Jumping youngsters

Pipkin

Pipkin

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Out of interest (nothing to do with other threads going on) What does/had everyone do/done when jumping youngsters?
Exercises, heights etc.
I`ve jumped Ayla once since I`ve had her (not including logs out hacking)
we havent got over 1 1/2 foot X or straights yet :D
IMO opinion she isnt mature enough and i dont want to ruin her confidence. Id rather get her flatwork down to a fine art ill start with the jumping again, believe me if you`d seen her flat work you`d be appalled :D
Just interested in other peoples experiences
 
Lord is 5 and I have only just started jumping him over 1m at home, he is still 2'6" and under at shows.

I started him last year over 18" :D I think the most important thing is to set your foundations first, establishing good flatwork and balanced paces. I'd always rather be to "slow" producing him than rush him and ruin his confidence :)
 
When I taught my pony to jump when he was about 4 1/2 we started off with lots of pole work then worked up to raised poles then poles into a tiny cross which was more like just a raised pole. Took him ages to get the idea of actually jumping it and he would just trot or canter over it taking a bigger stride.

He eventually got the hang of jumping when he was coming up to 5 and so spent ages doing small cross poles with poles infront, then taking the poles away and gradually increased the height. We did do one or two clear rounds when he was about 5 but then didnt do any more till he was coming up 6. Never jumped over 2ft6 till he was coming up 6 either.

We spent a lot more time on flatwork though and probably took a good year to teach him to jump properly and we only moved on when he was ready.
 
boogles said:
Lord is 5 and I have only just started jumping him over 1m at home, he is still 2'6" and under at shows.

I started him last year over 18" :D I think the most important thing is to set your foundations first, establishing good flatwork and balanced paces. I'd always rather be to "slow" producing him than rush him and ruin his confidence :)
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I`m right at the basics with her now lots of walking in circles and trying to get her moving straight, she falls out through the shoulder a lot but i think thats got a lot to do with the schooling paddock being right next to the stables and she can see Roxy munching hay whilst Ayla has to work :D

heres our first time jumping anything but a log, feel free to critique, my position is pooh i know! :) excuse crap pics i had to take a photo of my paused video! photobucket wont upload my vids :(

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Koko has just gone 6 and has just started jumping courses of about 1.05 before this he was jumping 2ft6 and under and I asked my vet, and physio if he was ready before I moved him up a height. He's quite mature though :)
 
Ayla From what I can see all I can comment on is that you need to release your hands forward with the horses head as she jumps, And try to concentrate on wrapping your lower leg around her to keep it from swinging back. That is my main fault (of many :p) when jumping, especialy on B as he has such a pop in him my leg can swing back. Your mare looks a nice sort too :D

I tend to ride a bit more defencivley with Lord so my leg doesn't tend to swing as much (Heels down :D)


I know everyone wants to get on with jumping their youngsters, I know I do, but patience and correct schooling on the flat first always pays off :D
 
Mine was 6 in May, we've only done max of 2ft so far and only a couple of jumps at that height, max course height we do at the moment is 1ft 6, i believe in taking it really slowly until they are very confident over smaller jumps before moving up. I do an awful lot of trotting over jumps as opposed to canter as well, gives them time to sort out their legs and get a good look at the jump. So far he hasn't spooked or stopped at anything including scary fillers and screamingly loud planks.

My mare who is now 12 is a superb careful confident jumper, i started her at 6 in exactly the same way and have passed the ride onto my daughter now. Mine are ponies as opposed to horses but the principles are the same. Get the flatwork right to begin with and go back a step at the first hint of problems. My baby couldn't work his back legs out for ages but he has just clicked it these past few sessions and has started asking to canter over them now and can bascule beautifully, beginning of this yr he just leapt at them and left his back legs somewhere in mid air - LOL
 
boogles said:
Ayla From what I can see all I can comment on is that you need to release your hands forward with the horses head as she jumps, And try to concentrate on wrapping your lower leg around her to keep it from swinging back. That is my main fault (of many :p) when jumping, especialy on B as he has such a pop in him my leg can swing back. Your mare looks a nice sort too :D

I tend to ride a bit more defencivley with Lord so my leg doesn't tend to swing as much (Heels down :D)


I know everyone wants to get on with jumping their youngsters, I know I do, but patience and correct schooling on the flat first always pays off :D
Click to expand...

Thanks :) i know my hands and legs are awful i only noticed just now and was horrifeied! i dont know whats happened to my bloody riding lol my instructor always used to use me as the jumping position demo when i was younger! practice makes perfect but i think ill practice my position on the flat over trotting poles no more jumping for this year because the paddock is going to be like a muddy mess soon!!!
 
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