jumping from walking

[Bosworth]

ok I have seen several posts raving about how good this is - so tell me more, what is it aiming to do? Will it help me cure my over enthusiastic ex racer - and what height do I do it to and what types of fences. Does it not encourage them to catleap? I have a pathological fear of vertical take offs as my last horse did this then propelled me about 3 ft out of the saddle backwards onto the ground not once but several times!

 

[Chloe_GHE]

ok I was suggested to try this by Kerilli and it has been fab for my exracer who wants to use speed and go on a long one if ever possible

This is how I did it...

small upright on lowest stand hole about half a foot
walk to it squeeze on final stride
jump over
as walking round to it again get helper to put up one hole
walk to it squeeze on final stride
jump over

repeat until you feel they are at the point they need to stop
Soap got to about 80/90cms but then wanted to put in a final trot stride to get over so took it back down a hole and got him to do it properly at that height on both reins then ended exercise.
I will keep going back to this and hopefully when he gets the idea more and build more muscle he will be abelt o jump a big bigger each time.

I think it encourages then to...

think about how they jump
jump using muscle power NOT speed
become tidy infront and back to clear fence

you may get a few odd leaps so just keep it small to start with, and make a conscious effort not to sock them in the gob at all, I had Soap on almost the buckle end to avoid this

good luck and have fun it's a brilliant exercise I am indebted to K for telling me about it

 

[Cyberchick]

I echo this.

I was recommended this by my instructor. My horse could jump the moon but used to try and tank into them. It just slows everything down, giving me and him time to think about things and do it properly. It helped me know end. Also at shows I was still recommended to do this in the warm up and either jump no fences before I went in or only one maybe two depending on the height I was competing at.

 

[CrazyMare]

My Dad makes me do this - FAB for making my little speed merchant slow down, use her back end, rather than just her scope and jump properly.

I don't watch him alter the fence though - its enough to walk into it and think 'Holy sh*t'

 

[kerilli]

yes, it really works. if they try to rush, halt a stride away. sit there calmly not looking at fence at all until they relax and lose interest too. then calmly put a tiny bit of leg on and ask them to walk and pop. you have to try to touch their ears with your hands the first few times though, in case you do get a big surprised jump, jabbing them in the chops would be the worst possible punishment.
start very small, say 6", then 9", then a foot, etc. uprights only, this is very important.
i got my unscopey dangly little homebred till she could walk calmly to 3'6" and pop it very neatly with no rushing, no hassle. it also taught her to fold her front legs like a praying mantis!

 

[OneInAMillion]

When I first got my horse he didn't understand how to jump from a trot because we wanted to start building him up on grids etc. so we tried walking over the jumps and he learnt a lot more how to move his body going over the jump and it also increases their muscle as they have a lot less impulsion to power them over the jump.

 

[JoBo]

I have also done this with my coloured cob, but for the opposite reason, to perk him up! He gets more ‘let me at them’, which means more holding for the fence rather then kicking. Seemed to really help getting us on horse stride doubles.

 

[VRIN]

Aahh... was just about to ask if it would work for one that isn't rushing...mine will back off the last stride...