Best way to introduce jumping to youngster

golddustsara

golddustsara

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 June 2007
Messages
2,746
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
... as title. My connie has been broken since October 2010 and has been mainly hacking with me since and having one professional schooling session a week to help me out.

I wanted to introduce jumping so have been using trotting poles for a few weeks. Lunged him today and put up a little x-bar - he thought the point was to knock the poles flying.... I ran beside him and jumped it a few times and he was much better.

Is there a set way to introduce jumping? I feel like a bit of a numpty and don't want to get it wrong, ruining him forever.

I suppose its like everything, practice practice and practice!
 
i would carry on doing pole work, and lung/loeose school him over a few small fences too. then gradually ride him over a pole on the floor a few inches off the ground and build it up from there. most of all, make it fun and enjoy it :D
 
Not sure how true this is but I have heard that its best to start a youngster off over low straight poles rather than cross-poles. Something to do with horses being able to judge the height better (even if its only tiny), its us humans who find cross-poles more inviting, not neddies.
What are people's opinions of this? I'll be starting my youngster over poles soon so would be interested in others' thoughts.

Well done, hope your neddie continues to go onward and upward!
 
I'd use your proffesional from your weekly schooling session to help you if you're not sure.

Re cross poles or straight bars, the cross will lead the horse to the centre more, and if its not such a huge cross, so theres only a small middle, then it shouldn't be a problem. There is nothing wrong with a straight bar either. I think a lot of people make the first jumps so tiny that its barely off the groun, so the horse isn't sure whether to trot over or jump - thus causing the crashing through...
 
Honey08 said:
I'd use your proffesional from your weekly schooling session to help you if you're not sure.

Re cross poles or straight bars, the cross will lead the horse to the centre more, and if its not such a huge cross, so theres only a small middle, then it shouldn't be a problem. There is nothing wrong with a straight bar either. I think a lot of people make the first jumps so tiny that its barely off the groun, so the horse isn't sure whether to trot over or jump - thus causing the crashing through...
Click to expand...

The x-bar was pretty tiny so I think this probably confused him. Will def enlist pro help - unfortunately she is in Scotland this week grrr.

Tis silly I'm happy introducing him to tractors, bikes etc but the schooling side is what scares me as I think I need to get it perfect because he is so young. But I'm being silly and I am going to make mistakes that we can both learn from. I'm lucky I have such a sweet, sensible 4yo :-) Native ponies forever
smile.gif
 
what i would do is set out some poles- either like a 'course' of fences or as a grid. once he is happy trotting and cantering around put one of the poles up to a small fence (cross or straight- really doesn't matter when you are talking inches) and trot to it as normal- don't do anything different. again, once he is happy over that then put another pole up to a tiny fence and keep going like that. if you have set your poles up in a grid/ line add the wings gradually so that he doesn't get freaked by having to go down a 'tunnel' straight away- you can see that someone on the ground is definitely needed so that you can move the poles around a fair bit within a session.

loose jumping CAN be helpful if the horse will do it. some love it, some hate it. if you are going to loose jump it is important to do it indoors and set up a proper jumping lane so that he can't dodge out at the side.
 
I started mine by following another on a hack and popping over the odd (teeny tiny) log/stick!

When working him in hand (he was ace in hand, and very confident with me next to him) we would trot over poles together and then I popped up a little X pole and he popped over it with me. I never loose jumped/lunged him over as he was never the best on a lunge and didnt want him to stop/loose confidence. I eventually progressed to popping over a xcross pole ridden. It was always fun and no big deal. Dont put pressure on him and do whatever suits him, there are no rules! have fun! Jumping is natural to most horses, keep it short and sweet.
 
Ice will not lunge or loose school over fences but mounted she loves it. Tries desperately to take me to the jump if ones up and we're schooling. I think there has to be a point where u just grab ur cahoonas and have a go! I'm so terrified of screwing ice up but my instructor just tells me, crack on, if she doesn't know ur wrong it'll be fine. I have regular supervision to spot problems and it sounds like u do too. Trust pony be brave and enjoy.
 
From what I have found with he limited youngsters I have had anything to donwifh and that is to let them develop their own technique through lunging or loose ect the start riding the like you are doing to poles and then small fences, I have seen a
Few lunge them to a pole then a fence then get on and do the same,, even just on e of each rein,'it's important to progress and not get stale just lungeimg or trotting to a pole.

Be confident in yourself, it's so refreshing to have some one who ask before doing particularly with a young one, you are giving him the best possible start, be confident in hour judgement because you have been pretty much spot on so far!!! Good luck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top