Getting a horse to make a better shape over a fence.

[PoppyAnderson]

Another exercise you can try is this (it's complicated to explain but I'll give it a shot). Set up 2 upright fences with 1 stride inbetween. The 2nd jump should be a parrallel. Jump through as normal a couple of times. Then, bring the 2nd fence a touch closer and raise the 1st pole (of the 2nd fence) a notch. Jump through. Then, make the 2nd fence further away (than the original distance) and make the jump ascending. Keep playing around with the distances and heights but always this same principle - shorter stride inbetween fences = 1st pole of 2nd jump higher. Longer stride inbetween - 2nd pole of 2nd jump higher. Theory is that it makes the horse think for itself and adjust it's own stride and shape over a jump. Couple of cautionary points though. Make sure there's a competent jockey onboard. Take it slowly at first, as it's a little bit mean on the horse and asking it a tough question, so be as fair as poss. Watch the safety aspect, as a higher front pole is deceptive and can take a horse unawares. It doesn't half make them snap up their front legs though and conversley, really stretch out and push themselves to clear.

 

[TarrSteps]

Just out of interest what does the physio say? Have his hocks been x rayed before? He looks a careful horse and like he enjoys the job so just wondering if everything has been looked at just to rule out. I know a lot of people go blah blah blah about physical when the horse is being naughty but I have a horse who is fine at PN but at novice he was really found out with the weaknesses in his canter due to hocks. I saw one yesterday who had identical symptoms to my horse and was a weak sjer due to difficulties in the canter.

I think LEC has a real point of consideration. I know LOTS of horses that I KNOW are not technically sound but continue to jump/compete at a fairly high level through a combination of compensation and having above average ability in the first place. In many cases these horses have to be allowed to do things "their way" - even incorrectly - because that's the only way they can get the job done, at least up to a point. Whether this is "right" or not is infinitely debatable but sometimes these horses can be "changed", sometimes they can't and the act of trying to change them can break them. I think a lot of horses that are labelled "quirky" actually DO have underlying physical issues (of various types) but have learned to cope with them. (I know a horse that won nearly £100k racing last year with an arthritic neck fracture - only found after masses of tests -, many horses that jump 1m+ classes with hocks that look like they're filled with gravel, a horse doing dressage with rotated pedal bones etc etc . . . it's amazing what you find when you go looking sometimes, it's just that people tend not to look if the horse is doing the job.)

I can't say for the OPs horse, I haven't seen it, haven't sat on it.

Jumping exercises can help but there is a limit. In the photos he isn't really making a "nice shape", he's just softer in the neck. Maybe it IS his style to jump flat. (How does he jump loose? With another rider? In another saddle?) That may or may not be related to the ridability/contact issue though. The fact is, if he "has" to jump off a specific distance in order not to have the pole and he won't let you ride to that distance . . . .it's a bit of a problem.

Out of curiosity, what does your trainer recommend? It sounds like you're using someone very experienced so I'd guess the standard approaches have been tried. What's worked and what hasn't?

How does the horse go for someone else? How do other horses go for that rider? (I'm not trying to imply offence but when you're looking for solutions you do have to consider all the variables. )

If his canter is ridable and round the rest of the time, what happens when you jump then? (Does he wear the same tack?) What if you school the canter in a "dressage" way, then jump a few jumps from that canter? How does the rider produce the good canter for dressage and how does that differ from how he has to ride him over fences?

 

[Ella Bella]

There very well may be an underlying physical issue. Regardless tho, the horse cannot jump any better than he is currently if his approach isn't ironed out. How can he possibly jump round out of an inverted, strung-out stride? Fix the ground work, improve the quality of canter and control of the hind end........his jump will undoubtedly improve!

 

[charlie76]

had back, hocks ect xrayed. He is just a difficult horse both under saddle and in the stable