Jump schooling today, advice very much needed for a leaper!

[Kokopelli]

I'm very pleased with the little one today, he's had a month off jumping and mostly light schooling and hacking so has been a bit bored and very keen to be back doing normal fun stuff again.

The last week I've been asking him to work a bit harder again, my main aim this week or so is to get his shoulder ins more established as it's something he finds a bit more difficult. So far so good and he's really enjoyed being challenged again which is ace.

So today we got the jumps out, we didn't do too much just had two jumps on a circle to keep him thinking and practiced landing on the correct leg which he was doing very well but every now and again he takes a massive leap! It doesn't matter how high the fence is but he is better if the fence is a bit bigger hence the size of the one in the photos. Any tips for dealing with this are much appreciated. Sadly no video but what he does is take a long one but rather than go flat he goes stupidly high as well. 99% of the time he does a lovely jump but once or twice in a session he just goes huge and I don't know what to do about it and occasionally I catch him in the mouth which I hate, but normally I slip my reins in time.

I know really he is just enjoying himself and his leap is often accompanied with a squeal. Anyway I'll stop rambling and here are the pics.

Warming up, pleased with how he went on the flat today

Pats for clever pony

One of our leaps today:

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

grids, grids and grids would be what I would suggest, also canter poles before the jumps as well make it more flowing

Looking lovely though

 

[Kokopelli]

Sadly haven't got enough jumps for grids once I've got mine all fixed up and ready to go we should be okay for them.

Any combinations you can suggest? I find when I do grids he rushes a lot so try to keep them short but tricky enough to keep him thinking.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My RI did Xpole then straight then Xpole etc grids and changed up the stridings to get both me and pony thinking about what we were doing.

Also did three canter poles before a jump to get pony thinking and slowing up, starting with just going through the wings a few times then jump going up.

S is prone to taking a stride out and flying it and these help us. I sometimes dont help as once shes done it a few times I end up riding for it and spending more time huntering fences than jumping them

 

[miskettie]

He looks lovely! And sounds as though he's going well

My horse is a leaper...I always make sure I have a finger in the neck strap and usually I jump in the softest bit possible (usually a straight bar nathe). Most of the time he doesn't do it but every now and then he surprises me

 

[Doogle]

Well done with your jumping. Can you tell me what your school surface is please? Thank you

I'm very pleased with the little one today, he's had a month off jumping and mostly light schooling and hacking so has been a bit bored and very keen to be back doing normal fun stuff again.

The last week I've been asking him to work a bit harder again, my main aim this week or so is to get his shoulder ins more established as it's something he finds a bit more difficult. So far so good and he's really enjoyed being challenged again which is ace.

So today we got the jumps out, we didn't do too much just had two jumps on a circle to keep him thinking and practiced landing on the correct leg which he was doing very well but every now and again he takes a massive leap! It doesn't matter how high the fence is but he is better if the fence is a bit bigger hence the size of the one in the photos. Any tips for dealing with this are much appreciated. Sadly no video but what he does is take a long one but rather than go flat he goes stupidly high as well. 99% of the time he does a lovely jump but once or twice in a session he just goes huge and I don't know what to do about it and occasionally I catch him in the mouth which I hate, but normally I slip my reins in time.

I know really he is just enjoying himself and his leap is often accompanied with a squeal. Anyway I'll stop rambling and here are the pics.

Warming up, pleased with how he went on the flat today

Pats for clever pony

One of our leaps today:

 

[cruising_for_you]

I am a proud owner of a pony who loves to take long spots too! He took long spots loose-jumping of up to 1.45 haha!
I think you handle being left behind very well - you slipped your reins which is the main thing.
Is your man a youngster, and is it just inexperience, or does he just like taking long spots? You could try 2-point (american thing where you are in a forward seat?) Look it up though, it may help, so you are already forward before he takes off!
Sorry Im not that much of a help!

 

[Kokopelli]

My RI did Xpole then straight then Xpole etc grids and changed up the stridings to get both me and pony thinking about what we were doing.

Also did three canter poles before a jump to get pony thinking and slowing up, starting with just going through the wings a few times then jump going up.

S is prone to taking a stride out and flying it and these help us. I sometimes dont help as once shes done it a few times I end up riding for it and spending more time huntering fences than jumping them

I'll give that a go, and make the x poles a decent size so he respects them. Will let you know how it goes and if I make it out in one piece

He looks lovely! And sounds as though he's going well

My horse is a leaper...I always make sure I have a finger in the neck strap and usually I jump in the softest bit possible (usually a straight bar nathe). Most of the time he doesn't do it but every now and then he surprises me

It's crazy to sit too, Andy takes pretty big jumps too but most of the time I know when he's going to do it so I can prepare but with Louie I just have no idea. Good old neck strap, they're soo handy,

Well done with your jumping. Can you tell me what your school surface is please? Thank you

Honestly I have no idea, it's quite old possibly about 20 years is mixture of rubber and sand but the sand on top is a horrible black colour that stains everything and the sand underneath is more like clay and very red.

I am a proud owner of a pony who loves to take long spots too! He took long spots loose-jumping of up to 1.45 haha!
I think you handle being left behind very well - you slipped your reins which is the main thing.
Is your man a youngster, and is it just inexperience, or does he just like taking long spots? You could try 2-point (american thing where you are in a forward seat?) Look it up though, it may help, so you are already forward before he takes off!
Sorry Im not that much of a help!

He's 6 so still pretty young but old enough to know better, in all fairness he hasn't been jumping a huge amount of time but has been going very well recently like it's finally clicked.

 

[Dukey]

My 6 yo likes to put in a massive jump and he flicks his toes and tail up behind him, so it's like he's bucking mid jump. I agree you slipped your reins nicely and look like you've naturally adapted a secure seat. My boy does it less the more he's jumped, so we try to do it at least once a week. Also use grids but as soon as there is a big boxer at the end of the grid we are flying again

 

[showpony]

I feel your pain OP. My mare has been know to go on a long one & eh jump the height of the wings instead of the poles!

I have found loose schooling her over fences has helped her work things out and we don't get half as many cat leaps as we did.
I know you cant do grid work but try a nice related distance with the second part a decent height, also canter poles into a fence may help.