Freejump collar: do you think it would help me?

[daveismycat]

Yes you can! I've gone from a Friesian to an ISH with a massive jump. Have hit the deck twice and done my back in twice, but with lots of lessons and practice we are getting there

Glad to hear you're getting there, gives me hope!! She's such a lovely kind horse, I just need to learn how to ride her. Tricky after spending the last 8 years only riding nothing but my cob!

One thing I can never understand is why manufactures show off their product on a horse the same colour as the product - would be much easier to see what it is if the horse were a white grey! I was looking at the Equi ami the other day and couldn't see a thing - the horse was the same colour as the equipment!

Daft isn't it!?

I have a large one which if you wanted to try it before you buy, let AF know and sure we can sort something out.

Thanks. I've actually borrowed a Micklem before as she went through a very fussy contact phase. It didn't seem to make much difference, and she's now happier in a Neue Schule.

I thought the OP was asking about ways to steady her hand and more easily stay with her young horse when it over jumps or has an athletic moment, which sounds more neckstrap territory.

Hit the nail on the head, thanks for your input.

I was intrigued, and I found this picture of one in use:
You could probably get the same effect by extending the neckstrap bit of a running martingale (or adding a longer second one).

I have been thinking about it and will try and magic something up with the kit I already have before parting with my cash. But I think I like the principle.

Thanks so much everyone for the input. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[daveismycat]

Sorry nothing to add about the gadget, but your posts make me smile as your girl is the spitting image of my boy. (Same sire I recall) I have the opposite problem with him fast, flat and careless! X

Anshan??

They have a certain stamp don't they? She didn't have the best proprioception to start with, she can literally fall over trotting poles. She loves her jumping though, which is lovely after riding a stopper.

 

[Bubley898]

Yes Anshan, he has the same face markings. I'm the same after having a stopper, he never stops just a bit kamikaze sometimes. X

 

[daveismycat]

Yes Anshan, he has the same face markings. I'm the same after having a stopper, he never stops just a bit kamikaze sometimes. X

Haha, know the feeling, as demonstrated in my youtube video on the first page!!

 

[showpony]

Op here is my tuppence worth!
Ive a 5 yr old ISH, incredible scope jumps 1m 45 when being freeschooled!
She is very enthusiastic about jumping & last year got jumped out of saddle many times, from her over jumping , going on a long stride etc... plenty of times went out the side door! Final straw was 3mths ago where we did a yard show & she hooned about the place & I said enough was enough.
So my instructor has been schooling her over fences the past few weeks, and the difference is incredible! I needed someone experienced to help me with her.
I can now CONFIDENTLY deal with her over a course etc & to think its been as easily fixed as easily as having a super experience person help.

She wears a martingale which tbh is just there as a Physcological thing for me as a " Safety Strap" I read something on HHO Mths ago about putting a ribbon 1/3 of the way up the horses neck so I tend to focus on getting my hands there & keeping my lower leg in a good position so no matter what she " Throws" I dont get left behind.

 

[Tnavas]

26 years in NZ and I've developed the 'If you can't get it here then try and make one'

One elasticated breast girth

Ask saddler to sew a leather strap to it with D's at both ends, find a spare rein and have saddler attach a billet/buckle to the other end as well.

Put together and you have a Free Jump collar. However I personally would prefer an old stirrup leather halfway up the neck with instruction to pupil " Reach for your neck strap" - encourages rider to move hands forward and release.

If the rider is not able to move hands forward then much work needs to be done on their jumping position - if it's in balance then they can move hands freely - if not then hands will get stuck at the whither.

 

[Countrychic]

I have a huge jumping mare that I really struggled with. She's a chunky 16.2 and I'm a petite 5'3. In addition to this she feels the need to jump every fence as if she's at the olympics! She jumps about 1.60 then kicks out as she's midair. Good news is after about 18 months I'm used to it and barely notice it. Just wanted to add though what helped me the most was a saddle change. It's a weird saddle designed by my trainer made by exscelle. It makes you ride quite long and has big knee rolls but not high big more long like a dressage saddle. the difference that made was amazing. The other thing that helped me was some advice from measles, I pm'd her when I saw pictures of Parker as he reminded me of my mare and she told me they found if they rode him forward it lessened the leaping. I didn't manage to implement this advice at first because she used to buck on landing and the bit wasn't strong enough so I wasn't positive enough to ride forwards but when I finally did it really worked.

 

[mandwhy]

That looks interesting and expensive! I like Tnavas' homemade idea! I was thinking along the lines of a breastplate with extra bit.

I have only just started jumping crosspoles with my girl and I haven't jumped in years, I don't want to let go of her mane until I get used to balancing a bit, happily her mane is so huge and the jumps are so small it doesn't mess with my hands!

 

[burtie]

What's wrong with an old stirrup leather as a neck strap attached to the saddle D's using an old flash strap? That's what I've done for the last 20 year + of riding young horses. In fact jumped my 10 year old XC in one yesterday!

 

[philamena]

The other thing that helped me was some advice from measles, I pm'd her when I saw pictures of Parker as he reminded me of my mare and she told me they found if they rode him forward it lessened the leaping. I didn't manage to implement this advice at first because she used to buck on landing and the bit wasn't strong enough so I wasn't positive enough to ride forwards but when I finally did it really worked.

THis is really worth remembering. If you're anything like me, the prospect of a massive jump makes you ride a bit more cautiously (self preservation!) whereas someone explained to me how, especially in the inexperienced horse, if you approach a bit underpowered it makes the balloon of the jump much worse because the big jumping horse overcompensates. The more they become accustomed to having the power in the approach to jump the fence easily, the less they'll rely on going up like a helicopter when they get there... and eventually (or quickly depending) they learn that when they listen to how you tell them to approach, life is easier. That's the theory anyway!