How to ride a horse who keeps head low when jumping?

[Oaksflight]

My horse is an absolute cracker of a jumper, however due to past experiences (we think he was rapped) he can be a bit of a worrier, especially at showjumping (yet is a LOT braver xc, hence why we think he was rapped, along with he used to bolt off after landing). So now, he can put in nasty stops if he knows your at all nervous. He hasn't now I've had tft done and am confident, however when we try show jump over 3 foot 3 he will stop. At the moment, I fall off everytime he stops out of canter, because he keeps his head low, and when he refuses he tends to run backwards, which means I go forwards, and theres nothing infront of me so I tumble off over his shoulder. I've started riding more defensively as a result, which is affecting us. Does anyone have ANY tips? Or am I just going to have to invest in some superglue, or accept I'm going to be meeting the ground for many years to come?

Thanks x

 

[pixie]

get one of those leather straps that attaches to the D-rings and hang on for dear life?

Will he lunge/loose school over jumps at this height?

 

[frannieuk]

My advice would be to sit well back, it doesn't look pretty but think defensive (i.e. along the lines of the traditional hunting seat), Mary King advocates this in her teaching, obviously you do have to be ready to go with the horse when he jumps but this will make you very secure should he stop. I would also make sure he is extremely confident over smaller fences before you start pushing the height, and much as I hate to say it, I think it will take a lot of time to restore your horses confidence if he has been rapped etc. What does your instructor say? Good luck

 

[josephinebutter2]

Being the woos that I am when it comes to jumping - I always sort these kind of problems out on the lunge before I risk my neck on top!

Taught all my horses to jump up to 3ft on lunge before I get on board, so all the stopping/bolting/trying to duck out is over before I ride them.

Perhaps you could try lunging him over the higher jumps before you ride them - then he can get the confidence he needs to know that he can do it without hurting you - and obviously you falling over his head when he stops can only be enforcing his fears!

Also, suggest you do lots of work on your lower leg position to help you to stay on when this does happen - wack your stirrups up at least 4 holes higher than your normal jumping position and do all your canter work in a light seat like this for a month - does wonders!

Also, would suggest getting a kind, sympathetic intructor on the ground to assist and maby get on to help him through it.

Horses never do these things just to piss us off - he has a genuine fear which needs to be dealt with sympathetically, but firmly.

 

[katiejaye]

I understand this problem as Louis likes to put his head down too and tends to overbend and tuck his head in which can be a little scary at times! You could try a different bit to bring his head up? Louis tends to overbend his head more when I use bits with extensions below the bit but is now travelling with his head at a much more respectable level in a waterford...I'd take advice from an instructor on this.

Also I totally agree with above that you should try and sit back more into the jump and resist the temptation to creep forward as you approach the jump. You will feel much more secure and can drive more from you leg and seat and therefore prevent the temptation for stops and save yourself from going flying!

 

[foraday]

Contact Lewis for some help and ideas on how to get your horse through his issues

http://www.blackburnnaturalhorsetraining.com/

good luck

 

[Oaksflight]

I have lunged him over 3 foot 3, but to be honest he winds himself up on the lunge, never mind with a jump too, the lunge whip works him up, last time he brought a plastic jump wing down with him, bugger off down the arena and ripped my finger on the lunge line, that'll teach me not to wear gloves when lunging!

He's the kind of horse that very much needs someone on his back, with their leg on, encouraging him.

 

[Oaksflight]

I have started riding more defensively, but will keep persisting with it. To be honest, I don't try push the height at the moment because I know some days he is unconfident. We normally only jump 2 foot 9 max at the moment, and a lot of gridwork to get it back up. He has done the height in the past, has been round intermediate xc tracks, and done unaff. open, and been hunting. He just does lack confidence in the show jumping, so I have been keeping it at 2 foot 9 til we get it back up. Obviously just want to improve my position, as I know me falling off is only ruining any confidence he gets up at that height. He flies over xc jumps though with no worry in the world.

 

[Oaksflight]

To be honest, don't see how he could help us in any way that an experienced event instructor can't? He's the perfect gentleman in every other aspect apart from 3 foot plus SJ!

 

[josephinebutter2]

Sit up, hang on and heels down then!!!

Correctly strided gridwork is good for horses that are nervous too. Helps them to judge where to take off etc - even if they have been jumping for years, still helps install confidence and often they will jump much bigger in a grid situation as they are correclty placed for the jump.

If pony rushes, just keep the jumps small and keep doing it until he settles.

 

[Oaksflight]

That's my current method, but I'm too slow to react when I'm half way out of the saddle, but need to practice my hanging on methods due to the new rules of not letting you back on in show jumping. Think it'll be grid work until January then!

ETA: Am planning on getting very good instructor on him when I'm back from uni in December, so he can give me his opinion! He's teaching tonight so will have to grab him before he goes as he's so busy all the time, hence not having lessons with him now!

 

[pixie]

Any reason why you want to make him jump higher than he is currently happy with? Perhaps, like with humans, horses also have height limits above which they don't feel confident jumping - is it fair to try and make them? Just a thought anyways.

 

[Oaksflight]

Because in the past he has been round a near 4 foot xc course, and loved it, he has jumped round clear working hunters at course height os 3 foot 6, and show jumping. I don't want to make him jump higher than he's happy with, until he's happy with it, but I would eventually like us to be comfortably doing PN eventing, which I know he can do. A well known BSJA rider round here made an offer on him a few years ago, would they really have made an offer if he looked uncomfortable jumping the bigger heights? Given she was jumping the higher levels.

 

[Oaksflight]

And for the record, I'm not asking about jumping Hal higher. I know perfectly well the route we're going to have to take to get his confidence up again. I was asking for tips about my riding position if he ever does begin to throw in the nasty stops again.

 

[KatB]

Ride a bit shorter, keep your heel under you but anchored, too far forward and you will still be catapulted!! Believe me, I know from experience!! So keep you leg under you, with your hands forward but shoulders slightly back, if that makes sense, and try and sit behind the movement. This way you stay anchored, have enough give to let the horse jump, and should stay put!! Good luck, I have experience somersaults over goddys head several times!!! Also keep approachs slow, that way horse has more chance to look, and less likely to stop.

 

[Oaksflight]

Thanks

As I say, I haven't fallen off since physio has been (think it could have been his back that was causing most of the stops), but still want to be prepared as you never know with him, it's amazing I trust him as much as I do!

 

[KatB]

Lol!! Was going to say actually but didnt want to because not what the post was about, but the difference between SJ and XC could be to do with the way hes asked to jump? Eg XC is long and flat, so dont use their back in the same way as short and deep SJ, so was going to ask about back.... but looks as if you've cracked it!! PN is only 3'6 anyway, so well on way!!

 

[Oaksflight]

Yeah, I do think it was a lot to do with his back. I know he's always put in a few stops through confidence, but not as much as he was doing! Planning on going hunting and team chasing (novice tho!) this winter to build his confidence up, although he's been hunting before and loves it. Think he's just not a SJ horse through and through from the rapping. Poor lad.