Jumping

[HeyMich]

Nelly, my big idiot of a horse, absolutely loves jumping. She's not graceful or talented in any shape or form (think 16.2hh elephant with feet the size of satellite dishes), but the ears go forwards and she pulls me into the jump like it's about to disappear. She jumps big too, and it almost seems that she can't be bothered with smaller jumps and only really sorts her feet out if the height is worth it. The problem is that however much she seems to enjoy it, I really don't! Well, I don't in the school anyway (when I say school, read: muddy sloping field). She's just too strong, and then she gets silly and opinionated (she's a mare!) and we both get frustrated. Her canter in the school (field) isn't balanced, and she can be like turning a freight liner. We don't do much canter work in the school or in lessons for this reason (we have plenty to work on elsewhere, don't worry!). I do canter her quite often out on hacks, and she is happy to go first or last, but she can be very strong if the mood takes her! I love her dearly, but she can be an idiot.

Anyhow, lately when out on hacks or the like, I've plucked up the courage to pop a few wee small logs and jumps, and surprisingly, we've both quite enjoyed it. So much so, that last week I took her to a friend's field and had a play over some cross country jumps she'd set up for the kids. We're talking 60/80 max here, we're not aiming for Badminton just yet..

So here's my question. Could I realistically take her XC schooling, or aim for a small XC event (I'm thinking the pick-a-fence-type competitions that the kids do with PC) without schooling over jumps and working on her canter balance in the school first? I may need to rethink her bit/bridle/reins set up or schedule in a double shoulder replacement afterwards, mind you...

Silly or realistic? I am NOT a brave or competitive rider in any shape or form, but for the first time in a very long time, I'm finding myself thinking I might possibly enjoy a wee hurl around an XC course...

 

[IrishMilo]

If I've understood your question right, then yes, you can definitely hire an XC course just to blast around and not jump anything. You might find she settles into jumping better and goes at a more relaxed pace once you've worn her out so you could always pop some at the end.

 

[HeyMich]

If I've understood your question right, then yes, you can definitely hire an XC course just to blast around and not jump anything. You might find she settles into jumping better and goes at a more relaxed pace once you've worn her out so you could always pop some at the end.

Thanks IM.

I've just re-read my OP and I've waffled and bit and not made much sense, sorry!

The thing is, I DO want to jump, and practice and improve our jumping, just not in a school environment. So my question was more along the lines of - can we learn to jump out doing XC and not put the work into the canter/balance in the school first?

More waffle, apologies!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Yes, go and do a bit of xc schooling, perhaps the odd clinic, with a view to autumn hunter trials?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Agree with the above and I'd also suggest trying a jump lesson in a hired (big with a good surface) arena, as it can make all the difference to your confidence and the bigger the school the easier they will find balancing (well it worked for Skylla, she struggled hugely in a 20x40 but is a different horse in the 30x50 we have now).

 

[be positive]

Thanks IM.

I've just re-read my OP and I've waffled and bit and not made much sense, sorry!

The thing is, I DO want to jump, and practice and improve our jumping, just not in a school environment. So my question was more along the lines of - can we learn to jump out doing XC and not put the work into the canter/balance in the school first?

More waffle, apologies!

Yes you can but I would use it as a schooling opportunity in general, having a 'blast' may encourage her to get even stronger, take time to come into different jumps in different gears, small ones can be walked into, then trot some, canter others and you may well find her balance improves because she is having to think a bit more than normal, big horses can struggle to keep their balance on turns especially on grass as it can be very slippy and often worse when it is hard, xc should allow more time to establish the canter, the open spaces more time to gain control without having to turn so quickly.

 

[HeyMich]

Agree with the above and I'd also suggest trying a jump lesson in a hired (big with a good surface) arena, as it can make all the difference to your confidence and the bigger the school the easier they will find balancing (well it worked for Skylla, she struggled hugely in a 20x40 but is a different horse in the 30x50 we have now).

That's really interesting to hear about the bigger school making the difference. Definitely something to think about!

 

[HeyMich]

Yes you can but I would use it as a schooling opportunity in general, having a 'blast' may encourage her to get even stronger, take time to come into different jumps in different gears, small ones can be walked into, then trot some, canter others and you may well find her balance improves because she is having to think a bit more than normal, big horses can struggle to keep their balance on turns especially on grass as it can be very slippy and often worse when it is hard, xc should allow more time to establish the canter, the open spaces more time to gain control without having to turn so quickly.

Yes, that's what I was thinking - not going for a blast straight away, but having some XC schooling first. Would an instructor think we were wasting their time not having worked on canter and jumping in the school first though? My question is ever changing...!

 

[be positive]

Yes, that's what I was thinking - not going for a blast straight away, but having some XC schooling first. Would an instructor think we were wasting their time not having worked on canter and jumping in the school first though? My question is ever changing...!

I would not think you were wasting my time but you may think you were wasting yours if I went at the pace I felt was within your, and your horses, comfort zone, we would probably start by walking, gaining complete control, trotting over tiny logs again looking for control, then do a few more technical things out of walk before even thinking of going into canter, that is based on the info you have given on here I may do something totally different if I had you in front of me. I like to see horses learn to look, think and take care of themselves when jumping, in theory they then take care of the rider, there is plenty of time to work on the canter, often jumping correctly will improve it anyway .

 

[Nevin's Run]

Yes, that's what I was thinking - not going for a blast straight away, but having some XC schooling first. Would an instructor think we were wasting their time not having worked on canter and jumping in the school first though? My question is ever changing...!

I don't think they would at all! Yes you need some control and balance for XC but at the lower level clinics your instructor is probably going to be focused more on getting you flowing forward confidently, not worrying that you don't have a nice dressage canter round corners The technical stuff comes later (much later than the fun clinics I've been on, for sure!)

 

[IrishMilo]

can we learn to jump out doing XC and not put the work into the canter/balance in the school first?

I think you'll find regularly schooling across country where she has to balance herself over various terrain will help her when it comes to going back in the arena. Most XC places near me are set on acres of gentle slopes and different footing.

 

[EventingMum]

Go to somewhere like Titwood at Kilmaurs or Strathearn have a nice nursery field with small fences and you'll have plenty of space and a good choice of fences to have fun with, lessons can be arranged at both venues.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Agree with what another poster said about a bigger school. My mare is unbalanced in the school the first time I had a jumping lesson after we moved yards from a huge arena to a 20x40 I felt like we had taken 500 steps back in our training. She found it so much harder to turn in balance and I had less time between jumps to give her the time she needed to rebalance and collect. Now I ask much less of her unless I hire somewhere bigger out/school in the field.

I definitely think you can use xc schooling to your advantage. Build the basics out on straight lines, over uneven terrain, up hills etc so that when you ask for more finesse in a smaller area it is just developing skills rather than starting from scratch!

 

[HeyMich]

I would not think you were wasting my time but you may think you were wasting yours if I went at the pace I felt was within your, and your horses, comfort zone, we would probably start by walking, gaining complete control, trotting over tiny logs again looking for control, then do a few more technical things out of walk before even thinking of going into canter, that is based on the info you have given on here I may do something totally different if I had you in front of me. I like to see horses learn to look, think and take care of themselves when jumping, in theory they then take care of the rider, there is plenty of time to work on the canter, often jumping correctly will improve it anyway .

Can I hire you for a lesson please? Sounds just what we need

 

[HeyMich]

I don't think they would at all! Yes you need some control and balance for XC but at the lower level clinics your instructor is probably going to be focused more on getting you flowing forward confidently, not worrying that you don't have a nice dressage canter round corners The technical stuff comes later (much later than the fun clinics I've been on, for sure!)

Hah! I like that. The dressage canter may take another few years....

 

[HeyMich]

Go to somewhere like Titwood at Kilmaurs or Strathearn have a nice nursery field with small fences and you'll have plenty of space and a good choice of fences to have fun with, lessons can be arranged at both venues.

Thanks EM! Titwood is a bit of a trek for us, but Strathearn is possible. I'll look into it and book something before I chicken out...!

 

[HeyMich]

I definitely think you can use xc schooling to your advantage. Build the basics out on straight lines, over uneven terrain, up hills etc so that when you ask for more finesse in a smaller area it is just developing skills rather than starting from scratch!

Thanks, that's a great way to look at it. We have lots of uneven terrain and hills here, so can use that to our advantage. Just need to pluck up the courage to pop more logs when we're out!

 

[mini_b]

Can I hire you for a lesson please? Sounds just what we need

was thinking the same thing!!!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

That's really interesting to hear about the bigger school making the difference. Definitely something to think about!

The bigger the school the less turning you need to do and the more straight line work you can do, Skylla needed to be able to canter freely in a bigger space before she could balance herself in a smaller school. Even now I tend to trot corners in tight arenas when jumping.

Cantering over logs out hacking I would imagine would be in straight lines so an easier ask for her . Definitely think xc jumping can help jumping in general though.