Green jumping horse - advice please?

[Jo1980]

I have a horse who has a very high head carriage whilst going over a jump (not at other times). He is very upright and his head comes up and nearly nuts me on the nose every time.

He is 6 and very green but very honest. He never stops, will always try and is a careful jumper (not that I have asked too much from him jumping-wise so far).

We've done pole work, grid work, cavaletties (sp?), small courses and have jumped up to about a metre.

Any suggestions or exercises for encouraging him to stretch down, round and forward over a fence please?

 

[Fides]

Oh I've been there! And put in hospital through being head butted mid jump! My instructor had me jumping uprights with poles as a V shape to encourage bascule. And it worked

 

[Jo1980]

Ah ok, thanks, that's a great idea!

How often were you jumping and what sort of height? How long did it take your horse to start to bascule?

 

[Fides]

Ah ok, thanks, that's a great idea!

How often were you jumping and what sort of height? How long did it take your horse to start to bascule?

It threw my confidence totally so never jumped more than 85cm. As for the bascule -
It was pretty much instantaneous with my boy.

 

[AmyMay]

What happens when you give the horse some trust, and relax the hand?

 

[ponydi]

What shape does he make if you loose school him?

 

[Jo1980]

He's the same when he loose schools over jumps so I think it's s confidence thing.

I make sure I'm very careful with my hands and give (possibly too much if anything because of how he is and I don't ever want to catch him in the mouth). I have to keep a soft contact up to the fence otherwise he launches from a good two strides away!!

 

[Fides]

He's the same when he loose schools over jumps so I think it's s confidence thing.

I make sure I'm very careful with my hands and give (possibly too much if anything because of how he is and I don't ever want to catch him in the mouth). I have to keep a soft contact up to the fence otherwise he launches from a good two strides away!!

That could well be your problem. Horses (generally) jump better off a longer stride, if you are holding him for the short one he could be getting in too deep and having to 'hoik' himself over.

You could try putting down canter poles and a placing pole at the correct striding, along with V poles to encourage him to lift. When he understands where to jump from he might be more confident. It is our job to teach a young horse how to jump correctly - very few will get it right straight off.

 

[PorkChop]

Low wide oxers, preferably two, two strides into between will improve the bascule, it's great for getting them to use themselves. Also high cross pole bounces increasing in size will really help.

With both these exercises, don't overdo it, they are extremely hard work but very effective.

 

[Jo1980]

It's not that I try to get him to put a short one in or get too close to the fence, I just don't want him taking off 15 feet away. I think he over-compensates and balloons fences just to make sure he gets from one side to the other if you know what I mean.

I will ask him for one more stride when he could actually put two in so we're not getting under the fence.

 

[martlin]

I second low wide oxers, I generally start with one, with a placing pole in front of it at 9 feet and jump it from trot; gradually increase the width and eventually put the placing pole at about 11 feet and jump from steady canter.

 

[Jo1980]

Thanks LJR, will definitely try those two exercises. Understand that it will be testing for him so won't overdo it. He doesn't have to be jumping amazingly quickly, I just want to steadily help him improve and build his confidence.

 

[Jo1980]

Thanks Martlin, will try that too. When you say gradually make it wider, do you mean the oxer itself whilst still jumping from a trot or do you mean gradually move the placing pole away from the fence (to eventually go from the 9 feet to the 11 feet)?

 

[martlin]

Thanks Martlin, will try that too. When you say gradually make it wider, do you mean the oxer itself whilst still jumping from a trot or do you mean gradually move the placing pole away from the fence (to eventually go from the 9 feet to the 11 feet)?

I mean the oxer itself, and keep it really small, like 2 feet high, but as wide as you dare. You might want to put a pole on top across to discourage from bouncing it, though

 

[Jo1980]

Ah ok, sounds good! He's got scope so shouldn't try to bounce it but I'll put the pole across just in case!!

 

[PollyP99]

Oh I've been there! And put in hospital through being head butted mid jump! My instructor had me jumping uprights with poles as a V shape to encourage bascule. And it worked

Being thick here no doubt but I can't picture what you mean. My mare stag jumps randomly and seems generally scared of the poles so clears anything by miles which scares the bejesus out of me as my backs not up to it. Could this set up help, sorry to jump in op.

 

[Jo1980]

No problem!

It's not very clear but there is a photo here: http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Improve-...on-jumping-problems/How-to-avoid-knock-downs/

(Ignore the canter poles on the ground, look at the two poles 'pointing' the horse to the centre of the fence).

They are either called V poles or an A-frame

 

[Jo1980]

The top photo on this page probably shows it a bit clearer:-

http://golightlysporthorses.com/Jumping-101.htm