Horse knocking poles

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myprincess

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My 7 year old keeps knocking poles with his front legs my trainer thinks it's laziness as he clears cross country jumps by miles but over show jumps he lifts one leg higher than the other so the one trails and has it down my instructor has told me to smack him with a crop everytime he has it down, providing it's not my fault obviously, but even when I approach a jump perfectly he will often knock it with his front end. Any tips? I don't really want to smack him as he's a very good willing horse and don't want to put him off jumping but is just a bit lazy sometimes .
 
Does he wear boots? If he does then remove them, as he may be getting careless due to him not feeling the pole.

As he's only 7, he may still be unbalanced, and on the forehand, and therefore knocking the poles, for example he could be taking off too late and so can't make the jump, or taking off too early.
He may well be getting lazy or careless, as when he knocks the poles he knows they'll fall. Is he bold or a bit nervous when he jumps?

Try putting a coat or something colourful to make him be a bit more careful, or add some fillers if you haven't already.
You're right in the sense that you don't want to knock his confidence as he's only young, but you also don't want him getting careless if that is the case. If he is getting careless a quick tap of the whip may well teach him to be careful.


Most importantly, have you checked his saddle fits or he hasn't got a sore back? As the saddle may be causing pain and so he can't jump properly.
 
Thanks for the advice I do jump at home with a filler underneath to make it look more solid n this helps but at competitions we don't alway have this to save us!
His back n tack has been checked sometimes he does get too deep into the jump and knocks it but that's more my error so wouldn't blame him for that I find it hard to collect him and get the impulsive from the back end as he is a big horse with a long stride and an easily turn flat but I think he's got massive potential so it's disappointing that I can't always rely on him to go clear
I think I will try him over small fences leg protection as he's always booted up to the nines so might wake him up abit if he clatters one with bare legs
 
Agree with taking any front boots off- they need it to hurt a little when they knock poles. If you really can't bear the idea then at least make sure they are open fronted boots.

Grids with V bars over the upright front pole will help as they have to be a bit more careful and put more effort into clearing it. Start with a wide V and make the apex narrower.

A striding pole might help as then at least you know he's not knocking them as he's getting in to deep.
 
myprincess said:
Thanks for the advice I do jump at home with a filler underneath to make it look more solid n this helps but at competitions we don't alway have this to save us!

His back and tack has been checked sometimes he does get too deep into the jump and knocks it but that's more my error so wouldn't blame him for that I find it hard to collect him and get the impulsive from the back end as he is a big horse with a long stride and an easily turn flat but I think he's got massive potential so it's disappointing that I can't always rely on him to go clear
I think I will try him over small fences leg protection as he's always booted up to the nines so might wake him up a bit if he clatters one with bare legs
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Trust me, a little pole won't hurt him :) My mare got a bit careless at one point earlier in the summer, she was in tendon & fetlock boots, took them off for a while and after hitting the poles a few times she was more respectful for them. It's important that youngsters learn to respect poles. After he's more careful you can put them back on if you feel the need. What height do you normally jump?

As the previous poster has said, putting a striding pole may help him to know when to take off.
 
Please don't use your crop if he has it down. All you'll end up with is a horse that will either rush off or drift on landing. Look at the cause; you say you are fairly consistent with your placement in front of the jumps, so that's all good. The next is this: you said he jumps with one leg higher than the other. This is a perfect example of a horse with an undeveloped technique. Instead of pushing of with his front end, squaring behind, and being sharp in front, I'd say he's basically producing an elevated canter stride. Basically, he's still learning how to jump. :)

Get yourself a decent gridwork and jumping exercises book, and find an instructor who will also work on this in your lessons. It's up to you to help your boy improve gymnastically and build his knowledge of how to control his legs! It sounds like he wants to be clean, but he's struggling with consistency, and showjumps are less threatening, so he doesn't concentrate as hard!
 
Lyle said:
Please don't use your crop if he has it down. All you'll end up with is a horse that will either rush off or drift on landing. Look at the cause; you say you are fairly consistent with your placement in front of the jumps, so that's all good. The next is this: you said he jumps with one leg higher than the other. This is a perfect example of a horse with an undeveloped technique. Instead of pushing of with his front end, squaring behind, and being sharp in front, I'd say he's basically producing an elevated canter stride. Basically, he's still learning how to jump. :)

Get yourself a decent gridwork and jumping exercises book, and find an instructor who will also work on this in your lessons. It's up to you to help your boy improve gymnastically and build his knowledge of how to control his legs! It sounds like he wants to be clean, but he's struggling with consistency, and showjumps are less threatening, so he doesn't concentrate as hard!
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AGREE, grid work will help his accuracy, a smack with a crop will just confuse him. He will then come to expect a smack every time he jumps and will either rush off and hollow his back, and / or lose his concentration ( is your instructor BHS qualified? I would be looking for someone who can develop your horse as well as you))
 
Can you school over fences on the lunge, there are various exercises you can do that way including using square poles.
 
Agree with what's been said against the whole giving him a smack every time he has it down...i think thats the worst piece of advice an instructor could ever give anyone! It's just ridiculous! As previously said all your going to achieve is a tense horse and he will either start stopping or rushing his fences.

Again lots of grid work with a placing pole going in and coming out, v poles will also help, if you are struggling with collection try doing your grid work from a trot to really make him use himself and make it a bit more difficult, get him thinking about were his legs are

Even if you set out some poles on the floor say at 4 strides work at getting 4 strides then 5 strides then try for 3 and get him back for 5 all these little things should help
 
Yes my instructor is an eventer competes at a very high level and is one of the best around and I don't like going against her advice but I know my horse n he's so honest and still learning so I don't want to put him off by giving him a slap i was also thinking it might put him off concentrating on the next fence as he's a sensitive guy
Your advice all sounds great I will try v poles and I think he is trying just abit clumsy with his long gangly legs and need to work on his frame and get some power from behind
 
my pony also does this. My trainer puts two poles up either side (to make a V) which makes him learn to pick his front feet up higher tan the fence. At 7 years old, it could be confidence? so keep little and work up?
 
If he is big and gangly then it will take him a bit longer to work out where to put his legs and work out where they need to go you just need to keep working at it and one day the penny should drop :) but all these little exercises will help strengthen him up and i wouldn't jump any bigger until he is jumping confidendly around that plus if you place the ground line further out than normal to help stop getting in close amd gives him a bit more time to get his legs out of the way
 
Your horse has jumped the fence he hasn't refused or run out and your instructor wants you to hit him with a crop! Make sure that the course is set up properly, fences built properly and distances correct. Have someone video next time you jump a track. Get a showjumper to advice and instruct.
 
V poles, and change your instructor. The horse has absolutely no idea why you are hitting him with a crop, he is a horse. He doesnt think oh hang on that pole just fell, I shouldnt have done that. You are not using it to move him forward, so eventually he will start to evade!
 
myprincess said:
He's in a kk loose ring lozenge snaffle with flash and running martingale
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could you try removing the flash and the martingale for a jump lesson and see what he does or will control leave the arena?

we have one at work that knocks the poles in a flash and I think it is because too much control on his front end restricts his shoulders he is a quirky little thing though.
we also have one at work that will knock all plastic poles but never ever touches a wooden one (very clever girl this one), she will not put an ounce more effort into anything than is required and plastic poles dont require clearing.
 
sam_ said:
Agree with what's been said against the whole giving him a smack every time he has it down...i think thats the worst piece of advice an instructor could ever give anyone! It's just ridiculous!
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Completely agree and my first thoughts. Sorry OP, I would be changing instructors!
 
I would get a show jumper to help you & teach you some exercises & techniques to improve his jump, if he is big & gangly he is still learning. I don't understand how hitting him is going to make him more careful in front. I don't want to be rude, but eventers aren't known for their careful clear rounds & perhaps this ladies advice explains why?
 
Please don't smack him everytime he has it down. Someone has done this with my mare previously and has took 3 years to make her rush a little less! She loves her job but someone who loves winning more made her scared to do it- such a shame, and such an easy way to ruin a nice horse!! Lots of patience and grid, v pole, fillers ect. Keep the brain busy, smacking for a mistake is unfair and maybe a quick fix but in the long run will just make him resent his job! :)
 
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