Jumping help please

[bexcy-bee]

I have just got back from a sjing competiton. The pony did really well, a 3rd and a 4th in the 2'6'' and 2'9''. However, In the 2'6'' he was VERY fast, but i kind of let him get on with it, and he flew everything.

In the 2'9'', he had some poles down in the jump off, and looking back on the video, the ones he knocked down, were the ones where i tried to sort out his rythmn. I dont mind letting him do his own thing, but he really is very speedy, and with me selling him, i dont want a little kid jumping him that fast. I am totally lost for ideas =[.

I have broken this little chap in, and up until now, hes been foot perfect. I know its possible that i put him in on the wrong stride, but ive competed nationally, been riding 18yrs +, so i dont think i would have put him to the jump on the wrong stride more than once, so doubting it is that.

Advise please anyone?

Many thanks in advance

bexcy-bee

 

[showjumpergirl]

Has he done much jumping before?

I doubt that it's your trying to get him into more of a rhythm that's making the poles fall, more that maybe he doesn't know how to collect to reach the fence in a controlled manner on the right stride in a quality canter (he might be going flat when slowing down as opposed to powering into the fence with you in control) - he can probably get away with being a little flat (assuming he is, no offence meant if he's not ) over the smaller jumps, but not over the larger.

Like mine is 5, and over smaller fences (like really small) he just gets on with it, but over anything bigger (90cm +) I really have to ride him pro-actively - really get hold of his head and collect him up into the fences because he doesn't know how to see a stride for himself yet (but is getting much better and all of this is done on the advice of my trainer BTW). So maybe it's inexperience, but I'd really concentrate on schooling him on the flat in canter, practising collecting and extending in canter so you can alter his stride to reach the jump in the right place.

I'd also have a lesson with a good instructor who can really point out what is out of place
Good luck!

 

[3DE]

Here's what I did with my speedster - not advocated for a horse that runs out, only one too keen...

- Approach a lowish fence (on that can be jumped from a stand still if necessary) and allow the horse to approach
- If you feel him taking hold (not listening to you) pull up immediately before the fence - he may still try to jump hence the low fence
- Continue to do this until he is anticipating the stop rather than jumping then at a time you feel comfortable with allow him to jump
- Next is stopping immediately after the fence, in a straight line, as soon after the fence as you can
- To build up from this put up a second fence 3/4 strides from the first, jump the first then stop before the second
- Once he is listening and not trying to rush through the second fence you can allow him to jump as a double
- Once he is jumping the two in control (intersperse with occasionally stopping) then shorten the distance between the double and go back to stopping between
- Shorten again until you only have 2 strides between
- If at any point your horse starts rushing again, go back a step
- This is a series of things to do over the course of a few sessions not all in one session

This is great for getting them to listen to you an wait for direction as to whether you want them to jump or not - it's a b*tch when they lock on to the wrong fence in a competition so this can sort that out too

Again - not advisable for a horse that is likely to refuse - only the over keen. It doesn't however teach a horse to refuse, only to listen to you.

Edit - another one you can do is have a fence set up in the middle and then one to the left and one to the right, at right angles (so you can jump on a circle). Jump the first fence and then you have a choice of left, right or straight - random it up

 

[Miss-rose]

Agree with inky my instructor got me to do this with my last boy who rushed into fences and it worked a treat for us

 

[Kokopelli]

Have you got the video so we can see it?

It sounds like you could be interfearing with him too much and upsetting his natural rythm. It sounds like you need to do some more homwork, do grids etc until the horse is listening to you and can sort himself out over the fence without your help, that way if you do tell him wrongly he can sort himself out.

The problem with these wizzy ponies is that they can't jump past about 2ft9 without having poles because they are too fast and jumping flat and no one is doing anything to stop them

Your in control of your horse, when you say woah he should damn well woah! Its just plain rude from their part and if you don't nip it in the butt now it will get worse and worse until your trying to put various metal contraptions in their mouth to have the slighteset bit of control.

Do some more groundwork when you say stop he should stop when you shift your weight backwards his stride should shorten and when you slightly tip forwards his stride should legthen (without running) Its the basics.

 

[bexcy-bee]

Thanks for all the advise. He is a 4yr old, cant remember if i said that in the initial post, so yes, it mainly just is inexperience. I have attatched the video of the 2'6'' jump off. The rest was taken in photo mode.

I will try working him in his canter, and also the stopping after and before jumps.

My mum used to be BHS qualified instructor, so if i need someone (which i do!) to help, i shall nab her, but, being a driving instructor, time is limited!

Many thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV77NL1e-7c

 

[3DE]

Woah seriously enthusiastic. He looks very unbalanced and your steering doesn't look the best If I were you I'd get the flatwork tip top before introducing the complication of poles. You need to get him working calmly over poles on the ground before introducing actual jumps.

Have you tried lunging over poles placed in a cross shape (with you in the centre) - that way the poles keep coming and they learn to stop rushing over them

 

[Kokopelli]

After seeing the video I would not take him out competing until some more groundwork is done. As a 4yo you pony is unbalanced and going at that speed to jumps is dangerous! You're also telling him its okay to go that fast because your not correcting him.

 

[bexcy-bee]

That is because it was a jump off. I was hoping, that with letting him go in the first round, he would be more controlled, and more calm, which he was, in the 2'9''. I know it is dangerous, hence the necessity to ask for help.

As for the X shape, i dont quite know what you mean. As in, on crossed on top of the other one?

Many thanks

 

[vikkiandmonica]

I agree, more schooling is needed. If your desperate to keep jumping, then look at when you're checking him. You're collecting him miles from the jump, the letting him charge/firing him at the fences, whereas (especially as your in a jump off in the video), you want to be letting him cover the ground around the course, then collect him into the fences (say, last 5 strides) and let the last stride be his own (so release your reins more so that he can bounce up etc.). He does look unbalanced, but seems to be fairly willing to come back to you, albeit in a very babyish way.

I would work on your flatwork, as this will greatly help with your jumping.

 

[3DE]

As for the X shape, i dont quite know what you mean. As in, on crossed on top of the other one?

Imagine you are stood in the centre of a circle, put poles pointing from the centre at 12 o'clock, 3, 6 and 9. There should be a gap between the poles, probably one poles length from the centre. That way you can lunge over the poles on a circle.

Can't explain it very well

A bit like this but less of a fan (though you could do a fan if you had enough poles)

 

[Sanolly]

The only thing I can add to the above suggestions is to lay out a course of jumps - and leave every single pole on the floor, then ride as if you are flatwork schooling just with a few poles to trot/canter over.

 

[bexcy-bee]

Imagine you are stood in the centre of a circle, put poles pointing from the centre at 12 o'clock, 3, 6 and 9. There should be a gap between the poles, probably one poles length from the centre. That way you can lunge over the poles on a circle.

Can't explain it very well

A bit like this but less of a fan (though you could do a fan if you had enough poles)

Ahhh ok I get you now

Thanks very much for your advice, you've given me some very helpful ideas and is very much appreciated. Thankyou.

I'm going to work on my flatwork with him. However, i am also considering giving him a month or two off, looking at the video, do you recomend this?

Many thanks for all your helpful advice

 

[Kokopelli]

Ahhh ok I get you now

I'm going to work on my flatwork with him. However, i am also considering giving him a month or two off, looking at the video, do you recomend this?

Many thanks for all your helpful advice

Has he been turned away since being backed? If so, then no I would keep him in work and persist especially if you're selling him.

But if he hasn't been turned away yet a couple of months off might do him some good to process everything you've been teaching him.

 

[bexcy-bee]

He hasnt been turned away since backed, no. Would you suggest 1 month, then light hacks at weekends (i cant do much after work when the clocks go back), or a full 2 months off??

Many thanks

 

[carmel52]

I would also suggest you practice with trotting poles and then put them before and after a small jump. They will make him think and will eventually stop him rushing. He's just a baby and if you put in the hard work you will reap the rewards later. Good luck

 

[foraday]

Whizzy Pony! Believe me some capable PC kid will love him! He's brill!!!!

Not much to add here but balance is everything about 95% of jumping is balance of horse with rider.

I have a whizzy bolts to a fence 16.3hh-doesn't bother me about the speed (he's always done it and as he was competed by a British Team member and he was bolting to fences then-and was told by the rider do not interfere he knows what he is doing)

The only thing I have been told by my trainer is sit back, soft hands down and hold until last stride.

What you can do is one exercise we do is pop up a fence and put a pole on the ground at the bottom of the fence and then 2 of your strides from it-trot to the fence-yep its hard but do able! At the pole 2 strides out kick on and say yep off you go-you should be able to jump around 1m20 doing this-it shows the horse/pony that you do not need to be full pelt all the time. This is something we do with the advanced horses as they have to do bounces etc.

I wouldn't turn him away just yet as you said he is now shuffling in front of the fences-that is a sure sign he is starting to listen to you and asking you is that the right stride!

As everyone has said Fun Grid work and FUN Schooling! He's a capable little lad with a good brain in there to be as whizzy as that!