Ex racer crashing into fences

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

I tried to lunge my 4 year old ex racer over jumps today and she just kept crashing through them or stopping. Is this normal? They were small cross poles.

Also she is reluctant to trot on the left rein on the lunge but trots great on the right?

 

[TheMule]

No, it's not normal, and it's not a nice introduction to jumping for a young ex-racehorse.
I suggest you get in experienced help asap

 

[ycbm]

No, it's not normal. I've found them to be natural jumpers. The only ex racer I've ever seen do that was mine, who turned out to have arthritis in the whole bottom half of his neck.

It's also more usual to like lunging to the left and dislike lunging to the right, possibly because of how horses use their eyes to evaluate things.

I would consider getting your horse looked at by a vet.
.

 

[Abacus]

Not all horses naturally understand jumping and she sounds confused. Discounting any medical issues there are a few ways to encourage a natural jump. These include following another horse (ridden), loose jumping off the lunge (preferably on a lane) but first, starting more gently with pole work. This will help her to understand initially to go over the poles by picking her feet up, and later she will more naturally opt to move over them as they get a little higher. You don’t say if you have used poles yet with her but from what you do say it sounds as though you might be rushing her a bit in asking her to jump.

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

Yes we have done poles and raised poles

 

[Barton Bounty]

If they are only small cross poles, have you tried leading her over it?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

What is she like ridden the right? Not liking the right rein can be a sign of ulcers, amongst other things. Any reason your not riding her over the jumps? If they are small ask her to walk over them , then a steady trot so she has time to see the jumps.

 

[JBM]

I took a lunge line and first walked barry over cross poles (small ones) then we both trotted and he started to get the picture after some awkward leg movements
He’s happier to understand they’re not scarey when I jump over them first and gives him a general idea ?
No clue if that’s the right way but worked for me and him! I see him as a visual learner
He’s much better now! Tho sometimes still thinks they’re scary so sticking to walk and trot rn so he can evaluate them

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

What is she like ridden the right? Not liking the right rein can be a sign of ulcers, amongst other things. Any reason your not riding her over the jumps? If they are small ask her to walk over them , then a steady trot so she has time to see the jumps.

She’s only young and I wanted her to get used to jumps without me on her. She’s only iffy with the right rein on the lunge - more reluctant to trot basically.

 

[Abacus]

If she isn't moving forward freely on the lunge, I wouldn't lunge yet. She might not be strong enough and lunging is quite high impact. I don't really like it much at any stage of training except for specific reasons, like to warm up a very reactive horse or to teach a novice on board. Personally I would rather ride, ideally in a big enough space that you can do much larger circles.

* this assumes no physical problems and just lack of strength, greenness.

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

She is fairly weak, as I got her off the track 6 months ago but she was in the field for a few of those months. I was told by a professional that lunging would be good for her to encourage bending. But if others disagree with lunging, I’ll stick to riding her or doing in hand poles

 

[Abacus]

She is fairly weak, as I got her off the track 6 months ago but she was in the field for a few of those months. I was told by a professional that lunging would be good for her to encourage bending. But if others disagree with lunging, I’ll stick to riding her or doing in hand poles

I'm no professional and won't claim to know more than the person you spoke to. Do you have a visiting instructor who can give you an opinion?

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

I'm no professional and won't claim to know more than the person you spoke to. Do you have a visiting instructor who can give you an opinion?

Yes there’s a regular lesson instructor at the yard that I could ask

 

[LEC]

I have just found my notes from a forum I attended on retraining racers and they never recommend lunging as can’t cope.

https://fb.watch/fHW68VhqyG/

 

[xDundryx]

I had the same outcome as YCBM. ex racer just would not jump between crashing into them/through them to really dirty stops. He had DJD of the neck with several fused vertebrae. Obviously that's worst case scenario but something to consider. Also ensuring your ex racer is strong enough to cope with the work you're asking.

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

I have just found my notes from a forum I attended on retraining racers and they never recommend lunging as can’t cope.

https://fb.watch/fHW68VhqyG/

Very interesting. Thank you - I’ll ditch the lunging

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

Btw when I say crashing through, it’s was like she tried to step over it as she would a raised pole. Its like she doesnt know where her feet are/how to use them

 

[Gallop_Away]

When in training did she run over fences or just on the flat?
Get a vet to check her just to be safe and then if nothing flags up, take her back to basics with trotting poles and slowly raise them and give her a lead from another horse.
I've also found youngsters tend to respond better jumping natural obstacles out hacking.
My pony is not a fan of jumping cross poles, as he seems to find it terribly dull. Out hacking or hunting he will jump any log, ditch or stone wall (not recommending you fling her at a stone wall btw, but the odd small log or small ditch)
Tb's tend to make beautiful jumpers ime, though some take to it better than others.

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

She was just a flat racer.

I might start doing trot poles/raised trot poles under saddle and slowly raise them up. We have some good logs to jump near us which are only small so might give her a pop.

Having read a few articles online, what she did does seem to happen to some youngsters so I will take it back a few steps and build up again.

Just for my own interest, what age to people jump their ex racers? Say if they came out of training as a 3 or 4 year old.

 

[AmyMay]

Have you ever had a vet check on her since you bought her?

 

[lovelyfrenchie3000]

Yes - she was 5 stage vetted when I bought her with no issues, regular physio and the vet checked her over when he came to do her teeth last

 

[AmyMay]

Yes - she was 5 stage vetted when I bought her with no issues, regular physio and the vet checked her over when he came to do her teeth last

So she’s good to crack on with, and I’d get some help off a good instructor.

 

[Ouch05]

I didn't jump my flat racer until he was five then only small. But I do take my horses really slowly

 

[Carrottom]

I have had a few ex flat racers to teach to jump and a show jumping trainer is invaluable in my opinion. I do a little in hand pole work in walk first so hopefully they won't explode if they touch a pole.
I find a trainer can see from the ground what is happening if things don't quite go right.e.g. one rather gangly horse struggled initially to finish his jump, I would have been concerned, but he changed the exercise and by the end of the lesson the horse was jumping a small cross pole.