how do i....

J

JenHunt

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get my horse to loose school over fences? I've managed to persuade a friend to let me borrow the outdoor school for a bit on saturday to do some loose schooling with our two boys and I'm wondering how to go about it.

Tom won't be a problem, he'll just go for it i'm sure. He's really quick with things like that.

but Ron can be a bit dopey with new things.
the little git doesn't lunge - he just turns and looks at you and if you insist he goes up!
he just runs away from a lunge whip
I'll be in an outdoor school and will have plenty of jump wings and poles available

I was thinking I'd set up a lane down one side next to the fence and then have more jumps parallel to that to make a lane?
with 4 jumps? I was hoping it could be gymnastic for him as he loves it.
should I ride him over it first so he gets it or just go for it loose to start with?

my sister and possibly OH will be there to help.

any other ideas? I want it to be fun but also to be able to video him to see how he jumps without a rider on, and maybe, if all goes well, to see how high he's happy jumping!
 
I would set up the lane as well and leave wings in place with poles wherever you want them. Is there anyone around to help you out? Only because the other day i helped the head groom on our yard who used to work for the blue cross and he started his youngster off shaking food at the end of the lane and giving them some when they got to him (someone else feeds them in!). It worked amazingly well for his little TB who had never jumped before :)
 
you defo need to make a lane, if he dosen't get it first time, try it on the lunge, with one fence first so he gets the idea, or lead him up to the lane then let him go.
 
thanks you guys, glad I'd got the right sort of idea.

I'm fairly certain that once he's been through once he'll be ok, it's getting him to try the first time that'll be interesting!

OH and my sister will be there to help too so it should be ok.
 
yep - you definitely need a lane, and if possible, lots of helpers. get a body at either end of the school, not right at the end but towards the end of your lane to wave him in the right direction.

You could start off on the lunge but if you start with a small cross pole, I often find it works to hold them by the headcollar and trot with them up to the jump the first time. then they get the idea that you want them to go over it! after that, he should be ok!

I love loose jumping horses, I like it when they have a couple of play bucks after the first couple of fences. Sometimes when mine does it he does a slow ambling jog into the fence and about 3 strides out lets rip & launches.... quite amusing!

have fun!
 
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