Off track standardbred knocking poles with front legs

[linnea]

I am currently riding/training a standardbred that has been raced 5 times until 3 years old before starting his riding career at 4. I started riding him shortly after he turned six late last summer. He picks up on new exercises really easily and has a really positive mindset. He can hold a nice frame in all gaits including right canter although he can fall behind the vertical a bit.
He is also beginning to get a good grasp on leg yield.
BUT he still loses his frame, lifts his head, drops the back then front end then front legs and either has to overjump or knock the pole. He can easily get over a 1 meter pole with this technique so I know he can do a lot more if he figures out the proper technique.
I feel like I have done everything I can to strengthen his technique and build muscle memory that should make it easier for him, but i’m still failing him. I do admit he is a bit under muscled due to low protein hay and -35 degree weather this winter but it shouldn’t be more difficult to jump a 40 cm crossrail with correct carriage than doing a leg yield with correct carriage.
I know people will suggest lunging with an elastic or pessoa system over cavaletties but the pessoa yanks his mouth even in simple canter and he fights the elastic.
I want to try everything I can before being made ato do grids with a short standing martingale or in draw reins…

 

[ycbm]

-35? What country are you in? I hope you're using Fahrenheit!

I think if you know he's under muscled then you really need to address that before you try jumping anything or you set him up to fail or for injury.

He will have raced in harness, I guess?
.

 

[Gloi]

Is he a trotter or gaited?

 

[linnea]

Is he a trotter or gaited?

He is a trotter

 

[linnea]

-35? What country are you in? I hope you're using Fahrenheit!

I think if you know he's under muscled then you really need to address that before you try jumping anything or you set him up to fail or for injury.

He will have raced in harness, I guess?
.

-35 celsius hahah
He isn’t severely under muscled just not what i’m used to seeing coming from a high performance show jumping barn

 

[VRIN]

-35c is Iceland/finland or similar

 

[ycbm]

-35 celsius hahah
He isn’t severely under muscled just not what i’m used to seeing coming from a high performance show jumping barn

Celsius? Where on earth are you? The Arctic?

 

[Orangehorse]

Maybe he simply isn't made for jumping. Do you know any others of similar breeding and background that have done well in jumping? I know that all horses have to be taught to jump, but some take to it better than others.

 

[TheMule]

I would forget about having him in a frame for jumping- horses need freedom in their head and neck to use their body. Can you loose jump him to see his natural technique?

 

[Gloi]

Do you have any hilly land you can ride out on, natural obstacles and different surfaces. If he's always been on tracks some time learning to handle himself on more tricky surfaces may help him to think about where he puts himself.

 

[paddi22]

go out intot he countryside and lunge only over solid objects like logs etc. keep it very very small, reward and make it fun. I've had a few like this and they need solid obstables to get it to click in their heads to pick their legs. boots him up well in front. absolutely do not use gadgets on him for jumping. muscle him up first with hill work, then raised polework inhand and on the lunge, calvetties etc. don't worry about his frame jumping, I've ones that need their neck free to balance and they jump higher than a metre easily if left alone. when you talk about his frame, do you mean the canter going into the jump? if sop, that's a dressage issue, not a jumping one, get your canter right on the flat.