Any magic jumping position tips for baby horse leaps?

[maya2008]

Our youngster likes to look at a jump the first time, so he tootles in, looks down and does this weird thing where it feels like I am going up and down a roller coaster (massive cat leap with a kick out of the back feet). This is only on the first go, and worse over smaller jumps, but the problem is that he literally catapults me out of the saddle with his back end as he leaps 3ft over a tiny x pole!! Luckily I seem to be landing back in the saddle, but his mane is pretty short and there’s nothing to hold on to! I have an older mare who likes to take great leaps if she feels the jumps are too small, so I am pretty used to that, but she does so with a flatter back and no weird kick of the back legs.

What have I forgotten position-wise since I had my last batch of youngsters? We are doing all the horse related stuff - keeping it small, lots of different colours/baby fillers etc to get used to change. On his second go over any jump he just trots over so it’s not the height, just the unfamiliarity!

 

[Red-1]

Neck strap.

You have forgotten the neck strap

 

[be positive]

Neck strap.

You have forgotten the neck strap

I would start with poles on the ground, canter distance but used at trot first then raise alternate sides and play with them in trot and canter before putting up a x pole, he will get the hang of going forward but I suspect you are both expecting a bad first jump so approaching in a defensive way and the circle continues, if you think slightly outside the box work on his canter over poles he should learn to travel more forward.
I have been working with one similar who gets in really deep and had been shortening up more and more then making a big effort over a simple x pole, working on a forward longer striding canter and using poles has made a huge difference in a short time and she is now jumping almost normally from the start which is giving both horse and rider more confidence to jump out of their stride, they hold the neckstrap to ensure they are not taking a pull on the approach.

 

[maya2008]

I would start with poles on the ground, canter distance but used at trot first then raise alternate sides and play with them in trot and canter before putting up a x pole, he will get the hang of going forward but I suspect you are both expecting a bad first jump so approaching in a defensive way and the circle continues, if you think slightly outside the box work on his canter over poles he should learn to travel more forward.
I have been working with one similar who gets in really deep and had been shortening up more and more then making a big effort over a simple x pole, working on a forward longer striding canter and using poles has made a huge difference in a short time and she is now jumping almost normally from the start which is giving both horse and rider more confidence to jump out of their stride, they hold the neckstrap to ensure they are not taking a pull on the approach.

He’s fine if he has even seen another horse jump the jumps. Goes forwards nicely, pops over with minimum effort, happy to trot or canter round without issue. Canter poles make no difference - canter, canter, canter, ooh what the hell is that? LEAP!!!!!

I remember this stage, and that time and exposure fix it, and I am very happy that he will just jump bigger over a ‘scary’ object and not try to run out or stop.

I have forgotten the neck strap though - so used to horses with longer manes so there is always something to grab! Will hunt one down before our next jumping session. I knew someone on here would remind me of the obvious thing I had forgotten!!!

 

[Wheels]

Make 100% sure that you are looking into the distance and not down at the fence, if your eyes gravitate to the fence for even a split second then it will make the horse look even more.

What if you walk / trot the poles before cantering them, does that make a difference? Canter poles on a circle or come to the first small x pole on a large circle - then not as much time to eyeball the fence? (Obviously dont turn in too short in case it spooks him)

 

[maya2008]

My husband says that he looks down and almost touches the jump with his nose, then bounces with his front feet and leaps through his shoulder, before kicking out with the back legs as he goes over. Makes sense that smaller jumps are worse as his head is lower when he then starts to go up. It feels like he is spooking at the jump!

Pulled muscle (mine) from our last session is reminding me that I was in my twenties last time I was training baby horses! Going to do some lunge sessions with a helper to keep altering the jumps and see if we can get past the worst of the weird first-time-over-unfamiliar-jump-itis without me having to sit it! I would loose jump but he likes to jump out of the arena (plenty of scope for the future there!).