Just had a jumping lesson - is this good advice or not?

[Ziggy_]

Had a jumping lesson tonight.

I've posted lots of times about my mare - she is very dominant and really hates being told what to do. We've made a lot of progress over the last year and I've found the best way to ride her is just sit quietly and avoid arguements. However, as she has got fitter she has started to revert to her old ways.

Anyway, tonight instructor made me get really tough with her. She made me shorten my reins right up, brace myself against her when she gets fast and collect her in front of the jumps. I could feel her back end coming right underneath and she went all bouncy and energetic. She jumped really nice over the first few jumps although I had to hold her very hard in front.

As the jumps got bigger, however, she started refusing. They were only about 2'9'' so nothing massive but she just got right in close and stopped dead. She was messing up related distances, getting in too close and hitting the jumps hard.

Now everything my instructor said in theory made sense - she said the mare has a very active back end but all the energy tends to go straight out the front, she said she has no respect for her rider which I knew was true although I don't like to admit it, etc etc. The way she was telling me to ride made perfect sense in my head and I've seen it work on other clients' horses.

The thing is, When I let her jump her own way, she sorts the strides out and makes a nice shape - all I really have to do is steer. She does go fast and pull very hard but we always go clear. Until tonight I'd never known her to refuse a jump, or knock one down, and it left me feeling uneasy. I'm not the most confident jumper anyway and refusals really get to me.
In her previous home she went hunting, XC schooling etc but she also jumped BSJA up to newcomers so she knows what she is doing.

Now I'm confused - is she having a paddy because I'm suddenly telling her what to do or am I messing her about when she is trying to do her job?

.

 

[SillyMare]

Sounds a bit like my mare (is yours a TB?).

I am struggling with the same thing - if I leave her alone and let her jump out of a longer, onwards stride she is very happy, never refuses but tends to have poles down when the fences get a bit bigger.

She actually jumps better if I gather her up and ride her deeper into fences. However she does tend to loose power and refuse. Needs a LOT of leg to keep her engaged and jump like this. When I forget it all goes wrong.

We are practicing over small jumps at the moment but struggling a bit to be honest - hope it gets better as her dressage improves.

 

[icestationzebra]

To be honest if the horse is jumping consistent clear rounds I wouldn't try and change too much! After all - that is the point

As long as she is respectful between fences and comes back to you when you ask I would leave her be. If you start trying to change her style now she may lose confidence and the stopping will become a real problem. Some horses just don't like to jump being held onto and shortened in that way. What I would do however is do plenty of flatwork ensuring she is responsive and respectful of you - in particular in the canter. Lots of work shortening and lengthening which will help her jumping anyway. Sometimes some trainers can be very effective with a lot of horses - but the very good ones will adjust their style for each horse.....

 

[Ziggy_]

sillymare - yes she is half TB, but has the brain of a racehorse.

ice stationzebra - She isn't respectful at all and completely takes control between fences, she will let me steer but nothing more. She can shorten and lengthen very well in the school though. When I bought her she wouldn't jump point blank since losing her confidence a few years before - this makes me reluctant to mess her about too much. When doing it 'her' way (ie on a long rein, and pretty fast) she is bold and will jump anything.

 

[Scribbles]

I'd say no, and practise stopping (completely stood still for 5 seconds) after every other jump, or something similar.


My old horse was very similar, and I simply learnt to adjust my riding style, and he stopped rushing at the fences, and became very well mannered. Have you tried schooling her round fences, without actually jumping them, and counting a steady slow trot rhythem whilst you do it? This was actually a miracle cure for us.

 

[Tinypony]

I wouldn't interfere with her way of dealing with the jumps at all. I'd do what Scribbles said and just quietly work on changing her expectations a bit. If you could be patient and back off jumping for just a couple of weeks it would be sorted. You start with walking her over a pole, and then stopping and backing up to it... er, this would be a long post and your instructor would never go for it, but it would work. If you'd like the full screed feel free to pm me.

 

[Scotland]

For me the question is what do you want to achieve. If the goal is to stay jumping the height you are already at then leave the horse be. If you want to go bigger then yes you may want to look at changing your style. Think of it like a golfer. They are already a scratch player, but they want to be better. It means changing the way they sming the club. Changing the swing means they end up missing the ball every second shot. BUT, 2 months later the new swing becomes natural and they end up a pro. So, are you prepared to miss the ball for the next couple of months? As changing your style takes time and is not an overnight fix...it is a journey. Good luck

)

 

[jumpthemoon]

I agree with Scotland - it depends on what you want to achieve with your horse. I'm going through the same thing at the moment - having to get tough with my horse as he had no respect for me. It's difficult at first but a similar approach has worked wonders for us. It just takes time to get used to - good luck