Introducing higher jumps

[Klh1113]

The horse I ride in these days hpcan jump up to 80cm nicely and starts to refuse at 90cm and at 1m she stops suddenly in front of the fence. I've had lessons with her and I had loads of leg on her and even used spurs and crop,,, but she didn't go over it. But My instructor said she's well able so I really want her to go over it somehow! Is there any good way to intruduce higher jumps to the horse who's scared or doesn't want to go over it?

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Continue lessons with an instructor & learn that spurs are designed to apply the aids accurately, not to force a horse on to do something they either are unready or unable to do. Additionally using your crop again to force the issue is not the way to go. From the way you worded your post it sounds like the horse is not yours & you either share or have it on loan? Does the owner know what you are doing with the horse & are they happy with the use of spurs & crop?

 

[Lolo]

Has the horse jumped bigger than 80cm? Have you? Are these bigger jumps being introduced in an easy environment- nice grids and things?

 

[Klh1113]

Yep. She's not my horse and I only rent her for a week (she's a school horse and I'm allowed jumping 1m on her). I can jump up to 1.2m and As i said She can jump up to 80cm nicely and she will try to refuse when jp it comes to 90cm buy she can jump it, and my instructor said she's able to jimp 1m so I want her to jump it. The jump when I tried to make her go over it was at the straight line along the side

 

[MissTyc]

Did you work with your instructor during this session, or were you alone?

In my experience, when horses are balanced and having fun over smaller fences with a rider they trust, they don't really notice when a fence or two suddenly goes up. With a young horse established at 90, I usually start bringing the back rails of the spreads a bit higher + have some fences that are towards the gate or a preferred friend at 1m or 1m10 ... So far my horses have never given the indication they've really noticed or cared ... I don't personally jump any higher because I don't compete SJ, only BE90, so that's enough for me, but my horses give me the vibe they would keep on going so long as it was still fun.

Refusing does not indicate fun. So many things to consider without seeing you/your horse. Your riding, the horses' approach and confidence, the tack, even the footing/showing/etc!

 

[Klh1113]

Yeh I was in the lesson but it was over before she could jump it, so it jumped after the lesson and she goes over 80cm nicely and she stops suddenly in front if 1m. And the age might matter? She's 21!

 

[Dizzy socks]

How long was your lesson? Tiredness. I would have ended on a good note, and not pushed her after a lesson.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Given she's 21 sounds to me like she's saying 80cm is now her limit.

I have jumped about 1m/1m 5 on mine but atm my limit is 77cm, am working on it with instructor and I have a habit of starting to "pull" too much when it gets to 80cm plus as I'm feeling too much emphasis on trying to get the right stride as feel I have to be right to bigger fences but as instructor says it's more having the right canter.

He's 17 now as well so I know he isn't as physically capable as he once was of jumping bigger fences maybe one or two but not lots. Maybe yours is saying he'd rather stick to the smaller heights now?

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

gridwork! It gets the horses confidence and places them correctly. I compete 1.10-1.20 in the ring but schooling grids up to 1.45 at home

 

[Jo1987]

and my instructor said she's able to jimp 1m so I want her to jump it.

Sorry but I think your attitude is awful. The horse is 21, I suspect a lot more experienced than you, so listen to her.
A 21 year old school horse is probably tired, arthritic and doesn't feel safe jumping that high.

 

[Tern]

Sorry but I think your attitude is awful. The horse is 21, I suspect a lot more experienced than you, so listen to her.
A 21 year old school horse is probably tired, arthritic and doesn't feel safe jumping that high.

This. OP you sound young and not very experienced? And a whole lesson with likely not much walking and then you try go jump her more? She's 21 for gods sake. Even my 22yo had a limit of 3ft on a good day when we first got him.

 

[Auslander]

If you're riding her exactly the same into a larger fence, and she's stopping, I suspect she's saying that 80 is what she is now comfortable with jumping. She may well be able to jump higher - but she's getting older, and has worked hard all her life. She's saying its time to slow down a bit.
My 20yr old warmblood will carry on jumping as long no matter how high the fences go. He's popped 1m45 in the school without batting an eyelid, but I monitor his jumping sessions very carefully. Someone has to take on the responsibility for making sure older horses don't overdo it. I have to make the decisions for my horse, because he is so willing that he'd carry on going until he broke.- but it sounds like yours has made the decision for herself. Clever girl...

 

[Gloi]

If you want to learn to jump higher then find a different horse that finds higher fences easy. This horse has probably had a hard life and it's not fair on her at her time of life to jump things she isn't comfortable with just so you can say you've done it.

 

[smja]

I agree that she's probably feeling her age a bit. My previous horse needed to step back from jumping bigger fences when he was only 13 (old injuries). You have a responsibility as the rider to look after the horse you're on, even if she's not yours.
There's nothing wrong with practising your technique over 80cm fences - your position, your approach, different styles of jump (e.g. skinny, oxer, fillers, trays etc.). This will stand you in good stead once you have a horse that's happy to jump higher.

 

[Spotsrock]

Sorry but I think your attitude is awful. The horse is 21, I suspect a lot more experienced than you, so listen to her.
A 21 year old school horse is probably tired, arthritic and doesn't feel safe jumping that high.

I agree with this but also I suspect OP may be the one who is 'not jumping higher'. Although you say on another horse you can jump higher, I can jump high on the right horse, on my own jumping horse 1m15 is about my limit these days though I know she can 'go higher' as we used to before I got all old, on my dressage horse we are stuck at about 75/80 as he hates jumping and lost his bottle racing. He's keen and happy with a little cross pole as a change from schooling though.

My guess is that as the fences go up your shoulders may drop forward slightly and your hands may drop toward the neck or back toward your thigh.

As you think you are kicking more you are unbalancing your seat by taking your leg off to apply it again and again. This messes with your seat and causes your reins to move giving the impression of pulling up. It also puts uneven irregular pressure on an older back.

If you are using a crop correctly behind the leg with one hand then you are not using your reins to steer, guide and balance the horse. If none if this has been suggested I would try changing instructor or at least getting someone to film you jumping then very honestly watch it back in slow motion and look for these things.

Not trying to have a go at you OP, just in my experience these things happen at riding school, some horses just keep going almost regardless of what the rider is doing and some, the older ones often, tend to say no, either through tiredness, stiffness or plain learned craftiness! Instructors, in the case of crafty older horses will sometimes resort to advising learners to kick more as they know the horse is being crafty, rather than fixing the issues with the rider initially.

I do understand how frustrating it is and really recommend watching yourself, i can't tell when I tip forward but my horse can, though she will normally go anyway bless her, and I can see it on film.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Sorry but I think your attitude is awful. The horse is 21, I suspect a lot more experienced than you, so listen to her.
A 21 year old school horse is probably tired, arthritic and doesn't feel safe jumping that high.

This...and I am going to be blunt and say maybe you need to work on your riding. I know some 1.20 horses that will stop at a meter because the rider on their backs isn't riding them right.

If you have to rely on spurs and whips to ride a horse then you shouldn't be riding it.

 

[mulledwhine]

Do you do a whole course at 90 etc or just pop the odd one in?

I am no expert but our pony will do the odd 100 but could never do a whole course at that, although I agree , I think she is telling you that 80 is her limit

 

[Honey08]

A good rider would want to listen to the horse and understand it, not just jump high.

This horse is telling you that it is not happy at that height, it is also telling you that you need to learn a lot more.

 

[Klh1113]

I was riding with my instructor after the pony camp at the bar today and after the x-pole bouncers I set up an 1metre straight bar after some warm up and she jumped it! So happy now thanks
Forgot that she was a show jumper

 

[Klh1113]

I just think now that she was in a bad mood when I tried to go over a metre... She was amazing today after some walk in the fields
As I said now she was a jumping horse til the age of 17 and I think she was jumping 1.2m, but not planning to jump that high on her now as this is my last week with her