Baby falling head first over jump ~ all 18.1hh of him ...

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Llwyncwn

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Barney Bear was having a jumping lesson today with a girl who rides for me. They did some trotting poles then put up a small cross pole at the end - all was fine but he was getting a bit confuddled with all the poles, so we took the ground poles away. The jump was put to a straight bar and he was so keen but got his legs mixed up and fell on his face, neck and shoulder. Thank heavens that Rachel rolled away as Barney weighs around a tonne.

For a 6 year old not fully developed shire (maybe cross) who doesnt understand about lifting his haunches - can anyone advise on what to do next? I have suggested more school work concentrating on leg yielding, turning on the forehand/haunches. How can we build up his back end? He is hacked 3 times a week and worked in the school twice a week.

Any recommendations welcome.

ETS - This is his 4th jumping lesson.
 
OMG an 18.1hh doing that! I know someone who had a horse that had never done much jumping who also fell over completely. She went back to basics with trotting poles, then gradually introduced raised trotting poles. He can still be a bit nervy and tends to be better if he is shown the jump in advanced. Also maybe do some loose jumping so he can get the hang of it without the boundaries of a rider
 
if he is a shire
shires are not designed to jump they are far to heavy animals to jump there more work animals due to them having lazy attitudes something less work
 
Thanks everyone. Fatarse, yes I have called the physio just now. Although I understand that shires are not built to be show jumpers, I would like to be able to hunt him in the future! He is being schooled to novice and competed at prelim.
 
Ouch
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Hope he's ok after that fall.

I'd stick with the trotting poles, or use at least a ground pole before take off for a bit longer, and keeping it nice and small with cross poles until he's confident with the poles.

Also, how about doing some raised trotting poles with him. Do a line of about 10, and raise each one a little bit off the floor on alternate sides, and make him trot through (walk him through first!). It really makes them use their hindquarters.

Do quite a lot of schooling over random poles in canter as well to get the canter as balanced as possible.

Good luck - I've never managed teach my shire x to jump properly. She just can't see the point of going over at speed, when she could go round or through with less effort
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I once got stuck over a fence when she stopped for a rest half way over
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They can jump just fine!! Lady round us has two shire crosses (one 75% and the other 50%) and she does SJ and XC with both of them with great success! They'll never be world beaters but can certainly jump!
 
well good luck to them if they got crosses its not such a problem but come straight shires your have trouble
i had one that was completely laid back and when you asked him to jump he just walk though them
 
* I once got stuck over a fence when she stopped for a rest half way over * sniggers ...

Sorry, couldnt help myself
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Surprisingly, Barney is very forward going and in no way a plod which is why I think he may be crossed with a ferarri or something. Good idea about the raised poles, but he does have problems multi tasking, so ten might be a bit ambitious atm. Never even thought of loose jumping him - perhaps I will try him on the lunge.
 
What was the surface like he was jumping on? Were there any uneven parts or holes ?

I ask because Blue has fallen like this twice on me, when he got his foot stuck in a hole in the surface and then stumbled as it dipped the second time.

Third time he's fallen with me
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however, we just got it completely wrong and both went head first to the ground!
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Have you tried loose jumping him?
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have fun hes sounds like a real dude, he is trying and will get there eventually! i think lungin over a jump is they best way to start then loose once used to lunging! good luck! x
 
Shires are laid back but they can be surprisingly hot too. My boy isnt a million miles from pure shire, he may not look it but hes nearly 17hh and has ten inches of bone. Let him get fat and unfit and hes lazy and ploddy, but when hes hunting fit hes not a novice ride and can be quite sharp.
Hes never going to be a world class show jumper but hes bloody good at it for something that supposed to pull carts!!
I would stick to flatwork, get him fit (although he probably already is!) get him really forwards off you leg, direct transitions, pole work etc then start building up the fences.
When my boy was younger he was like a big unco-ordinated puppy, but now he can turn on a sixpence with the best of them! Hes always winning jump offs! From what ive seen/read Jess' Pickle is exactly the same!
18.1hh is a lot of horse so hes probably even younger physically than his age!
Hope he gets the hang of it, he sounds like a lovely big boy!
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* 18.1hh is a lot of horse so hes probably even younger physically than his age! *

He has just turned 6, but has the bod of a 3 year old
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This is him a few weeks ago ...

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He does the most fabulous 'turn on the feed bucket'
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well if people can jump there shires good luck to them (in a NIceway) but i personaly wouldnt but thats me we all have our opions good to here you can hunt yours
 
If he's still growing, maybe he is having problems with proprioception? That's when your mind isn't quite right on where it thinks your limbs are, and obviously growing confuses it til it gets 'reprogrammed'.
Loose jumping and lots of trot poles might be useful, as might hacking over rough terrain, natural fallen logs etc.
He's handsome though...
S
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He is lovely!!
Hen isnt as big as him but he wasnt properly grown up till he was about 8, and its only in the past few years everything concerning jumping and cantering has started to sink in (hes 14 now!) Alot of his issues were a lack of condfidence, but agree wit Shils about proprioception, hacking over rough terrain really helps. Hen goes at least once a week through the woods, i just let him work it out on his own, he picks his own route over rocks, tree roots and bogs, and we always get to the other side in one piece!!
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Henry is a fantastic hunter, he goes all day, never tires, jumps most things, unless i wimp out or its a hedge (we have personal issues with hedges!) and is usually at the front, hes rarely strong and i can stop him aven when the rest of the fied is galloping! The only issue we have is sometimes he gets a bit excited a rears, but even then its the most comfortable balanced rear ive ever sat on!
Plenty of people hunt big horses, its just a question of getting them fit, takes a lot longer than a TB type.
 
you can't say just generally shires can't jump, I know a shire than could easily clear a 3ft 9 course without a problem. Also technically my clysdale x shouldn't be good at jumping yet wins almost every SJ show at my yard!
 
try some loose pole work, or in hand at least. use raised poles in walk so he has to pick his feet up.

also bear in mind that shires, irish drafts, warmbloods clydies etc don't fully mature until they are 7 or 8!
 
My OH used to showjump a shire X, it really depends on what they are crossed with. Our current shire X used to hunt successfully. Shires are not lazy, they can be placid (and generally are) but when asked, they often have plenty of 'go'
They do have a tendency to be clumsy foot-wise and generally full shires should not do too much jumping.
 
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