Jumping exercises for getting too close/chipping in

[Ahrena]

Willow always comes in close to her fences. Well not always, but often, and if she's unsure of a jump, she also often puts in another tiny half stride.

She was never properly "taught" how to jump, so her jumping style is quite..shall we say..unique? But you know, its uncomfortable and likely she'll have a fence down if she jumps from out underneath it. If I see a stride, I tell her to take off, but especially when we're away from home and she's looking at everything, she'll put in a tiny half stride. This means when she DOES take off nicely I get left behind so it all ends up a bit horrible and messy.

Okay I'm rambling now. She's not very confident when jumping - she enjoys it, but worries a bit unless its XC or hunting because she used to p2p and hunt, but over poles she's a little funny.

Any ideas, grid work ect to encourage her to not take tiny half strides before fences/get in so deep/take a bigger stride. I do try and ride her as forwards as I can, but then sometimes she ends up going too fast and then we end up into difficulties like that.

Thanks

 

[kerilli]

i'd do grids keeping distances short to begin with, so she gets used to taking a stride and jumping every time, not shuffling. not big fences, just perfect shortish distances, gradually building up size as she gains confidence. also use placing poles at about 2 1/2 to 3 yards from a single fence (canter stride). i'd always give her a filler and a big groundline too, for quite a while, to make fences easier for her to judge. don't ride for a stride or for a long one, leave the judgement to her (only way she'll learn), just concentrate on getting a nice bouncy canter and keeping the tempo the same all the way to the fence, incl the last stride... just let the fence get in the way of the nice bouncy canter in rhythm.
i'd definitely get back and saddle checked too, as chipping in is often a symptom of expecting pain if they stand off and use themselves.

 

[jelibean]

Maybe have a look at how your setting up your fences, maybe she cant judge them properly hence causing her to be unsure and putting in extra strides or standing off. Use ground poles on the floor under the fence and a stride before to help her gauge them.
Try comp someone in there should have some really good schooling advice.