Canter preparation before a jump...

[cheekywelshie]

If your horse is slightly behind the leg and runs out of steam quickly, would you do transitions and then canter the corner before turning down the line before the jump - or several corners before? I can get him into a canter but if I do it say in the 2nd corner before the jump he flattens - if I do it the 1st he may keep the canter over the jump and not flatten but it may not be energetic - the problem is if i ask for canter at the other end of the school i feel like i end up driving him/over-riding towards the fence as he flattens. I have had different lessons with different instructors recently and one says get him going as early as possible and the other is trying to stop me overriding so asks me to ask for canter not too far away from the fence. WHich is leaving me a bit confused! He is a keen jumper but i am still working on his fitness and the canter still needs a lot of work.

Any thoughts?

 

[ellie_e]

Jump in trot?

 

[BillyBob-Sleigh]

I would personally work on the canter on the flat first to build up his fitness and balance. As mentioned above stick to jumping in trot and grid work and once he has built up his fitness he should have more energy and find it easier to keep a nice bouncy, rhythmical canter going.

 

[Dukey]

I would personally work on the canter on the flat first to build up his fitness and balance. As mentioned above stick to jumping in trot and grid work and once he has built up his fitness he should have more energy and find it easier to keep a nice bouncy, rhythmical canter going.

As above. Lots of pole work will help too. If you can set out lots of different pole exercises; canter poles and trot poles, some long some tight some raised etc etc. And do lots of transitions. This should greatly improve the canter.

 

[EmmasMummy]

Yup, you need to get your canter more bouncy like a ball - well to be able to get that when asked.

So stick to trot, and work of getting canter flatwork going and getting that boucey ball canter when you ask for it, then transfer it to the fences.

Also, and yes I know this may sound like a short cut. If horse reacts to spurs, use a pair BUT, only put them on and do some walk work in them, and if they work him up a wee bit, take them off and see if your leg aid is sharper then see if that helps the keeness and canter.

I did this and after a while we were able to trigger the bouncey canter from a steady canter when I needed it a few strides before the jumps.