Free jumping/jumping lane?

[Dry Rot]

I am interested in any form of training where the pony learns by itself. For example, placing "scary things" (flags, balloons, etc) nearer and nearer their feed so they become desensitised without any other human input. The obvious progression from that is to place obstacles on the approach to the feed so they are encouraged to jump. I've used the basic idea to cure several phobias in bought in ponies and it does work.

I trained a young horse in a similar way. I'd take him out into the forestry where there were a lot of fallen trees, turn him loose, and then I'd start to walk home by clambering through the trees! Rather than be left alone, he'd negotiate his way through the trees to follow me, learning about obstacles and jumping at the same time. He went on to be a great horse!

My critics tell me all I'll teach my ponies is to jump out of the field. Others say they will learn bad habits, though I can't see what or how! What do you think? I'm sure someone must have tried it.

I'm also interested in building a jumping lane where an unmounted horse is encouraged to run between two fences with various jumps at intervals. But I think here the horse is given the option of going over the jump or going around one side. But I don't know as I can't find any information on the subject.

 

[JFTDWS]

Free jumping lanes are very common in training sports horses and selling youngstock and I think they even have free jumping competitions...

[youtube]qCSv6Yzykiw[/youtube]

[youtube]EFjGZEuaOk0[/youtube]

two random videos off youtube of complex grids designed to allow the hrose to find its own stride and improve its form without the help (or hinderance) of a rider.

Keep meaning to set one up to run D down!

 

[Patterdale]

I wouldn't set up a jumping lane where the horse has the chance to run around though, as surely that will just teach it to run out?

 

[dafthoss]

I lunge mine over scarey stuff, dont have the facilities to do it loose but its making the confirmed wimp braver and he seems to really enjoy it. He doesnt do loose schooling though, thinks its a great game to run up and slam the breaks on in the last stride then run as fast as he can in the other direction .

 

[Dry Rot]

I wouldn't set up a jumping lane where the horse has the chance to run around though, as surely that will just teach it to run out?

Some interesting replies to this one!

My answer to the above is a straight forward, "I don't know". I was told teaching a dog to hunt by putting out food would teach it to eat what it found, but it didn't. So I don't think what might at first appear to be logical to us humans is necessarily so. The whole idea behind this type of training is that the animal is given the opportunity to do what it wants. I'd have thought that it might be counter productive to give no option but to jump. I'd prefer they did it because they wanted to.

Off to look at jftd's video.

Thanks everybody!

 

[TinselTurkey]

this has nothing to do with the OP question but the dun (I think haha) on the second video is gorgeous!

 

[Dry Rot]

I think they are all gorgeous! (Almost as nice as Highland ponies!).

Yes, the videos are really interesting, jftd. I was thinking the lane had to be in a circle, like a race track, but those look a lot easier to construct. No escape lane either, so I got that wrong.

 

[Sportyspots]

Struggling to stay awake at work so will attempt posting a Vidio link. If it works this is my youngster. When I went to view him he was un handled so breeder let him loose in school, just as I was thinking he had out and out dressage paces and would I get bored of dressage he very neatly jumped out! At home he's popped 3 strands of electric fence attached to the mains (this was before i started loose jumping him) but if the Vidio works my school has boards barely 4' high and he's never even attempted them.

above first attempt and below second or third time down jumping lane

I shall be mega pressed if this has worked as useless with IT! By the way my school is the normal 20x40.
Anyway one quick word of advise is I've had the odd horse which panics and decides to do a jumping lane as fast as possible in which case stop as they just won't learn anything in that frame of mind!
Loose jumped my other horse regularly (and concentrated a lot on establishing basic flatwork), didn't do a lot of ridden jumping till this year when I affiliated him, 3 months on he's won almost £200 (actual not notational) so I do think it works.
Let us know if you try how you get on. Good luck

 

[Sportyspots]

Told you I was useless at IT sorry! Really should be concentrating on breaking work computers rather than working out how to post to you tube which is what I think I need to do as Vidio via photo bucket doesn't seem to work!!!! At least not in my hands!

 

[Mince Pie]

Here's a video of my mare loose schooling, I think it's brilliant but she is still wary of coloured poles so I have to walk her through a lane of poles on the floor first and then build up to jumps.
[youtube]Xzg_Fg8AeQA&list=UUavMRnWnnUkAUvIb65aV84g&index=1&feature=plcp[/youtube]

 

[Dry Rot]

The caption says it all. First pony simply walked through. I don't think they are meant to do that! My mistake for putting it where there is usually an electric gate. I'll try again tomorrow!

"You think we are sodding steeplechasers??"

 

[JFTDWS]

this has nothing to do with the OP question but the dun (I think haha) on the second video is gorgeous!

Duncan, the youtube legend...

[youtube]HnBNif7WbJI[/youtube]

Sorry, OT!


Who's at the front in that pic, Morrich? Bet it's a thuggish filly

 

[Copperpot]

I do this sometimes. Build a lane, but I don't give him an escape route. He jumps and then heads back round to go again anyway, they soon get the hang of it.

Trying to "teach" him not to take off sooo early - epic fail!

 

[Princess Jess]

I have to say its not something I've ever actually seen used, but I really like the idea of allowing the horse to choose to jump and for it to work out strides etc. by itself.
Obviously dependent on the horse but I think it could work well to encourage a horse to enjoy jumping and be a bit more confident over fences

 

[Dry Rot]

That's Morrich Kelpie, subject of the "How tall will she be?" thread on here. She is about 14HH now at 24 months. I have great expectations for Kelpie. Her mum is Kinkell Breagha (remember the thread, "Should I go and see this mare?").

I had the owner of Breagh's sire here the other day who said her mum (Breagha's, i.e. Broadshade Bramble) was "fast". I assume that means speedy.... Dad is my stallion Josethdene (pic below). But it is Kelpie's character that got my attention. She is bold, without being pushy, if you know what I mean. I think she could be a great one in the right hands (if she ever decides to jump!).

Josethdene:

 

[Dry Rot]

First attempt was a disaster. First pony simply walked through the jump, second leant as far as she dared, third didn't bother! My first mistake was putting the jump in a gate way usually closed with an electric gate. I'll try harder tomorrow, I promise. Of course, 12 inches could be too high for a Highland, but then uncle Fergs......

The caption says it all, really:

"What do you think we are? Sodding steeple chasers?"