Pictures Avoiding the pony club kick

[Bernster]

This may be one of those where it’s not possible to help via a forum but I thought I’d ask in case anyone has overcome this, or teaches folks who do the same, and can share their experiences or tips!

I give you exhibit A below (hopefully the pic uploads)...a particularly striking example of the notorious pony club kick. It’s a long standing and terrible habit of mine to push and shove and do an almighty and totally unnecessary pony club kick about 2/3 strides out. Most of the time my saint of a horse knows to ignore this, but sometimes it does push him out of his stride and he goes flat and knocks a pole.

I’ve improved my hands by holding them towards his neck. I am getting lessons but haven’t had one for a while as they are off site. I’ve been practicing at home and im getting better with regular practice over tiny fences but I am still struggling to control the kick - no matter how much I try. It’s like a red mist descends just before the fence and I flap. Any tips or suggestions please?

 

[Mule]

Squeeze for the last few strides instead of kicking. It will get the horse forward to the fence but you won't risk losing your balance because you won't be taking your legs away like when kicking.

If you think the horse might be behind the leg, wake him up before approaching the fence and carry a whip.

 

[Chippers1]

That is a pony club kick! Do you think it's partly a nerves thing? I tend to do a bigger 'kick' (although not quite pony club) when i'm worried about a bigger or wider fence. I'm having to learn to squeeze on them like I do on the smaller ones, or just let him go to the fence as I don't actually think it makes a difference unless he is being super spooky or silly!

 

[mavandkaz]

I'm not expert and am very much a work in progress myself, but what about a row of canter poles before the fence. If you could set out 4 or 5 poles leading up to the fence then you may find you can use the poles to control the rhythm, leaving you to concentrate on your position/keeping your legs still. Then gradually reduce the number of poles.
I also wonder if you need a bigger canter in-between fences, and are finding that as you turn to the fence you feel under powered and are panicking?

 

[HEM]

That is a pony club kick! Do you think it's partly a nerves thing?

I was thinking this, is it nervous or just something you can't get out of a habit of doing? If it's something you can't get out of doing could you take a slight light seat position? Not come out of the saddle completely but bum barely touching and just squeeze legs... I'd be impressed if you could raise your legs like that out of the saddle (this might be a really bad idea but just brain storming)

I am pretty sure I used to do the same and I think it was almost my way of counting the strides... a little nudge each stride.

 

[Bernster]

There’s definitely some fear/panic in there, and feeling like I’m underpowered. I seem to feel that rushing and speeding up is what’s needed before a fence, whereas Finnegan is steady into a fence and if I don’t interfere he jumps it nicely. My previous horse would tank into a fence and I always knew she’d jump it, but too fast. I can’t seem to recognise that Finnegan’s way of jumping is actually more correct (at least, I think it is but will ask in my next lesson).

I’ll try thinking of squeezing and not kicking but i don’t sctually think to kick, in fact I’m thinking really hard NOT to kick, yet I still do it. It’s almost like it’s automatic. 🙄

The canter poles are a good tip too, as I think I need something ‘external’ to help me focus and keep the canter.

 

[PapaverFollis]

If you are aware you're doing it when you do it that's half the battle.. if your horse is taking you happily forward into the fence and there's no "need" to kick on then that's another part solved. The rest is mental. You need to kick (haha) the habit!

I would retrain you habits by starting with single pole on the ground and cantering over it in jumping position concentrating really hard on keeping the leg still. Progress to cantering over it and taking the jumping position as you go over the pole. Then a tiny cross pole maintaining the same feel. Then some grid work and work up.

You have to find the Zen and maintain it, inching the jump up without ever making it big enough to scare yourself back into the pony club kick...

Disclaimer. I know eff all about jumping but that's what I'd do.

 

[JFTDWS]

He's going, whether you flap or not, isn't he? I mean, he's not a dirty stopper, I don't think? So this is a psychological issue from your nerves rather than a training issue... If he needs a bigger canter / better approach you can work on that, but if you'll still be kicking and flapping regardless, you need to work out a mental strategy - thinking "don't kick" works less well than thinking "do" something, e.g. "wrap my legs round" or similar.

I have form for doing the same - I got told off by Tarrsteps years ago for flapping /booting at Fergs around a course. Ever since then, I've lived in horror of repeating that - and whilst I will still flap at the odd big fence, I don't do it nearly as routinely. Who do you respect enough to give you a bollocking and drill it into you not to do it?

 

[Bernster]

Loving the idea of finding my Zen and working up really slowly. It’s def worse when I’m worried about the fence height.

Haha, lawks I have to have the bejesus scared out of me 😳 ?!

He had one short episode when he put some stops in, but he gives fair warning and isnt a dirty stopper. I’m pretty sure I flapped even before then but it’s possible it’s a reaction to that, and very much mental on my part. I’ve had some coaching but I may need a reminder session.

I think it May also be partly the canter so I might need a two pronged approach to address panic kicking and any loss of power that may be causing it.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm not saying it's the only answer, but it helped me

 

[ester]

tie your feet to the girth and be done with it

I'm definitely a need to have an alternative to do rather than not do something if possible.

Another thought, what happens if you stay up out the saddle for the entire approach instead? harder to get your legs out that far when you aren't seated.

 

[DabDab]

Similar to the poles suggestion above, count yourself down into the fence 3-2-1 as a replacement activity for kicking. 2 strides out from a fence there is basically very little we can do about that jump, we've got all the canter and rhythm that we're going to get, so anything you do in the last couple of strides is basically just a distraction for the horse. And I think you just have to really hammer that reality into your head so that you can just concentrate on balance (much much easier said than done though, I'm a terrible over rider naturally).

 

[Bernster]

Haha he’s that is one idea! And one ive even thought of myself 😁 I do have really waggly legs when jumping in particular.

I’ll give it a go. I think I’m still capable of it when in 2 point, as I’m really quite committed to doing it, but I’ll film it and see if I’m actually sitting when I do, or it might be that’s it’s less pronounced, which would be a start at least.

 

[HEM]

tie your feet to the girth and be done with it

Can't move, can't kick! Simples

 

[Auslander]

I'd be tempted to tie the stirrups to the girth meself! Didn't do me any harm (even fell off perfectly easily with them tied!)

 

[Red-1]

I have a mantra for people kicking, after all you are only kicking because you have a belief that kicking is keeping you safe. The new mantra is...

It is safer to show the soles of my boots to the fence.

This has the effect of making sure your heels are down so if anything untoward happened you would be secure. Also, whilst consciously thinking of keeping safe by showing the soles of your boots to the fence, you will be too busy with the new behaviour to kick.

I would start with a pole, and work up from there with the new technique.

Also making sure the canter is good enough prior to getting near the fence.

 

[Red-1]

...

 

[Bernster]

I'd be tempted to tie the stirrups to the girth meself! Didn't do me any harm (even fell off perfectly easily with them tied!)

Hee. It might have once googled ways to tie ones stirrups to the girth ‘safely’ !! Imagining it, I’d end up going to my patented big wallop and my feet would fly out the stirrups 😝

 

[chattygoneon3]

What I find helps with someone who fiddles/ over rides / interferes in front of a fence is to get them to come into a low grid at canter, once they have made the turn and are straight to the jump then close their eyes and just concentrate on the canter rhythm. If you can’t see it you don’t start messing about. Over small fences it doesn’t matter if you don’t fold so it’s a fairly safe excercise .

 

[HEM]

If your handy with a sewing machine you could sew magnets into like a fabric slip and put one round girth and one round stirrup so at least they can come apart with some force but could be enough to stop the kicking?

(We have a similar thing for gymnasts https://cheergear.ie/product/anklmagz-adjustable-magnetic-ankle-straps/ )

 

[ester]

I made some of my own velcro ones at one point. definitely strong enough for normal use but I'd have been happy with them in an emergency.

I do reckon a blindfold would work too, I hadn't seen the brookby heights jumping dressed as a llama vid until yesterday but that seemed to have the same effect

 

[Bernster]

What I find helps with someone who fiddles/ over rides / interferes in front of a fence is to get them to come into a low grid at canter, once they have made the turn and are straight to the jump then close their eyes and just concentrate on the canter rhythm. If you can’t see it you don’t start messing about. Over small fences it doesn’t matter if you don’t fold so it’s a fairly safe excercise .

Ooh. Yikes. But I can see why it helps. About the only thing I’ve found that helps so far is completely looking away from the fence but I don’t always remember to do it.

 

[JFTDWS]

I used a horseball stirrup strap (mostly I would jump after playing about!) which had the same effect

 

[Bernster]

Ok, so magnets, Velcro, a blindfold and a llama outfit? Not quite what I’d expected from this thread but hey, it’s worth a shot right. I’ll be sure to post a pic 😂

 

[Rowreach]

I've cured quite a few Pony Club kicking children by getting them to imagine how bruised their ponies' ribs are underneath the hair!

I've also removed their stirrups. And on one occasion, the saddle

 

[Chippers1]

I'm not saying it's the only answer, but it helped me

Having someone shout at me works for me too! Had a few jumping lessons with some scary shouters and I find it really helps to remind me ha ha.
My other trick (which has taught me to look up when jumping) is to remember there's a photographer on the course! Can't be seen looking down in photos now can we
Same with videoing, I know I'm being videoed so try and ride better ha ha!

 

[Alibear]

What about these? https://www.equilibriumproducts.com/product/symmetry-straps/

 

[ihatework]

I think you could add an electric shock collar to the mix, to be operated by onlooker as soon as you flap!

In all honesty I might be tempted to use a Velcro strap to the stirrups!

And work on getting a good/better response to the leg without a fence involved and then make sure the canter is what you want way in advance of the fence. If the horse is taking you, you stand more chance of not kicking

 

[Bernster]

Oh. Ow I feel bad for poor horsey. But maybe that’s a good thing.

Fortunately my leg is so blimmin wiggly, I don’t think it actually makes that much contact with his side. I am flamboyant but ineffective. I am gonna have a go at a strap on 🤣

 

[Keith_Beef]

I am usually the very opposite, at least at the beginning of a jump class.

My instructor used to give me horses that needed no encouragement, I would just need to line up on the approach and the horse would know exactly what to do; so I would just need to work on balance, hand position, and let the horse do its stuff. Great for building confidence in beginners.

But now that I am being given horses that need more instruction on the approach, especially with speed, the horse is slowing in its trot (according the the instructor); and she tells me that I need to goad it on a bit.