Bringing a Fizzy horse back into jumping ...

[spotty_pony]

I have just started loaning a lovely 15.2 anglo arab mare and we are still getting to know each other at the moment.

Her owner says she hasn't jumped since last Summer because she hasn't had time and she said I can bring her back into jumping. She also told me that she has lost her confidence with her old owner and so she rushes into the jumps.

I am going to take her back to basics and start off with some basic polework.

We put a pole out yesterday during her schooling session and walked and trotted her over it. She was fine in walk but as soon as we trotted over it she tried to canter and jump it. I know that some of this is probably excitement and she actually seems quite bold despite what her owner said.

I just wondered if anyone had any ideas of any schooling exercises I could use to bring her back into jumping without getting her too wound up?

I know gridwork will benefit her in the long run, and poles going into the fence will help her keep a rhythm ... but what else?

Any advice much appreciated

 

[_April_]

I had the exact same situation

If i put up one jump april would cat leap it, buck going over it and just found it all too exciting.

what you have suggested is what I would have recommended...

doubles, gridwork, bounces to get her thinking.
Also a pole before and a pole afterwards makes them concentrate more.
I did loads of little clear rounds at shows and the more I did the better April became and now she is totally fine apart from the odd leap after a jump (as in my signature!) which doesn't bother me.

With regards to the confidence, April loved jumping but wasn't very bold and really backed off from fillers and solid x -country jumps so i just built everything up slowly and now she is fine with most things. If you get them to trust you over small but spooky things you can build up the height afterwards

She sounds like she will love it. Have fun