Also in CR but noone has read it :(...help with my horse's big jump please

R2R

R2R

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 August 2009
Messages
1,455
Visit site
Hello!

I have been, over the past 2 or 3 weekends, really jumping my boy he is going brilliantly, but if the jumps are over 1.10 I literally get jumped out of the saddle. His back end is SO powerful and he really kicks up.

He is a sharp 9 year old KWPN gelding.

I don’t think it has helped that my Stubben didn’t fit so I sold it to my friend, and my pessoa doesn’t fit (but fits my other horse so can’t sell it) so I have been riding him in my Hastilow go/event saddle which fits but it feels like the cantle hits me up the bottom whenever we jump.

He has a quite a big shoulder, and a massively powerful jump – we went xc schooling yesterday and he was giving the PN course about a foot clearance – my friend who came with us said it wasn’t my position, it was his jump that was so big and hard to sit too, making me end up half way up his neck...

He also, if he is unsure, seems to put an extra half stride in, get in deep and then literally PING upwards (a bit like an over-grown thelwell pony, not ideal as he is 16.2hh) I have just got him jumping xc as prior to this he was very unsure about natural fences and for the first couple of times used to run out or have a rearing tantrum 5 or six strides out – I don’t want to lose his confidence so now sit very quietly and try not to fiddle with him and he is loving xc, BUT I simply cannot go on being jumped out of the saddle. He does the same whether the fences are 2”6 or 3”6 – in fact, it feels better and he runs out less when he has something a bit bigger to jump.

I jumped him last week over about 1.40, he still did the extra half stride thing on the odd jump but it feels OK over coloured fences, and obviously he was jumping big because we were jumping big, but whilst it is a lot more comfortable (he knows what he is doing sj) I am still getting thrown out of the saddle by his back end...not like I cant ride, but I can honestly feel the saddle smacking me up the bum and pushing me forward!

Any advice on schooling or saddle recommendations please?
 
Sorry--no advice as such, but if it was me I would find an Instructor/Trainer and work through the problem with him/her.
Hope you get it sorted.
 
I agree with Goya.

But also I would look into getting a saddle with a flat seat, so the cantle isnt so high?
Maybe try and get hold of a Pessoa saddle that fits him?
If you already have a saddle like this then i am no help at all sorry lol!
 
Bills said:
I agree with Goya.

But also I would look into getting a saddle with a flat seat, so the cantle isnt so high?
Maybe try and get hold of a Pessoa saddle that fits him?
If you already have a saddle like this then i am no help at all sorry lol!
Click to expand...

My instructor has said get a new saddle, but the pessoa doesnt fit...

Trust me, I wouldnt be jumping that height without someone on the floor to pick me up :D
 
I have a horse with a very active kick back over jumps. He is very careful and that’s why he does it. He is perfectly calm and collected going to the jumps and is actually quite a talented chap. I know the problem is not just with myself because i have had a few other people who compete there horses have a go on him. They too find that they are at times pinged from the saddle by his very active kickback.

It is something that i got used to, and a friend of mine that jumps him a but more than me (as im pregnant) has learnt to sit to his jump now. The problem can be down to lack of security in the saddle. The horse jumps big, lands quite dramatically then has a big kick back that throws you forwards. Nothing has changed his technique. He is the same if you trot to the jump/canter to the jump. He is the same over both natural and coloured fences. He has hunted though as well, so maybe this has made him even more careful.
Another thing to check is that the seat size is right for you. if the seat is too short it will make you perched and the back of the saddle will definatly hit up in the bottom.

Eyes on the ground is a good idea, whilst it may not be something glaringly obvious about your position, an instructor could give you advice on how best to sit to the jump.

Another thing I have found that does make a difference is to make sure you are coming to the jump at a balances forward canter. Sometimes when the horses really enjoy there jumping they can become a bit choppy in there stride, and become more collected but less forward, producing the elusive “ping” You say that he sometimes adds half a stride , this suggests that perhaps he is coming at the jumps a bit choppy and maybe this is contributing. Larger jumps may makes him think more and so make him more likely to use himself properly. Witch is why he seems to jump a bit better over the larger tracks.
 
Last edited:
KingCharles, thank you for such a detailed reply. It is good to know I am not on my own :D I suppose I am going to have to learn to sit to him – its hard though. Also need to look for a saddle that my big bum fits in!!
 
Hi-do you have the facilities to try loose schooling over jumps? I have found this can help in 2 ways.. 1. You are able to see how your horse jumps for yourself, which may help you to sit better to it 2. Your horses has the freedom to jump without a riders balance etc to consider. I've found that it can help a less confident horse to develop their own jump through doing this.
If it doesn't help.. You still get to see your horse jumping, which is lovely and have the fun of encouraging them around the arena (make sure you have an assistant :) )
 
I cant really help with new saddles but I can sympathise with the whole jumping thing!!

My tb used to over jump everything (and still does sometimes) it got so bad she compleatly bu**ered my back!! The only things that helped me was to ride her in my event saddle as she was in a wintec as she was still growing and imagine the jumps were huge so I was prepared for the big jumps!!!!!

I can also make you smile as mine jumped me straight off her the other day...... I didnt even land with her I got that jet propelled off......and it was going cross country..........and it was into the water :mad::mad::mad: very soggy!!!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top