Jumping and GRID work tips

K

K4STR

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2015
Messages
51
Visit site
Hi all,

I've recently been to a horse camp with Nik Targett and did some GRID training for our Jumping.

My mare is fantastically schooled but has only ever done dressage with her previous owners.

She has never really done much jumping, but when she has, her previous owners just fired her at the fence with little or no control, this meaning she drags you to the fence, frog leaps and then tanks off after the jump. She loves jumping, which is why she gets so strong however we want her to love jumping whilst being in controll and taking the fences carefully.

Nik had us doing some GRID work which did work but was only controllable in trot. I rode her in a snaffle for the majority of the lesson, then came off after she leaped so we changed her into a waterfod and put a flash on. This gave us much more control, however she was still rushing towards the fence!

Has anyone got any tips or exercises on how i can work on her control? She is very strong but does became easier as she tires out.

We borrowed the waterford on the day so i dont actually have one to put in her. I have tried riding her in a hanging cheek snaffle however and this has helped.

What bits do you find best for jumping/hunting/xc? She is schooled in a normal snaffle and is not strong at all

Thanks
 
She has been trained to rush into her fences and it will take plenty of schooling to change this, I would keep her in a snaffle for schooling and go back to complete basics, poles on the ground, get her walking quietly over them as a part of her flat schooling so they are not something to get excited or tense about, then the same in trot and canter, the poles can be in a line, on a circle or just randomly placed.
Once she is totally chilled and relaxed then start to put up a small x pole either at the end of a line or just somewhere you can pop over it as and when you want without making it a big deal, then you will be in a better position to introduce some small grids being prepared to keep going back to the poles to reinforce the relaxation, I would stay in trot coming in to the fences for some time but allow her to canter away if she will do so quietly.

It will take a while to get her really settled but will be worth putting the effort in rather than just resorting to stronger bits without solving the fundamental issues, fair enough to use one at the camp as there would not have been the time to put in the work needed to get to the bottom of it.
Horses like this often benefit from doing a little polework/ jumping several times a week so it becomes normal rather than what sometimes happens when it is only a once a week occasion and they either do too much in one go or get over keen and the session gets worse rather than better.
 
be positive said:
She has been trained to rush into her fences and it will take plenty of schooling to change this, I would keep her in a snaffle for schooling and go back to complete basics, poles on the ground, get her walking quietly over them as a part of her flat schooling so they are not something to get excited or tense about, then the same in trot and canter, the poles can be in a line, on a circle or just randomly placed.
Once she is totally chilled and relaxed then start to put up a small x pole either at the end of a line or just somewhere you can pop over it as and when you want without making it a big deal, then you will be in a better position to introduce some small grids being prepared to keep going back to the poles to reinforce the relaxation, I would stay in trot coming in to the fences for some time but allow her to canter away if she will do so quietly.

It will take a while to get her really settled but will be worth putting the effort in rather than just resorting to stronger bits without solving the fundamental issues, fair enough to use one at the camp as there would not have been the time to put in the work needed to get to the bottom of it.
Horses like this often benefit from doing a little polework/ jumping several times a week so it becomes normal rather than what sometimes happens when it is only a once a week occasion and they either do too much in one go or get over keen and the session gets worse rather than better.
Click to expand...

Thank you! This is really useful - It is going to take a lot of persistence and patience, but hopefully, we will get there!
 
Lots of circling before the fence. Walking up to the grid and trotting from about two strides out. Circling in between the grid. Lots of transitions so she is listening to you.

I do lots of gridwork and find my horse goes just as well in a pelham as he does in a dually. But a snaffle is a different matter.
Its best to check once with a pelham than pull and tug on a snaffle with little or no control imho.
 
applecart14 said:
Lots of circling before the fence. Walking up to the grid and trotting from about two strides out. Circling in between the grid. Lots of transitions so she is listening to you.

I do lots of gridwork and find my horse goes just as well in a pelham as he does in a dually. But a snaffle is a different matter.
Its best to check once with a pelham than pull and tug on a snaffle with little or no control imho.
Click to expand...

Circling and walking can work but it can also make a green horse, which I think the Op's horse is in reality, become more reactive and tense, with something that has not been properly started in it's jump training it is always better to go back to establishing the basics if you have the time and inclination.
Much the same with the bit, I agree with better to do less pulling in a stronger bit than fight in a snaffle but having reschooled many horses most will improve if they learn to relax by getting a better understanding of what is required by starting from scratch, many horses that seem to enjoy jumping by rushing are doing so in order to get to the other side as quickly as possible, it is rare that they tow the rider in then cat jump if they are really enjoying themselves and understand how to jump properly.
 
Exactly as 'be positive' says! It's a myth that horses rush their fences because they 'love jumping'. They rush because they are afraid/unsure/have had bad experiences in the past.
Go right back to the beginning, have jumping as part of everyday schooling/hacking. Little and often to build confidence - of horse and rider!
With regard to tack. Less is usually more - it could be that she is running from - either the bit or noseband. If she doesn't pull when not jumping, I don't think a strong bit for jumping is the answer - it could just fuel her 'jumping is something to run from' attitude.
Getting her tired out is def not the answer - tired horses can make mistakes. Be patient, take things gradually and you'll get there in the end.
 
Agree with 'be positive' too.
Yes it is better to put a different bit on for a camp or similar than to be tugging a lot in a snaffle, but far better to school the horse to not pull in the snaffle in the long term when jumping. Even ex jumpracing TBs off the track can readily learn to do showjumping and crosscountry in a snaffle without pulling, but it does take time.
 
Thank you, i have put her back in the snaffle and removed the flash now as she doesn't need it in everyday hacking and schooling, its just her strength when jumping, i cannot control her in the snaffle! I will take her right back to the basics though, and wont properly jump her until i have got her to a comfortable and controllable pace over the poles. I dont think it helped at the camp that there were other horses around also to be honest!
 
You have already had good tips. As others said rushing often doesn't mean they enjoy it, but they are nervous. Building up from poles to jumps can work well with this type or very tiny grids, almost raised poles. As tempting as it is to pull try to leave her alone once you are approaching the fence. Setting up should all be done before you turn to the fence and then don't fight her. This is where placing poles will help her find the stride easier on her own.

Putting a pole after the fence can help stop them rushing away from a fence too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top