Getting a horse to lock on and focus on a fence

[charleysummer]

I have real trouble getting my pony to concentrate on jumping the fence, she will jump fab but doesnt put the effort in- I try to help her out as much as possible but she just goes in to the fence without changing her stride to jump and if the stride isnt right then she ducks out at the last minute, if i collect her up to shorten the strides she looses impulsion and just backs off the fence (literally slows down and stops a metre infront!) She does jump very nicely and well when shes on the ball, got her confidence up and striding comes right by luck

Once she's refused one time it's hopeless getting her over it because she just goes up without intention of jumping (no matter how much vocals you use, and with a tap of the whip she just goes up to the jump to refuse and not go over!) She will eventually pop it after about 10 refusals and lowering the height (although its only 2'6 anyway) then jump fine again without hesitance at the same height- she just looses confidence after the first refusal and then gives up on it! I need that fast , powerful and bouncy canter that you hold back then release 2 strides before the fence but just can't get it.

How do i start tackling the problem! I know it's a big influence of mine because I loose faith in her and she's learnt that refuse once, refuse always - but now even boosting my confidence and pushing her on doesn't always work, she'd been happily jumping 3ft courses and i'd been so careful not to overface her. I'm just at a loss because I don't want repeated sessions of refusals and possible last minute jumps that upset her. I've took the height down to 1ft but small jumps are rubbish, she just ambles over any how so up at 2ft.

 

[LEC]

Very hard to know without looking at video of this happening. It could be that your position is the cause in that you are too forwards, it could be that your idea of a good canter is wrong, it could be that she is trying it on or she has something that is causing her pain. There are endless possibilities so my advice would be to find a really good trainer - get several recommendations and see what they advise. You are better to spend money on a good trainer than in anything else IME.

 

[kerryflower]

I think you need to work on getting the right canter and maintaining it to the fence without looking for a stride. My instructor did a great exercise with me to help me with this and it was placing 4 poles at 12 o clock, quarter past, half past, and quarter to on a 20m circle or slightly bigger (I found it easier on a bigger circle to start with). Canter around the circle being careful to maintain the canter up to and over th epoles. Then gradually increase height of the poles and keep working on the circle only concentrating on maintaining a good active rhythm. I was always told that the canter should remain the same right up to the point of take off. When you say you "release the canter in last two strides", if she is naturally forward going, by rreleasing" control of your canter she may lose confidence, or impulsion, and thus run out or stop. Maybe try to really ride a goodm positive and active canter right up until take off and allow her to find the take off for you. If you present her to a fence in a consistent and good quality canter then she should have little reason to refuse. Perhaps put some guide poles up on sides initially to discourage her from runnig out?

 

[MandyMoo]

as others have said, there may be numerous issues i.e. confidence, pain, or a misunderstanding on either your part or the horses.

if there are no pain issues (back, teeth, saddle, bit etc) then i would do as others have said and get a good instructor to stand on the floor and be able to see what you're doing. I suspect it is your canter, balance and rhythm that are off and causing the issues. keep a forward but contained canter, keep the rhythm and don't fiddle and the stride should come nicely

best of luck!

 

[charleysummer]

Thankyou, I know it is a very open question and ask for advice, as there are so many possibilities- it is very much a mutual thing, when we are both on the ball it is fine but then one of us looses focus/ confidence and we fall to peices! Some exercises to help would be good like mentioned above thank you I will give it a go. She is energetic but quite chilled out in her flatwork- used to be a very hyper pony but I ditched jumping for ages to try and get her to chill in canter instead of being quite fast and excitable (she jumped fab then!) now she's all in to collection and extension of the canter and seems to be quite happy on the ground lol- doesn't seem to notice there is a jump infront of her a lot of the time and just canters at it rather than with the intention to get over it. I think i'd find it usefull to get a video so I'll get one on weds as giving her a day off tomorrow as don't want to over do it. Finding a decent instructor is so tricky i'll have an ask about

 

[MandyMoo]

Thankyou, I know it is a very open question and ask for advice, as there are so many possibilities- it is very much a mutual thing, when we are both on the ball it is fine but then one of us looses focus/ confidence and we fall to peices! Some exercises to help would be good like mentioned above thank you I will give it a go. She is energetic but quite chilled out in her flatwork- used to be a very hyper pony but I ditched jumping for ages to try and get her to chill in canter instead of being quite fast and excitable (she jumped fab then!) now she's all in to collection and extension of the canter and seems to be quite happy on the ground lol. I think i'd find it usefull to get a video so I'll get one on weds as giving her a day off tomorrow as don't want to over do it.

as you say, she is quite hyper and energetic with her jumping - and sometimes you both lose confidence. i would therefore suggest (if everything is ok re:tack, back, teeth etc) that maybe grids would be useful?? As the placing poles and perfect striding would encourage you both to feel confident as you will be hitting the fences right.. but also the placing poles up to and throughout the grid would slow your pony down as they will have to in order to fit the poles!! just work on maintaining a rhythmical canter, don't speed up towards the fences, just keep the canter balanced and forward, with a nice light contact and your leg to the pony's sides to keep them confident

best of luck!!

 

[kerilli]

as said above, there are loads of variables which might be causing this, so the only answer is a really good, patient, experienced, local instructor to help you out regularly.
having said which, two things you've said rang alarm bells: "i try to help her out as much as i can" and "I need that fast , powerful and bouncy canter that you hold back then release 2 strides before the fence but just can't get it."
Firstly, i might be interpreting the first quote wrongly, but with a lot of horses, the more you do, the less they do. she can't "own the fence" (take responsibility for it, as she would if she was loose jumping) if you are doing a lot. All you need to do (ha, i know, sound easy but isn't always!) is get her straight, balanced, and with enough impulsion to jump what you're aiming her at. the rest is her job. it's her body, her legs... however accurate you may or may not be, you cannot tell her how high to jump, she HAS to use her brain and her judgement!
if you can find somewhere, loose jumping her would really tell you a lot about her, and about what might be causing this.
the second thing you said worries me more. this sounds very much like hoiking her together then firing her at the fence. most horses don't exactly love this.
as long as the fences aren't big, you don't need to worry about 'seeing a stride' yet. get a good canter in a good rhythm, not hoiked together and not flat, and let the fence come to you. that's it. honestly.
fwiw, as for getting the horse 'owning a fence', i have something i do, but it doesn't work with ducker-outers (they need straightening out first) or rushers. but IF you have a horse who is straight and honest, happy to be channelled straight by the legs and not need last-moment rein corrections to prevent naughtiness(!), and who stays in the rhythm, then i find that going into the fence and repeatedly softening both hands forwards a tiny bit (if you can, without the horse opening the stride to the fence and mucking up your distance!), is like saying "there's the fence, over to you, it's your job, i'm not dominating you, sort it out"... does that make sense?
hope that helps a little bit, she does sound tricky. i'd try to ride something easier as well if you can, to help your confidence.