exercises to help jumping technique?

[clairestratford]

I'm riding an ex racehorse for a friend at the moment, and he's getting on really well. He's balanced, collected and works in an outline on the flat, and is really enjoying his jumping! The only problem is that his technique needs some work. He has a huge jump, and clears everything by at least a foot, but he does this by jumping huge rather than picking his feet up. Other than that he jumps well, he's bold, adjusts his stride easily and uses his back well. Does anyone know any exercises to teach him to be quicker with his legs?

 

[sportsmansB]

placing poles and grids!!!
I have seen horses who seem to have hardly any technique at all come good with lots of pole and grid work, so if he already enjoys it and has a bit of ability it should make all of the difference!
Its quite good fun too which is a bonus...

 

[MandyMoo]

grids grids grids and more grids..oh and placing poles lol

i would also try putting two poles like a /\ on an oxer/verticle will help him pick up more. and also when you ride up to the fences, try to wait for the deeper stride rather than the flatter long one...this way he will have to snap up a lot quicker to clear the fence and he will learn to do this more.

when he is developed enough, bounces are also pretty good at getting them to pick up their feet. and i would also try doing a row of bounces like cross fences, but with only ne pole on a slant on each fence, alternating which side is high (i can't really explain it very well

) - so you would canter towards the first fence which would have the left side of the pole on te wing and the right side on the floor (start low to start with) and then 3.5-4 human strides away another pole with the right side up on the wing and te left side on the floor, and then the next fence with the left side up, then the next with the right side up...this makes them concentrate, pick up their feet and also makes them use their whole body and back muscles as they will start to ''weave'' almost between te fences. but remember dont do too much bounces at one time as they do strain the forelegs a bit after a while

good luck! xx

 

[kerilli]

the Vee fence as described above works well, but some horses are a bit freaked by it. i like really high crosspoles, with the ends of the poles on the tops of the wings (need to be 5' or 6' wings) and the other end of the pole touching the other wing, depending on length of pole. they really get a horse neat in front, you can do pairs of them together to make a spread too. a grid of them is very good too, esp if you build it with slightly short distances.

 

[Fiona]

I did this grid tonight...

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where the first 3 are trotting poles (4'6), pole to first fence (8'), 1st to 2nd (19') and 2nd to 3rd (22')

These distances are quite short for my mare she she was having to use herself and be quick in front. I didn't do it with crosspoles (too lazy to carry all the poles over) but it would have been better for straightness if I had.

Will try....

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three trot poles to a x pole to a spread, and move the front of the spread inwards making the distance shorter (but the spread wider).

Fiona