No brakes after jump. Ideas welcome.

Girlychu

Girlychu

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Long story short -
Owned my 8 year old lad for 6 years. Brought on and backed by pros at 4 years old. All was fine, a real laid back lad - no issues. Then when he was 5 I was having a jumping lesson, fell off and hurt my back by going through fence. Lost confidence completely. Didn't ride him for 2 years, though I would borrow other horses and go on wee hacks.

Anyway I allowed someone else to ride him and he competed in cross country, jump cross and show jumping. He was always placed. Then one day I decided that there was no point in keeping him if I was not going to ride him. Fast forward .....

I have weekly lessons - weather permiting - and I pop wee jumps in the school. So I thought I would enter a teeny cross country comp - our first ever. Disaster we jumped one fence and he took off :( Couldnt stop him. We then hired the local jump x course all was fine till heading home couldn't stop him. Tried everything and ended up pulling the reins as hard as I could with my whole weight at the back of the saddle.

I would say most of the fences were within sight of the car/trailer.

My instructor thinks its been a case of "point and gallop" with the other rider and not really to help me. He only tanks off after the jump. We can trot in but on landing its all systems go only and we only jump up to 2 feet.

So now Im confident in the school but Im losing confidence in ever being able to take him away from home.

Hes a cob x tb, fed a teeny weeny bit of chaf and blue chip after he has been ridden as a thankyou. Back, teeth etc all been checked recently. He is ridden normally in a dutch gag on the snaffle ring but down a ring when away from home.

Any ideas on re-education would be welcome. Im on a small, friendly yard but really have no one on hand to help. I have a lovely instructor who I only see once a week (outdoor school only and easily gets bogged down).

Ideas so far have been calmers, change bit, send away, etc

Many thanks for reading this :)
 
Not an expert, but here's my opinions! :)
This happened to me with a friends horse - however the reason she took off after a jump was because of me losing my balance and falling upon landing and this knocked her confidence in turn - another rider has started to jump her and she is doing really well now, this tanking off afterwards has stopped.
How about jumping more than one fence at a time, such as a double?? that way he would get himself into a mess if he tanked off, it would give him something to think towards? Also as lots of people say the key to good jumping is good groundwork - how is he schooling, in transitions and listening to your aids?
What bit is he in now? I'm not a huge fan of strong bits, but if it would help stop this cycle and help you get your confidence it may well be worth looking into a change.
K x
 
I do sympathise as my chap also turns into a tank on occasions. I was always told to do alot of gridwork - so that as you jump he cant bomb off as has another to think about. An instructor also got us to do a very good exercise of going through grid then doing a circle straight after the last jump before continuing round. I would also try walking up to jump then trotting at last minute - pop over then back to trot - just trying to make it more boring so that he doesnt turn into a tank !! May also be worth putting some trotting poles after last jump (not too close of course) so that as he goes into tank mode he has to think about steadying over the poles.
Good luck - x
 
Many thanks KH for your reply. We did jump doubles at the jx and he cantered in between them. In the school we jump courses. I would say normally he is a ploddy cob in the school but a TB when away from home. :) He is in a 3 ring gag with a nut cracker action.
 
Dante said:
Many thanks KH for your reply. We did jump doubles at the jx and he cantered in between them. In the school we jump courses. I would say normally he is a ploddy cob in the school but a TB when away from home. :) He is in a 3 ring gag with a nut cracker action.
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Would it be worth taking him for trips out (we have a jumping course away from home that we hack to, for a change, as my horse just can't jump, won't jump away from home!) and doing grid work with your instructor there?
Circles are a good idea too after landing.
No bit expert I'm afraid but maybe try a change, just to see what effect that has?
K x
 
Can you take him to another,maybe bigger school for a lesson,see how he is there. Do more in a field at home we spend too much time in arenas and a daily walk or trot in a field progressing to canter and small jump when you are ready.
When you are confident in a variety of "safe" places,try again at a XC schooling venue with your instructor to help.
Take him to mini SJ somewhere in an arena or to a RC clinic anything to expand your experiences but staying in a controlled situation.
Calmers are not likely to make any difference imo.
a stronger bit may help,ask your instructors opinion.
Send away could help but only to the right person who will help get him going for you,maybe your instructor could ride him for you and see if that helps.
Good luck.
 
Thankyou for the replys. Will try other venues. The suggestions given by you guys has got me thinking. Will ask farmer about putting a few wee jumps in the field. Will try circles and other suggestions. Many thanks.
 
Maybe try a stronger bit whilst jumping?

If not, try halting after the jump, once youve done this a couple of times he will think he has to stop so he will slow down, then when he does slow down you can start asking him to go forwards again :) but make sure you vary from halting after the jump and keeping him going as you dont want him to get into the habbit of stopping after jumps :) I tried this in one of my lessons at college and it really helped with speedy horses.

hope this helps! :)
 
I totally agree with caitlin with the grid work and stopping between fences/after fences, just ensure you are varying where you stop. It worked a treat with my mare when she was a youngster as she used to tank into fences it was a case of take aim and fire at one point!!! But once the idea that she'd have to stop immediately after a fence was implanted the improvment was amazing, these days I have the opposite problem she's too relaxed about fences she'd quite happily jump from walk!!!
lots and lots of transitions whether your in the school or out on a hack, keep him paying attention to you
Not keen on bit changing though as that can be just a tempory fix and in the long run make him stronger
Good luck x
 
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