advice or exercises to get horse to be able to take tight turns when jumping

[Quartz]

Basically my horse is a great jumper, never refuses and is happy to jump anything you put infront of him. However, when we jump he will excelerate after the jump and fight for his head. Obviously there are times when this becomes a game to him and not to enjoyable for me. Previously in my lesson we have concentrated on doing one jump and then stopping him in a straight line. If the jump is centre ring it takes me to the end of the arena to stop. It makes it quite a fight when we are doing a course of more than one obstacle. Today we were doing four jumps with very tight turns into each jump, effectively landing one jump looking to the next and turning. Well impossible with my horse. I would like to learn some easy exercises to get us turning togehter better, well altogether jumping in harmony. The run up and the actual jump go well, its the reception and after where it all goes wrong.Thanks

 

[Luci07]

One "easy" exercise you can start to do which is a killer, is to make up a square with 4 jump poles. Mentally number them 1, 2, 3, 4. After warming up, you then walk around it and plan that you are going to walk in over 1, out over 3 etc, do this on either rein so at this point all you are going is changing the rein. Then start to ride it so you are riding diagonals. Once you can do this in work, progress to trot. When you can do it in trot, progress to canter and THATS when the fun really starts. if you do not sit up and balance your horse you can't do this but it is a brilliant exercise to do. Even better if someone else with a warped sense of humour is watching and calling out where you go in/exit the square, though they MUST give you adequate warning. Also very good for teaching your horse to change leg when you are ready for that too.

 

[*hic*]

Turn the jump in the centre of the ring through 90 degrees giving you several strides only to stop. That'll teach it to pull up more quickly when you ask.

 

[Quartz]

I like the sound of this and will try it tomorrow, however, should the square be small ie. the end of each poles touching or slightly larger?

 

[cyberhorse]

I have one of these types however I find the best way of stopping him running is to point him at another fence ASAP. Obviously this is not working for you! The other trick as someone has mentioned was to give you a tight landing. Do not turn or steer block both reins and head into the wall, i.e. stop or bang your nose. I only have to do this a couple of times on a bad day for the lesson to sink in, just make sure you are sat back and ready or you'll go flying forward when they slam on the brakes.

Landing poles are supposed to help, but mine turned this into a land, buck/fly buck over the pole for a laugh then run off twice as fast so it did not work for us. The other thing is are you getting hold too quick on landing? with this type of horse I find if you give them their head for a couple of strides then ask back you do not get the argument.

For practicing tight turns put out a set of canter poles and circle into the poles randomly selecting where you cut in to do them. Less stressful for rider and horse given they are on the floor! You can build on this later.

However I would really get your brakes sorted before you start focusing on jump off turns and speed. Be aware asking too much and doing too many tight turn exercises will probably make the "gassy attitude" worse and if not done carefully in a balanced manner may also have the side effect of teaching the horse to drop their shoulder to run at fences or drop their shoulder on landing and shoot off sideways. I have found it is better to increase the fence size so it takes more jumping - helps with the running off as they respect the fences. Better to go for double clears in bigger classes than have your foot to the floor and potentially make this horse worse.