measles
Well-Known Member
A little while ago I posted about a new "youngster" we had, Parker, who at 7yo was not long backed and still very green. Our last month or so have been focussing on taking him places to see the world in an unpressurised way, to lessons and a little bit of low level competition.
I really did think we were getting somewhere as after the terror of the horse eating filler lurking in the corner at KB
he seemed to be more relaxed and not overjumping so much. A win in the British Novice at SNEC where he jumped relatively normally followed
I did say relatively.. But I did think he was beginning to lose his terror of touching poles and a lesson with the extremely good David Gatherer confirmed that poles are horse eating, dangerous snakes
Trotting poles are best jumped, it seems. He did get the hang of it - eventually - and the canter poles really did help his balance and rhythm in canter
We did think that the very positive lesson had been educational for him and were delighted that he was very relaxed throughout. Shame the same can't be said for his lesson the other evening with a well known SJ'er... Again pole work meant jumping and when he did settle to it - quicker than before to give him credit - the snapping teeth of the poles were still trying to get him
This morning we took him to Rowallan, a new venue for him, for JenniferB's area show and expected him to cope well (normally?
) around the straightforward, encouraging and flowing track but it was not to be. Despite the work we've done over the last month or so the horse eating poles were out in force and he jumped the entire track like this
Can you see the parachute just about to open? We'll work away over the winter with him rather than selling him as, to be frank, who'd want to sit that? 
A is having to keep his eye in at 1.30, like it or not!
Any suggestions to help him stop over jumping? We are focussing on keeping him relaxed and in front of the leg so that he doesn't "climb" and come down on back bars when the fences do go up but any other thoughts?
I really did think we were getting somewhere as after the terror of the horse eating filler lurking in the corner at KB
he seemed to be more relaxed and not overjumping so much. A win in the British Novice at SNEC where he jumped relatively normally followed
I did say relatively.. But I did think he was beginning to lose his terror of touching poles and a lesson with the extremely good David Gatherer confirmed that poles are horse eating, dangerous snakes
Trotting poles are best jumped, it seems. He did get the hang of it - eventually - and the canter poles really did help his balance and rhythm in canter
We did think that the very positive lesson had been educational for him and were delighted that he was very relaxed throughout. Shame the same can't be said for his lesson the other evening with a well known SJ'er... Again pole work meant jumping and when he did settle to it - quicker than before to give him credit - the snapping teeth of the poles were still trying to get him
This morning we took him to Rowallan, a new venue for him, for JenniferB's area show and expected him to cope well (normally?
) around the straightforward, encouraging and flowing track but it was not to be. Despite the work we've done over the last month or so the horse eating poles were out in force and he jumped the entire track like this
Can you see the parachute just about to open?
We'll work away over the winter with him rather than selling him as, to be frank, who'd want to sit that? A is having to keep his eye in at 1.30, like it or not! Any suggestions to help him stop over jumping? We are focussing on keeping him relaxed and in front of the leg so that he doesn't "climb" and come down on back bars when the fences do go up but any other thoughts?
I wonder if you just keep doing lots of unpressurised stuff with him he will just gradually get less jump jet like!
and a not to be repeated experience.
