jumping wedges and skinnies xc?

[carmenlucy123]

i cannot get my mare to jump them the cheese wedges she just "swings" her front feet over them and she clatters all over them in an attempt not to jump them. she jumps big xc iv done alot of it with her lately as i want to make a real go of this hunter trials season now iv got my horsebox.

when i last went to a xc clinic there was a telegraph pole jump in a triangle and you could either jump the corner or bounce it.... does this make sense? i think it does anyhoo (now normally im sure these types of jumps tend to be filled in and more solid and i dont think it was a good jump) and i couldnt get her to jump it..... in the end the instructor said to leave it and "go and make friends with her over some smaller jumps"

then at somerford i managed to get her to jump the skinnies with the trees either side but i could not get her to jumo any that were free standing.

its so frustrating because she will just keep jumping with her front legs and jerking out and its stupid she may as well jump it but iv been there for ages and it gets us both stressed out.

so any advice pls and any training i could do? short of take some poles xc training i dont know what to do...
i just hope the flags will hold her in at an event?

helpies please!

 

[lilpinkdonkey4]

My mare has the same idea about life. She wont jump it unless it has flags or is in a fence line... i think she just doesnt get it! So we go schooling where there is somewhere close by that has flags... you never really see fences in competitions without flags so i dont see this really as a problem. can you practice jumps without wings at home... maybe with barells or crates instead?

 

[kerilli]

i think i'd jump lots of tiny skinnies at home to get her used to the idea. for e.g. i have blue plastic barrels, 3' pieces of big drainage pipe (about 1'9" diameter), etc. or 2 bloks side-on on top of each other. start with poles to each side to keep her in, then put them on the floor, eventually remove them when she believes you that she must jump whatever you ask her to, however skinny and strange it looks.
some people think that horses actually look for the flags (i don't, personally!) and if you think they do, put flags on both sides to get her used to looking for them.
best of luck!

 

[Safina]

Skinnnys

Get as much practise jumping these as you can - yes they have flags etc at competitions which makes them a tiny bit easier but its still worth training as much as you can before hand. Try jumping single crates and barrels at home - put "V" poles up for the first few attempts then remove them once she has popped it nicely. You really need to think about channeling her inbetween your legs, making sure your body is straight and that you are holding her between your hands. Look beyond the fence and remember that skinnys are one of the few XC jumps that its really acceptable to take hold more and come off a rounder more responsive pace than flat out.

Corners

Try to practise these at home as well. Make it at either a very accute (so its obvious that its one jump) or very obtuse (so its clear that a bounce/stride is needed). Again add "V" poles if needs be just so she has some assistance the first few times but make sure that its your legs/body/hands that are guiding her and not just the poles.

 

[Baggybreeches]

Sounds to me like you need to practise and build her confidence, she also needs to be much more between leg and hand. On a Lucinda clinic I did she got us to imagine we were riding a tube, legs wrapped round the bottom and hands holding the tube straight, it sounds wierd but it does work.
I think if you are concerned about these type of fences then you have to try to sit very still and not over-ride.
The straightness comes with practise, confidence and trust.
You shouldn't find too many of them at RC level Hunter trials and ODEs, so don't woory too much.

 

[LEC]

I once had a lesson with a BE trainer and this was their rather wacky advice which actually really strangly works.

If you run out make your horse stand in front of the fence moving the bit from side to side so they are standing looking at it straight keep doing this then you will feel them almost lurch like they are going to jump it turn them around come again have your hands wide and your legs keeping them straight and they will jump it!

I had a friend always had problems with cheese wedges did this and they have been fine since.

 

[carmenlucy123]

thanks for such a great response everyone!!

i put an upright barrel inbetween wings with poles in a V today and after a swerve out a full on stop and two wobbely jumps over it she jumped it perfect..... unfortunatly the rain started hammering so i just really praised her and took her in... but next time i will stay longer and ill be sure to post back!

i do think shes nervous and i honestly expected her to keep looking for a way out so im really glad she jumped it so well!!

to be continued.....