Getting deep into fences.. How to correct?

[Michen]

So in October when I first got B I actually pulled him out of a 70cm SJ fence because I was so scared, and could barely jump a cross pole without feeling terrified. We've come a long way since then and are comfortable jumping 70cm SJ/arena eventing comps (even won his class a few weeks ago!) and 80/90cm at home.

The horse is awesome, I am awful. My nerves have improved a lot and I am learning to sit quietly into a fence but obviously I have a long way to go. We went XC schooling last week over tiny rustic fences and he was fab, went to Tweseldown today and not so great.

Basically he is getting really deep into the fences and then jumping them huge. These were all coloured and spookier than last week and he is still green, he hasn't done any XC schooling for a good few years. I don't really know why he's getting deep (he was doing it even when we did the same fence a second time so not spooking at it) as we have a good, forward canter and I am really conscious to give with my hands and not sock him in the mouth (though when he does catapult it inevitably happens sometimes!).

The best fence he went over today was actually a BE90 tiger trap which terrified me but he jumped much better. The ground wasn't ideal and no studs so maybe that wasn't helping?

Any ideas on how I can improve my riding for this as I feel this is most definitely my fault. I'm going to see if my instructor can come and give me an XC lesson. He does get deep at home if the canter isn't forward enough and the fences are bigger but the canter felt good XC so I don't really understand it...

Long winded- sorry!

 

[merlinsquest]

It sounds like he is actually jumping the fences properly, using himself & making a nice shape rather than jumping flat from a longer stride & that you aren't used to this, so its worrying you. I would ask your instructor to help you. I would rather my horse jumped like this than off a long flat stride, but getting deep used to worry me as the jump feels bigger as you have said, now I hate a stride that's a bit off (too far away) An exercise which really helped me was 3 canter poles before the fence, this really helped me to stay in a rhythm & sets you up for the fence, we started tiny & ended up with quite a decent fence but still in the same rhythm. Try not to worry, your horse sounds super & you had fun today & jumped a huge tiger trap, so lots of good stuff! Good luck!

 

[milliepops]

No longer a jumper (apart from diddy things on Kira, hehe) but in general I second the sentiment above - it's probably a better tendency than standing miles off and going on flyers. I see long strides, and I know I'm in the wrong when I do, lol. Have to consciously push for a close one, every time.

You might be onto something about the ground though. Horses will often get underneath fences a bit if they are lacking confidence in their footing. If he tends to get underneath things in an uncomfortable way when you SJ with an underpowered canter, that's a different problem and it sounds like you know how to fix it. Good idea to get an xc lesson, I bet you'll find that really useful

 

[be positive]

I agree with merlinsquest that it is safer and more correct to get in deep, the reason he jumped the tigertrap so well is that the highest point is midway so at the centre of the jumping effort so it felt smoother to you, he probably still got deep to the groundline to jump it so well.

I would do plenty of gridwork to build up your confidence and feel for how he jumps best, it will also help with your general confidence.

Do some more work on the canter in prep for xc. you need to be able to open it up and condense it a bit on the approach to a fence, power is good but it may be that he needs to just shorten up a little more without losing the power, sometimes just a minor tweak can make all the difference to how they jump, don't forget it is very different jumping in cold blood to jumping out hunting when they are running on more and the fences are usually straightforward to be jumped out of any stride.

A few lessons should really help, you have come along way since you got him, he sounds great and is doing you so much good.

 

[Michen]

Thank you and to everyone above. Hmmmm. It put me off when an experienced girl on the ground said "his jumping scares me when he gets so close". It certainly didn't feel very nice!!!

I think I lost a bit of confidence as he ran out at the second jump I put him at, a house today. Not sure why, it was the only thing he ran out at and it's only the second jump in his life (he's 7 but really 5 as spent two years in a box for various things) he's ever done that with so I feel like I am ruining him!!!!

Oh well... Can't all be good days can they. We do have a lesson at least every two weeks.

For example this was him arena eventing (excuse my horrid riding- I was so nervous- only our second SJ outing) and he felt lovely and seemed to take off perfectly each time. His amble through the water was fair enough given we did no xc schooling beforehand



[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mGIx4uytibE[/video]

And this was him last week xc and how he felt like he was jumping today though the fences today were a lot bigger than this so it made it somewhat scarier!!!!

 

[be positive]

When was the arena eventing?

 

[Michen]

When was the arena eventing?

2 weeks ago. Only times we've jumped since then have been last weekend XC and today XC...

I'm wondering whether he's feeling over bitted. I put him in his french link sweet iron dutch gag for xc on the ring below the main ring. It felt fine for him last week but today I did put it on the "snaffle" ring at the end to see if he went any better and he did feel a little better for the remaining 5 fences or so but not sure whether it really was the bit or because they were simpler fences. Usually in a loose ring french link for schooling/sj etc.

Trouble is on the snaffle ring he is an obnoxious thug after the fence and tries to ****** off towards his friend or whatnot, he loses all sense of manners and tweseldown was busy so I felt that I need that bit of control. I wouldn't have had a hope of holding him when me and my two friends were cantering etc warming up on the snaffle ring.

 

[be positive]

I was wondering about bitting, also whether the hunting has made him bowl on a bit on his head and jump without really looking and now he is just taking time to work out what is going on, in real terms he is still very young and green.

Sometimes they do get very close to tiny fences, like in the photo, as they just don't respect them or think there is a "trap" involved such as a ditch on the landing side or a drop so need to get in to take a look before leaping.

You will probably need to tweak the bitting arrangements a few times, when you are alone spend time in canter letting him bowl on when you go forward into 2 point and come back when you sit up, it is something really worth working on with a strong horse as it can help reduce the pulling, when he tries to go off after the jump work on the same theory, stay sitting and only allow him to go when you go forward, if he is bright he will soon pick it up but you need to be consistent, clear and firm with him.

I would like to see your stirrups up a bit as it will help you differentiate between the two seats and may help you stay in behind him if he does get deep and launch over a fence.

 

[Michen]

Thank you quite likely. He hasn't hunted since Boxing Day (though the effects are still there) and we won't be going again this season. Good point re stirrups as I actually put them up today. I have a bad habit of letting my heels go up when using leg into a fence as where he is smaller I feel there is nothing there.

We've got SJ, arena eventing again and a sponsered ride for the next few weeks so hopefully I will get confidence back again.

Will do that canter work- thank you! And the grid work- we haven't done any since December.

He's such a super chap really and does look after me! Never did i think we'd be going over a be90 fence... I thought anything above a x pole was above my capability.. The mental mare has certainly left some scars xx

I was wondering about bitting, also whether the hunting has made him bowl on a bit on his head and jump without really looking and now he is just taking time to work out what is going on, in real terms he is still very young and green.

Sometimes they do get very close to tiny fences, like in the photo, as they just don't respect them or think there is a "trap" involved such as a ditch on the landing side or a drop so need to get in to take a look before leaping.

You will probably need to tweak the bitting arrangements a few times, when you are alone spend time in canter letting him bowl on when you go forward into 2 point and come back when you sit up, it is something really worth working on with a strong horse as it can help reduce the pulling, when he tries to go off after the jump work on the same theory, stay sitting and only allow him to go when you go forward, if he is bright he will soon pick it up but you need to be consistent, clear and firm with him.

I would like to see your stirrups up a bit as it will help you differentiate between the two seats and may help you stay in behind him if he does get deep and launch over a fence.