Jumping Advice Please....

[oofadoofa]

Please can I have your advice on what I should do. Just as a bit of background I have jumped at local level for years, been up through Pony club, etc etc and the last couple of horses I have had I have done some BSJA with, nothing serious, just BN and Discovery and braved a couple of Newcomers! Anyway, I bought a five year old back in the autumn who had done a couple of BSJA classes, I think he's even won a Discovery, with the hope of doing a bit more and maybe even progressing a little. My problem is that I'm having real trouble seeing a stride on him and have got myself so worked up about it. The instructor I have is used to training people at a higher level than me (her son is jumping at grand prix level) and sometimes I think that the exercises she gives me aren't doing my confidence much good as we do sometimes get them wrong. We often get in far too close to our fences and then I feel bad for my poor horse who has to make a real effort to jump.

Do you think I should go back to some basic grids on my own and forget about the lessons for the time being, or maybe even get another instructor?

on the plus side, we did our first ever ODE a couple of weeks ago and went clear SJ and XC at 2'9" so we must be doing something right!

Well done for getting this far, sorry it's a bit long.

 

[ladyt25]

I think you should maybe stop worrying so much about getting/seeing a stride as I find sometimes (i can have the same trouble - some daysI think I just can't ride!) you can try too hard and then just end up getting it wrong. Think maybe you are better doing exercises over maybe canter poles and small cross poles and just let the horse get a canter established. He is only young, does he have an established, balanced canter stride? If he is pretty calm and not ruching you should be able to just get your canter goinga dn practice coming into canter poles and cross poles without changing anything you are doing, let him find his rythym and you get used to his rythym and you will find it easier to judge where he naturally takes off for a fence.

They are all different - my horse spooks and alwasy has spooked at fillers in fences which mucks up his stride but, as a young horse he was very clever and would get in deeper if needs be to help himself out if i got a stride wrong!

At 5 years old I would say your horse is still learning himself so don't put the pressure on worrying about striding. Maybe even get someone to lunge you over a small grid, i know it sounds like really going back to basics but, if you're not interfering hands or legs wise you may just get a better feeling for how your horse goes and get used to his rythym (so, really can't spell that word!!! hee hee).

Also, no matter what level your instructor teaches at she should be able be flexible and teach depending on the ability of the pupil and horse. You're not going to get the perfect stride to a fence everytime but don't stress about trying!

 

[cobblesswazz]

If I were you I would get a new instructor. Or if you have someone on the yard to point out o you what you are doing wrong and just watch you ride and point out the little bits you can't see from on-board so to speak.

 

[oofadoofa]

Thanks LadyT, that does make me feel better. I just so want to do everything right with him and I hate it when i get it wrong! He does have a very established canter and doesn't rush so I think your idea of getting someone to lunge us is a great, I will try and rope my friend in tonight!

 

[helenhorse]

hi
yeah again, dont fret, thinking to hard about it is going to panic you when approaching a jump any way!
what works for me and when im riding a hot horse is, when approaxing try turning fairly early and let the jump 'come' to '''you'''!! it really works this way your relax and it shows the horse that you relaxed and doesnt get him tense and rush!
You could also try this exercise over a pole on the floor approaching it both from a distance and a tight turn, but always remember let it come to you, this way your stride should be rhythmical as you are relaxed and his stride isnt flying everywhere because your not trying too hard!
hope i could help