How to get your horse to respect smaller fences?

[emilylou]

Any ideas or exercises would be greatly appreciated! I have a very scopey connie mare who wont touch a pole once you put the fences up, but at smaller heights she doesn't respect them quite as well, having 2 or 3 poles. Long term this won't be an issue, but she is doing a ODE in two weeks at 80 and I would like to get her a double clear if possible, so any tips would be great!

 

[Hoof_Prints]

Having had a pony that struggled to grasp what jumping actually was, I put poles across the middle of oxers (on top) so they looked down, V poles, unusual fillers, grids, all things that make them bascule and make a better shape or think about what they are jumping. I had a single jump block out today and stuck poles on each side, pony went launching over that and then proceeded to give the next jump an extra foot of air in enthusiasm! I had a pony that would jump 10 x better over her favourite red pole too, so I'm sure you will find something that grabs her attention ! Oh yes, and for one that just cantered through, distanced ground poles (sometimes in a V shape on the ground) to encourage a proper take off.