Balanced canter now but now jumping is a problem

[S88ljd]

Hello all, I'm after some advice from you all. I have an ex race horse which I have finally now after a couple of years training a calm collected canter to which I am trying to jump from. I have been trying to maintain the canter with my outside rein and position which has worked. But now he is struggling with the jumping, perhaps he just has to get used to using himself correctly and building his back end up. I just feel like I've now created a problem with the jumping but the canter is lovely and balanced. Has anyone else had the same problem? Any advice and tips would be great! It's all so disheartening!

 

[be positive]

It is a fairly common problem with many types but particularly ones that have learnt to canter in their own way and coped with jumping out of that canter, the change to using themselves more can mean the jump goes for a while, it will come back once he has built up strength and adjusted to his new way of going, in the mean time go back a stage or two with the jumping, do plenty of polework and gridwork to help him through this stage.
The end result will be worth the work as he should find jumping easier once he discovers his balance and striding pattern comes more easily, just to add make sure the new canter has enough power and that it is not just a pretty canter which he will struggle to jump out of.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Just be careful that in getting the balanced calm canter you haven't lost the impulsion needed to jump (common problem). Also important that the horse is allowed some small measure of freedom in the last couple of strides to make adjustments to hit the correct takeoff point. It's very easy to control the canter right in to the bottom of the fence making jumping difficult for the horse.

 

[paddi22]

how is he struggling to jump? what do you find him doing?

with my exracer we spent months doing canter poles and then slightly raising them. I stopped doing single jumps until he had relaxed and had a better canter over poles.

with exracers they often pull or rush to fences as stress/bad balance/contact issues can make them think they need speed to get over it. Often people seem to think it means the horse just loves jumping and wants to get to the fence but its not the case. Going in slower in a steady canter often means they have to use their hind ends more, and have more time to think before the fence, and they have to jump a completely different way and not just flatten over the fence, so theres a definite brain adjustment they have to make. If you break it down in to grids, canter poles and raised poles, you will really help him figure out his balance and strides..

 

[S88ljd]

Thank you Paddi. He is now catering well over the poles and all we do is grids at the moment with different combinations and distances etc. But now adding a fence the jump is hard work. I think perhaps he needs more time to adjust to the new way of working using his behind!