Jumping - Cantering sideways?

[Evil_Cookie]

I either have a very talented horse or a very silly one...

Has anyone had a similar problem or ideas on what to do?
Yesterday jumped the silly beast for the first time in a while... nothing big, two cross poles and a jump with fillers approx 2'6. She went nicely in the beggining but soon started to get wound up and after the jumps as I went to turn she would fall out through the shoulder and go sideways, supprisingly quickly we ended up 10 metres from where we started of. On straight lines she began running of with her head in the air, I tried straight lines thinking maybe the turns were best avoided. Any ideas on what I can try? I've had a similar thing happen out competing which isn't great when you end up overshooting the next jump because she's disapeering to the right. She's such a frustrating little mare she can do things beautifully for about ten seconds and then gets bored and tries something else

Any ideas much appreciated.

 

[PapaFrita]

Antifaz used to do this when he was evil and uncooperative. PF does it when she's being ridden by someone who is using too much hand and not enough leg.
I'm sure your mare isn't evil OR uncooperative

If she's getting keen, do you think you might not be using enough leg?
It's possible she's getting a bit overwhelmed and you might need to take things down a bit until she's calm and happy. Gridwork is great. Worked wonders with whizzy PF

 

[harrihjc]

My mare used to do this too, was fine for the first jump, but then she'd know what she was doing and off you went, head in the clouds and crab style at great speed! It's very annoying. Echo PF that gridwork really helps

 

[AprilsMum]

Aprils like this, but only when im not using enough leg.

 

[Lvrees]

Circle in front of the jump, keep your leg on and ignore her, once shes chilled just turn into the jump and pop it, then carry on with something else. Change rein, keep circling, bring back to walk, shoulder in, just get her mind off jumping, then again circle in front of the jump, when shes not thinking about it pop the jump.
I agree grid work would be good, a few bounces will make her put her head down.

I always think, if your not getting it right change your line, so if shes messing up, change your line, come in off a tighter turn, or like I said off a circle.

 

[Sal_E]

What bit is she in? It might be advisable to use something not strong (she she doesn't feel she can't go forwards), but maybe a fulmer/full cheek so you have some sideways assistance.

When working on flatwork, I'd introduce simple lateral work (eg leg yeilding & shoulder-in) so that both of you are learning how & when to do the sideways thing - i.e. so she learns to do it on command.

When she does escape through the shoulder, you need to ride to correct her - block all unrequested sideways movement with your outside rein. If she's running away with you so much that simply 'correct' riding is not enough, you may need to turn her into it & forget where you were wanting to go OR bring her to a sharp halt & then back forwards again in a calmer fashion.

It could quite simply be becuase she hasn't been jumped for a while & you're expecting a bit much from her - you possibly need to forget stringing jumps together for a short while & quietly do one jump, to halt, walk, trot, next jump, halt, walk, trot, circling inbetween, lots of transitions, halting if excited, only jumping when settled etc...

 

[Evil_Cookie]

Thanks for all your help, I have a lesson wednesday so will request gridwork

She's currently ridden in a loose ring french link snaffle so it's not strong. We vary between not being able to stop... ie... the straight lines or not going forwards but sideways on the turns so backing of the bit, she's rather unpredictable. It could just be because we've not jumped in a while but we have had these issues in the past, trying to turn her head to the outside was my last instructors view but it's hard to do when she's got her head in the air and is careering sideways towards a barbed wire fence

I'm to scared to ride her forward through it as I'm really not sure what she'd do... Its not so much a matter of her not going fast enough, but I guess I don't push her through it with my leg... so maybe.... Will have a go... Do you think the bit is an issue?
Thanks for your help

 

[Evil_Cookie]

bump

 

[Sal_E]

Take the 'bump' as a hint that you're wanting a bit more input...

I wouldn't expect the bit to be an issue, but the full cheek may assist in giving you a bit more sideways control - don't expect it to outright cure anything though...

In your last explanation, it actually sounded a bit worse than I initially thought. If you are actually loosing control (as opposed to just a bit of running out through the shoulder), I'd say for now the answer is firmly pulling up after each & every fence. You need to regain the control, calm the whole thing down & make the whole thing a bit more civilised. She needs to learn that at the point she tries to take control, she will be made to firmly STOP. It's all well & good trying exercises to block the outside shoulder / change the bend etc but if she's mentally running off with you, she'll just find another method of escape - for now, you need to regain control.

 

[Baggybreeches]

My pony used to do this when showjumping, we worked her o a 20m circle with a jump and trotted and cantered on the circle, ignoring the jump and treating it as just another step on the circle, it took a while but she did get better, I also found that she could not be over ridden a that made her worse.

 

[Evil_Cookie]

Thanks for the advice. I was wondering earlier if I've been tense or something which is causing her to feel she can't go forward round corners. I don't feel tense but I suppose frustrated with be about the same right?

Will have the lesson tonight and knowing the little madam she'll probably be as good as gold, and make me look like a paranoid wimp

The circling infront of the jump is fine, it's always after, and then its hard to get a circle at all. I'm not sure about asking her to stop, because I've got a feeling this sideways buisness is something to do with me blocking her from going forwards, so she feels the only way to go is sideways? If I had the guts, I'd gallop everywhere but that doesn't really sort the issue I guess, will request gridwork tonight and see how we get on.

Just a thought... she doesn't do it xc just over show jumps? But I guess tighter turns and more control are needed in show jumping?

Anyway thanks for all the advice, will report on the little madams behaviour tonight.

 

[Sal_E]

Got luck on the lesson, let us know what the prognosis is.

It's often easier XC as you open the horse up so the energy goes forwards not sideways - however, it's not practical (or acceptable) to let the horse zoom off between fences for SJ...

 

[Evil_Cookie]

Well.... the lesson...

On a plus point did half an hour with the youngster and she was excellent, her turning and forwardness are really getting better. (only 6th ride

)

On the not so good front, Ruby was a pain in the neck... I thought she had enough energy the day before...

We didn't even get on to jumping... or even canter... the one try we had at canter resulted in two circuits of bucking broncing horse. After stopping from this she actually started to go sideways on the flat, something she never normally does. She's usually fine in the school, it's the jumping where all this behaviour comes out. But anyway, the new instructor was ok for the youngster but I dunno didn't really help that much with the monster. I think we need to put her back on the calmer.... and maybe cut her feed down... (she's been gaining weight recently, though she's still not at a comfortable weight yet, and we cut out the calmer to see if it would help with her funny skin dryness problems, though that seems to have gone away, not sure how much of it was to do with the calmer) Arghhh... so frustrating :angry: I think I'm going to have to start riding her harder to get rid of this excess energy... but then she's way to fit as it is... (she barely sweat yesterday with all her acrobatics) I don't really want her to get any fitter if her behaviours not going to improve, it just means she will have the stamina to keep misbehaving for longer

I think part of the problem is me, I think I am quite tense on her, especially my arms and hands.... anyone got any ideas on how to relax? Just trying doesn't seem to work...
Trying to find a balance now between bucking fast forward monster and sideways zooming backing of bit monster... On the plus side of things... she looked beautiful for about five minuites before she got wound up....and then everything went to pot... Once she's wound up she doesn't come back down for the rest of the ride, is that normal for skitty horses? Anyway thanks again... any help on relaxing would be much appreciated... Or even any good exercises to calm her down...