developing technique over a fence..?

MandyMoo

MandyMoo

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just wondering (i know i post a lot on this subject..sorry) but i have now got Dani jumping confidently around 80cm ish courses, and am planning to start british novie within this next month with him... but before i do that i am now really trying to crack on with his jumping technique with grid work.

yesterday i did some bounces with him and short one stride to try and get him to pick up/bascule etc etc is this kindof the right thing to be doing with him to really get him to snap up/use his muscles/reduce flatness? should i, on fence approach, check him a bit more to try and get him sitting on his hocks a bit more in order to get a better jump?

any ideas would be great
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as he does have a flattening tendancy over a fence, so im trying to develop his technique a bit.

thanks in advance
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xxx
 
Gridwork is really good for developing technique. I've got a 6yr old ISH and we've had to do lots of work on developing her technique.
Have done loads of gridwork with her. Some of the grids we had done which have helped have been:
Bounce and then 1 stride to an oxer (making the one stride after the bounce quite short really helps them to make a good shape over the oxer as they have to shorten and sit on their hocks.
Another good grid exercise we have done is upright - one stride - oxer - one stride - upright...again making the one stride distances shorter than at a competition.
We have also used the A frame exercise with her as she had a tendency (not so much anymore) to not snap up in front quickly enough.
A placing pole before and after the fence often helps them to bascule and think about their striding to and away from the fence and stops them rushing and flattening
She is a lot better now though and rarely touches a fence, she used to have 1 or 2 down every showjumping round and now she is jumping double clear round 1m courses
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I hope some of this helps
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i was going to say gridwork too. even just 2 fences, first small (1 foot ish, a wall filler is ideal) that you can use as a 'placing fence' then 1 stride (normal or possibly very slightly short) to an ascending oxer, that you can make bigger/wider/squarer as necessary, and/or bring ground pole out a bit if necessary to get horse to come up off floor slightly better. with the first fence there as a guarantee that you will get to the 2nd right (99 times out of 100 anyway) you can get the 2nd one bigger and make it more physically testing, and work towards riding forward to a nice deep spot that makes him use himself etc.
hope that helps a bit.
 
[ QUOTE ]
i was going to say gridwork too. even just 2 fences, first small (1 foot ish, a wall filler is ideal) that you can use as a 'placing fence' then 1 stride (normal or possibly very slightly short) to an ascending oxer, that you can make bigger/wider/squarer as necessary, and/or bring ground pole out a bit if necessary to get horse to come up off floor slightly better. with the first fence there as a guarantee that you will get to the 2nd right (99 times out of 100 anyway) you can get the 2nd one bigger and make it more physically testing, and work towards riding forward to a nice deep spot that makes him use himself etc.
hope that helps a bit.

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this sort of thing?? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4vYsAUEUD0&feature=player_embedded

with the placing jump(s) to a spread that can be changed etc
??

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all great advice love grid work. In general remember for the front end that no matter what exercises you are doing always try and put in another stride rather and go on a long one. Short and deep to get them in the air.
For the backend technique, well all you can do is make sure you stay forward long enough for them to throw away..the rest is what they have naturally. The lower the head over the fence,.....the higher the backend can get.

Don't try and clear the fences in training....almost try and catch them out, let the horse do the clearing part. If you as the rider try and clear it all the time in training & protect them, they will not learn for themselves.
have fun and reap the rewards
 
thanks everyone
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(just to clarify, he isnt a young horse...he is 12, BUT was very green when we bought him as he hadnt done much...and then he had his ligament injury so im bringing him back from that and trying to get him to develop the correct muscles etc)

thanks for tips guys
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xxx
 
lots of grid work but i wouldnt mess with the horse too much in front of a grid its all about them working it all out for em selves and just letting them get on with it, the only time u might shorten is if your too long to the grid itself!!!
 
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