Help with a youngster?

[pony_person_mee]

I have a 5yo Connemara that I have had for a year now, hes fantastic at jumping in a snaffle but Is very strong and I can't stop him round a course unless I use alot of hand :/ which I feel guilty about :/ he's not very good on the flat though and I just don't know what to do! I'm worried that using too much hand jumping will make his mouth hard? I don't know how to get him to work into a contact because at the moment he just goes above the bit or behind the vertical any advice?? At the moment he's just in a loose ring snaffle with a French link ..

Sorry it's so long!!

 

[annaellie]

The first thing that jumped out at me was he's not very hood on the flat, IMO that will be the problem with jumping. If I was you I would forget jumping for now and work on the flat maybe an occasional pop over a small fence

 

[Alexart]

Agree with annaellie, if he hasn't got the basics then how can he be expected to do more advanced things?, it sounds like his basic training was rushed and it's all coming out now, unless you go back to basics the problems will never go away or get worse! You need to go back to the very start as you would with a just backed youngster and get him working nicely on the flat and get his balance sorted out - he's still only a baby, he'll probably be rushing jumps as he's unbalanced and unsure. Do lots of in-hand stuff as well and some work on the lunge over jumps, build up his confidence with a few small jumps thrown in and go from there, and keep sessions short and sweet! I know it's not the most exciting thing to do and not a quick fix but the effort you put in now will pay off heaps in the long run!!

 

[aimeetb]

Agreed! Jumping should be dressage with obstacles, get the flat work right and the jumping will be simple xxx

 

[Echo Bravo]

Agree with the above lot, get your groundwork going well and he'll improve over the jumping, once a horses mouth has gone, you could stick scaffolding round his head and it wouldn't stop him. Go back to basics.