How to gain more impulsion when jumping?

[Tiarella]

Pony has now been jumping for around eight months and has improved a lot. We are just having a bit of trouble with impulsion. his canter isnt very "show jumper" like, its quite flat and fast depending on his mood but thats mainly because he is a baby. Or sometimes it is just impossible to get him into canter if he is having a lazy day

At the moment we are jumping 2ft6 - 3ft, but when we jump higher it almosts feels like he is clambering over it rather than jumping it. I dont want to and he doesnt need to jump smaller as he finds that way to easy and doesnt bother at all

Does anyone have any tips on how to make him more bouncy and want to jump better. This is only in the menege, in the field he is fab.

 

[KatB]

Its just about improving the canter

Lots of small circles, spiralling in and out in canter from 12m to 20m and back! I got told to canter my horse on no bigger than 12m circles for 3wks! It did really work though and he became alot more engaged and used himself better. Lots of transitions work well, especially walk to canter

 

[JessPickle]

Pickle is always best in the school if he has been on a short hack first, just to get him loosened up and then he has had a good canter. Not sure if that would work with Doug but definetly works with Pickle

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

[ QUOTE ]
Its just about improving the canter

Lots of small circles, spiralling in and out in canter from 12m to 20m and back! I got told to canter my horse on no bigger than 12m circles for 3wks! It did really work though and he became alot more engaged and used himself better. Lots of transitions work well, especially walk to canter

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this plus rein back, putting two poles out and changing the amount of strides you can get in between, putting a placing pole in front of the jump - put it closer to the jump to make it more difficult and come in a collected canter(if he has learnt that yet) ermm ***thinks*** canter poles and maybe V poles on the jump to make him pick his feet up and make it a bit tidier. Oohh and gridwork will help loads with fitness and he can't rush straight through them. Hope that helps.

 

[katie_and_toto]

Toto used to be like that, his canter was either flat and long or he'd go back to trot if you tried to collect him, we've done lots of work on his flatwork and he's canter has improved no end

Does he work in an outline? Toto does now, it's taken months as obviously their muscles need to develop but it's been worth it

 

[Tiarella]

Thanks everyone

Im not sure about the 12m circle, he cant even do a 20m circle without going back to trot

Would I be able to do this on the lunge instead of ridden?

After a short hack Doug is ready for bed

Thanks r_r im going to have a gridwork lesson in the couple of weeks

K_a_T He knows how to work in an outline, but most of the time choses not to, we have huge fights over it

In walk he can, trot sort of, canter no way