How to ride a step up, advice, sticky moment yesterday?

[applestroodle]

Took my horse to a ODE yesterday at Titlington Northumberland and the third fence was a big step up. He is still inexperienced but has jumped everything so far I have asked, this course felt big and technical for him though I thought he was capable it would be a test. He has jumped lots of the fences training but not on a competition day.

Anyway he was a little spooky out the start it was a pick a fence style three fences in a row and we were jumping middle size. He set of spooky and little unsure what jump to look at, looking at them all. Stickyish over number one, leaving his friends and only second x country comp and then was away over number two, number three the step up he locked on to it early on, got him back listening, a tap on the shoulder and positive riding then at last minute he just went “oh!!” had a good look and sniff circled round and scrambled up. I think he thought it was a jump and then last minute realised he was to go up, it wasn’t small enough to jump from a stand still. So how could I have ridden differently or helped him? He has done a few step ups in training but if I am honest I probably have spent more time coming down them!! He went on to jump course very green and unconfident, a few circles to gain control and a part from a look at ditch we completed. I think I prob need to go back a step now, play and have fun again to gain his confidence. Any thought advice much appreciated? Feeling a little deflated and worried I have put him off!

And here is a couple of not very good photos:

 

[kerilli]

Umm, a positive bouncy canter (or positive balanced trot, for baby horses) is how I approach a step. He probably just didn't read it the first time, I wouldn't beat yourself up about it.
Steps cause a lot of problems for horses, especially xc schooling. They are totally unforgiving, unlike many fences.
Must say though that I am not a fan of slapping horses down the shoulder, I think it makes them think backwards, or sometimes sideways away from the whip. Used on the bum it drives forwards, which is what you want, a forward-thinking horse. Used at the front end of the horse, it drives them in directions you might not want imho! I'll touch a whip on a horse's shoulder coming to a corner or skinny, if the horse is the sort who runs out a particular way, but it's just a reminder that it's there, literally just laying it gently on the skin, not a slap.

 

[stencilface]

Ditto the above, I always try to get a really showjumpy canter on the approach.

I hate steps out of the water though (as my horse has taken off far too far away before and landed on his face) but thats another matter!

How big was the step up? I quite like walking up smaller ones (up to 1'6 ish) when schooling as it means he has to put some effort in!

 

[FigJam]

I think it just sounds like green-ness really. Lots of practice (especially somewhere with lots of different sizes/options so you can start small and work up) I'm sure it'll click. I've always been told to get a nice, collected, bouncy, powerful canter to steps up. Always easier said than done though... Hopalong managed to trip and stumble up a step that was not even 1ft yesterday! I'm not sure she quite registered it was even there!

Well done for completing though. I'm sure he will be fine and I guess with babies you need to push now and then to see what they make of things, then drop back to build the confidence, then try again. All learning.

 

[applestroodle]

Thanks Kerilli, i think he just didnt read properly, i will go back to drawing board and practise. I dont want to get a thing in my head about them now either. I remember reading you saying the same the other week with regard to slap on the sholder, i was always taught this way but i think your right it makes sense.

 

[FigJam]

Must say though that I am not a fan of slapping horses down the shoulder, I think it makes them think backwards, or sometimes sideways away from the whip. Used on the bum it drives forwards, which is what you want, a forward-thinking horse. Used at the front end of the horse, it drives them in directions you might not want imho! I'll touch a whip on a horse's shoulder coming to a corner or skinny, if the horse is the sort who runs out a particular way, but it's just a reminder that it's there, literally just laying it gently on the skin, not a slap.

Meant to say pretty much what kerilli did there! Les Smith is absolutely of the above train of thought on using whip on shoulder. I also do the part highlighted in bold with H approaching a corner or skinny if I think she's likely to drift or be cheeky. It really is just a really light tap though to remind her it's there, not a smack.

 

[applestroodle]

Stencilface the step was to big to walk up but i think might be good to go hire a course with some steps up as i think i put to much focus on going down. Thanks Figjam again i think prob learn from mistakes, wasnt very nice though. There i hunter trial this weekend pretty local so think i will enter little class and go for a canter round to sweeten us up and have fun.

 

[kerilli]

Thanks Kerilli, i think he just didnt read properly, i will go back to drawing board and practise. I dont want to get a thing in my head about them now either. I remember reading you saying the same the other week with regard to slap on the sholder, i was always taught this way but i think your right it makes sense.

Sorry, it's a real pet hate of mine.
Also, the only Pro I have ever seen do it was one of the junior Whitakers to a puissance wall (and the horse cleared it) and that may have been to correct drift. I wouldn't ride down to 7' so I won't criticise him!
I've never seen a Pro event rider hit a horse down the shoulder coming to a normal (width) fence. On the quarters, to drive forwards, many times.

 

[Jingleballs]

No advice from me but wanted to say well done - sounds like a very difficult course and you should be delighted with how well you're doing

 

[applestroodle]

No need to be sorry it makes perfect sence!! hmm maybe i was told to ride like thos because my old horse used to pull me into fences with his nose on the ground, bit like a zooped up lowered ford fiesta lol, he was a big horse and i was little. I used to find it hard to get him back for narrow fences and only really rode him for 8 years. Maybe its the style if riding i have adopted. Thank you

 

[Rosiefan]

I gather Lucinda Green suggests you walk a green horse up and down steps, let them stand on them, turn them round on the middle one and generally let them have a good look so they get to understand the question. You'd have to find some small ones to do that though.
Disclaimer - I'm not a rider let alone an expert, it's just what I've heard

 

[Jul]

I gather Lucinda Green suggests you walk a green horse up and down steps, let them stand on them, turn them round on the middle one and generally let them have a good look so they get to understand the question. You'd have to find some small ones to do that though.
Disclaimer - I'm not a rider let alone an expert, it's just what I've heard

Yes she does, and not only green horses but experienced ones too.
For the green ones it lets them totally understand it, as above.
For the experienced ones she says it's good for them to just take the pressure off once in a while and let them amble up and down them.

You might be surprised at how big a step it's possible for them to 'walk' up easily. I was!
We also did two steps up and down into water - reasonable sized ones too. Only at walk and we got yelled at if we so much as jogged them.

The very first time I did this with LG I did have the wobbles as I thought it was a bit big. But after going up and down it once absolutely fine, we did it a few more times and I must say it helped with mine and my (then) youngster's confidence no end.

Might be worth a try?

 

[Spinal Tap]

Another vote for walking up & down steps. I took my mare water schooling when she was a baby & we did steps up out of/down into water, first time I rode into the step up out the water (which was really quite big) I was riding the finish of the Grand National & we ended up flat on our faces doing an undignified scramble Our instructor said hmmm no that's not the way to do it, just walk, let her get to the roots of it & figure it out. He was spot on as usual & she has done steps without a wobble since We did a Lucinda Green clinic this summer and she had us doing ditches and trakheners as well as steps in walk with great results

 

[Mabel98]

The Lucinda Green method of walking into small XC fences is hard to do at first, but does really work. She made us walk into ditches, steps, skinnies etc until the horses weren't at all bothered by the questions asked as they had the time to work out what they were doing.