Can you actually make a horse better at jumping?

weesophz

weesophz

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its never really been fox's strong point. tonight was pretty bad, he just threw himself at fences, knocking down cross poles that were about 60/70cms, then had down pretty much every pole cos he just forgets about his back end.

its really frustrating because i know he can do it, he did clear rounds the other week and only had one fence down.

i dont know if he just isnt interested in jumping at home, hes never really enthused about the school but its no fun for either of us if he just drags himself around :( help please!

ETA back and everything are fine! should have said!
 
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Yes you can!! I would get his back checked first though :)

Also some are just lazy at home, might be better to just stick to jumping out and about?
 
Maybe he doesn't have much respect for show jumps, have you ever jumped him over natural fences/ XC style fences? But then again if he is being a bit careless over all fences maybe that wouldn't be safe.
 
Hmm, I don't know but those fences seem rather small. Have you tried him over bigger fences or xc? If they don't have to work to actually lift their feet then they're quite likely to knock poles down. You need to make sure you have a nice, active canter as well and the jumps should really just be part of that rhythm.

Maybe try free schooling him over some fences, see how he does it himself?
 
Pigeon said:
Yes you can!! I would get his back checked first though :)

Also some are just lazy at home, might be better to just stick to jumping out and about?
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his backs fine, sorry should have said that!
yeah true but we dont really go out that much as we dont have transport, the clear rounds we did are hosted by pony club across the road! just wish he would be as enthusiatic at home, it is frustrating for me but i suppose i cant make him do it haha :(

HorsesHavingFun said:
Maybe he doesn't have much respect for show jumps, have you ever jumped him over natural fences/ XC style fences? But then again if he is being a bit careless over all fences maybe that wouldn't be safe.
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he does though because like i said hes fine when hes not at home, i just get him to concentrate properly at him he just flings himself at them. we've done some xc style fences in the past, but those were out in an open field so he was excited to go anways!
 
ladyt25 said:
Hmm, I don't know but those fences seem rather small. Have you tried him over bigger fences or xc? If they don't have to work to actually lift their feet then they're quite likely to knock poles down. You need to make sure you have a nice, active canter as well and the jumps should really just be part of that rhythm.

Maybe try free schooling him over some fences, see how he does it himself?
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yeah the 70cm was the one i mentioned in particular cos i was really miffed he knocked it down, just stupidness. we were doing 80/90 straights and spreads and he was still being so careless. just makes me mad when everyone elses make it look so easy and i feel like i have the dopey horse who seems to think the aim of the game is to hit every single pole
 
When you say 'threw himself at the fences' what exactly does he do?

I don't belive that you can 'make' a horse better at jumping .... but I do believe that you can improve their technique and interest.
 
Yes... Fergs used to flop over fences like this...

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Then he learnt to "jump jet" over them...

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Now he mostly jumps in vaguely normal fashion, takes a reasonable stride and doesn't feel like he's flopping over it.

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And the main thing that's changed is getting the canter...
 
Yes, but I think you need a very experienced instructor to guide you when they're like that. Reg had no technique, and now really jumps nicely at 1m/1.05m, so it can be done. But without her instructors Al would still be where you are now.
 
Of course you can but if you are not experianced you will good help on the ground .
My seven year old arrived at five with it seemed no idea that he could affect whether he hit the fences or not how he's sharp and athletic and improving all the time .
 
No expert op and don't take this the wrong way but canter in vid is not good, you need to establish a forward going rhythmic uphill canter. Of course horse is going to knock if good rhythm not in place and if pace goes from canter to trot couple strides out you cant blame him for knocking. Get the canter established on the flat first and the rest will follow!
 
Well, i'm riding a lovely cob at riding club, and we have all the small jumps down. Riding instructor said from day one(4 weeks ago), that poles were not his strong point. He only has him 5 weeks. As the jumps went up tonight, he jumped much better, he's amazing cross country, and small poles were beneath him. If you have the confidence to put him over bigger fences, he might just surprise you.
 
my horse is always knocking poles down! but i know he can jump as he has been round the National course at Aintree no problem! its just style of jumping with him as he has been taught to brush through jumps. maybe your horse is a bit bored, have you tried Xcountry as that might brighten his jumping attitude up. or if he is lazy with his backend maybe gridwork would help?
 
You need to go back to basics.
His canter is very flat and lifeless, what's his trot like?

Lots of transistions through all gaits to get him listening, sharper of the leg. Just focusing on the canter isn't going to help if the walk and trot are also lazy, you need to get him to give you a active walk and trot too.
Also a exercise I was taught was trot ten strides canter ten strides trot, it really gets them off the leg and moving into canter properly.

If you have hills that you can get to I would trot up them a few times a week as that helps ours with there balance and canter no end.

Then add poles, trot and canter then raise them at the ends. But not before you have the above sorted.

Hope this all makes sense, I'm recovering from a cold so brain still fuzzy!
Ps fox is lovely!!
 
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IMO every horse, like every human, has a talent at something. For some it is jumping, for some it is herding, for others it is being a confidence builder....if you want to jump and he doesn't then you need to pass him on to someone who wants to do what he enjoys doing. Otherwise change what you want to do to suit his talents....but jumping ability can easily be destroyed in a horse by progressing too quickly and overfacing them....
 
My horse is exactly like this, she either knocks it down with her feet, occasionally pawing it down if I'm not on the ball, walking over it, then reversing to paw at the poles some more... Other times she jumps with her front end then smashes it down with her back end, not a care in the world! I have found doing some in hand has helped a bit (lunging is also difficult) Basically she has no respect for poles, big wooden ones, like at all... She would be better when she is out as she has much the same attitude to any work really... It's difficult enough to get her to trot in hand at home, its a work in progress ;-)

I think the reason is quite simply 'don't have to - won't!'

I am going to try some logs sometime but I don't really fancy finding out she is as careless over those...
 
If you are not having regular lessons I would look at finding a good instructor who will help you. At the end of the day as long as he is not in pain there is no reason why he should not be perfectly capable of clearing those fences with feet to spare. He is either taking the pee or he needs to go back to basics. A good instructor will help you work out which option it is!!!
 
My cob makes a funny shape over smaller fences often knocking them down, put them up a bit and she flies over them and makes a better shape.
Try it :)
 
I've posted many a time over my fence basher! We've gone from bashing 2ft poles to bashing at British Novice/Discovery level! He'll still always has one or two but he's so brave and honest he isn't scared of anything, including poles lol! He's improved no end as his flat work has improved and I've got a fab instructor who without I wouldn't be affiliating him. When loose jumping or doing xc he won't touch one, but the little sod knows he can knock them down when I'm on him, he always just taps them with a toe as well, this is why I've persevered with him for so long.
I'd get a good instructor, do lots of flat work, grid work and pole work and go from there.
(Or learn to love dressage lol)
 
I'm no expert but he doesn't look engaged and the canter is very flat.

If he were mine I'd scratch the jumping for a few weeks and focus on getting him more forward and engaged doing lots of indirect and direct transitions, circles, serpentine's changes of rein and basic dressage movements, shoulder in/leg yielding on a 20m circle.

Then I'd build up and do LOTS of pole work, on a circle, down centre line, on the 3/4 line. Slowly building up to raised poles.

Then I'd build up to small grids to really get him thinking about what he's doing and slowly build it up.

I'd also do lots of hacking and make lots of transitions up/down hills to build up his back end. You could pop small logs while out to keep him interested.

I think most importantly it's about getting a decent canter to start with.. It's not a quick fix solution but I'm sure you'll find it loads easier!! I hope that helps :)
 
thanks guys! yeah i agree his canter is flat, it is hard getting the work in with him right enough as i have a sharer and we both have different styles!

will sit and have a chat with her though about what all of you have said, getting him interested to work in the school at all is a challenge so we shall see how it goes!
 
weesophz said:
thanks guys! yeah i agree his canter is flat, it is hard getting the work in with him right enough as i have a sharer and we both have different styles!

will sit and have a chat with her though about what all of you have said, getting him interested to work in the school at all is a challenge so we shall see how it goes!
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My lami finds school work hard if he has had time off so I hack hack and hack. Get transistions, impulsion all going out on hacks. Six weeks later I start back in the school and he feels so different. Might've worth a go to do your schooling on his hacks so its out doors and fun.
 
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