets the idea they won't hurt!

 

[Hal1k1]

Thank you! As I sad before it's a long time since I jumped so it will be easy to keep at 50cm until he gains confidence. I was so surprised how much he enjoyed it that I want to keep him in that frame of mind. 50cm might be small but if we are both having fun that is good enough for me!