Just a bit more control needed when jumping please!

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Niffer

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My horse has just started jumping well when I ride well!!

When I have him in a nice looseish outline and have him listening to me and in 'Dressage mode' (he's good at dressage btw) he has started jumping really nicely and we've had some good clear rounds which I'm really chuffed about as I love jumping.

The only problem I have at the moment is that he does try and tank off with me after a couple of jumps and then I'm struggling to hold him together for the next jump. He'll run out or stop if he's fast and flat.

I currently ride him in a loose ring snaffle for hacking and dressage, but put a running martingale and use the 2nd hole of a 3 ring for jumping. I don't like the 3 ring particularly as the outline is false - it makes him tuck his head in and brings his head down which is not really what I'm after. I just want a bit more control of my horse in the ring!

I've done some research on this: Carol Mailer's book suggests a snaffle and Market Harborough will give me a bit more 'strength', but I want to do the right thing.

I'm well aware that I need to improve my own fitness and need to sit back more, but I'd welcome any of your comments and suggestions too.
 
I would try putting the jumps down very small (six inches) and then riding the course like a dressage test with obsticles, eg keep a balanced canter, ask for leg changes over the jumps, all the time, keeping the samre rhythm and balance (you should not even need to assume a jumping position. Gradually build the jumps up, but ride the same - sit up, balance, consistency.

Another good exercise is to ride the horse to the jump, three strides out ask for a trot halt transition. Circle, repeat. Cricle, then go over the jump. After the jump, canter on, circle, halt. Repeat, repeat repeat. This will get the horse listening to you, rather than carrying on and getting caught up with the excitement of jumping.

No amount of tack and gadgets can make up for hours of schooling and improved riding!
 
does he tank off leaning on your hands? if so, with a well-schooled horse who just seems to be taking the p*** a bit (which is what it sounds like) i would try a waterford next, ideally full-cheeked. it's not a harsh bit, but it is pretty impossible for a horse to lean on, because of all the bobbly joints. i use one as my next thing up from snaffles, and in a lot of cases, am able to go back to a snaffle after using it a few times.
schooling at home and making him stop in a straight line 10 strides after the fence, turning back and jumping it, a few times, helps teach him that he doesn't just hooley off to the next fence every time.
just a couple of ideas, anyway.
 
Top tips there FeuFolet - I can see that those exercises would work.

I'm going clear round jumping tonight and have a lesson tomorrow so may well have a go at your exercises.

I agree with your comment on tack & gadgets which is why I want to not use the 3 ring bit, but I also want to stay in the same County when jumping!

Is there a lesser of 2 evils? 3 ring bit vs market harbourer & snaffle.....
 
Thank you for your reply and the bit about being 'well schooled'. He is and he's getting better and better, but I want to nip this little problem in the bud!

I've tried a waterford snaffle before out hacking and he just went and I had to use trees as brakes! He used to be naughty like that when I first got him, but is good now.

However when you're out hacking and the horse takes off, it's easier to pull them up as you have more space and/or can turn a circle, but in a show jumping ring, there's not much space to 'get it all tidied up' again. Prevention is better than cure here.

Tonight, when I go clear round jumping, I think I'm going to be brave and try him in the normal snaffle which he lurves (it's a curved JP loose ring) with a flash and the running martingale. Hopefully he won't run off with me; and if he does at least I've tried it in a non-competitive atmos!
 
it sounds as if he needs a bit of a shock, i'd probably over-bit him once or twice so he learns that he DOESN'T RUN OFF WITH MUMMY just cos there's a few fences around.
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when he pulls/zooms off, do you give and release, almost jerk the reins to get him back, rather than a solid pull? they can pull back against a solid pull all day, arnie schwarzenegger probably couldn't stop him like that! if he's being rude by zooming off and ignoring you, i'd be rude back and give him a couple of sharp yanks to get his attention back and make him sit up and go "crikey, that wasn't nice. won't do that again!"
 
I probably have to hold my hands up to 'solid pulling' rather than pull and release. I do release as soon as he gives to me but perhaps a bit more a sharper pull and release might make him retune to Mummy FM!
 
yep, otherwise it's a big tug of war, and i know who my money's on!
if you release for second, then pull again, and repeat, he'll hopefully listen a bit more... maybe even a lot more. hope it works. if he's being really flippin' rude, then jerk the reins, seriously. he shouldn't be carting you... if he wasn't, you wouldn't have to do it!
 
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