Please help, sack the jockey

[Buds_mum]

So I have a lovely cob x, 5 years old, broke him myself. We are really cracking the dressage, struggle slightly with him stepping through and under but just needs a little more impulsion.

Which really shows up hugely when we jump, we have two major problems which stops us progressing out of the school and into the big wide world of competition.

1) Him. He is so laid back he is horizontal, he lacks impulsion, and when he gives impulsion its more of an illusion as his back end could be more engaged. Therefore on the way to a fence I am working hard to keep him going. He doesn't take me into fences, I like being towed in as it gives me something to keep hold of when they push through from behind (the old toothpaste tube analogy is something I always worked well with)

2) Me. I am already over riding to actually keep forward momentum, its all fine when we are jumping literately 40cm x poles but then instructor puts a straight up, if its over 65cm my brain goes ''Blaahhh A JUMP BLAAHHH BLAAAAHHHH'' then like two strides out I ask him to take off!! Not just a long one, like stupid long. And as 1) explains the impulsion isn't there to take on any size jump on an idiotic stride like this.

My instructor thinks it confidence, she has me count, today I got to 20 before I pushed for a stupid take off.

I dont why I do it, its stupid and unsafe for me and my very honest horse.

Seriously considering sacking off the jumping and sticking with dressage, but I do love jumping and I don't feel nervous as I'm coming down the line but then I honestly seem to go blank those last few strides and can't even remember jumping the fence!!

All my (very low) ambitions of doing xc and hunter trials with a little bit of sj thrown in seem a million miles away. BE80 is a speck on the horizon.

Has anyone got over anything like this?

I'm angry at myself, I know the how but can't seem to engage myself to process it!!

No food but free cuddles from new puppy going?!

 

[ConnieX]

Have you tried taking him XC schooling? Preferably with a forward going friend to give you a lead? Might make him a bit more forward and allow you to sit more quietly. I did the same jumping friends horse, 2 strides out I felt like we are going so slowly would never make it over the fence and started flapping which just killed the canter even more. Perfectly natural response so don't beat yourself up, need to look at ways to get hm more forward so your self preservation instinct isn't forced to kick in.

 

[Cheiro1]

I am not really qualified to comment on the jumping, but could you jump with a place pole for now to give you something to aim for? Then you just have to get him nicely to the pole and job done

Re the impulsion, lots and lots of transitions, don't be too lenient on him. If he doesn't go off a leg aid then a big kick and a smack. If he shoots forward great, don't pull him up, pat him then let him drop back into whatever pace you started in, then repeat. Start basic so just halt to walk or walk to trot.
Then within the pace too, so trot down the long side, come back slow for the short side then ask forward for the long side. If he doesn't go straight off your leg then big kick and drive him forward, then let him gently return back to his rhythm.
Also, when a the above are ok things like trot halt trot will be great, again expecting a response off a small leg aid.

Once he is quick off your leg you should have more energy that you can direct into impulsion

 

[be positive]

If I was working with you I would be using ground poles to stop you telling him when to take off, doing gridwork to help gain impulsion and confidence so you can leave him alone to learn how to think for himself.
Once he finds a good base canter stride with the use of poles he should start to take you more into the fences then you can begin to jump individual ones on related distances to continue the progress before moving onto unrelated fences.

 

[Buds_mum]

Have you tried taking him XC schooling? Preferably with a forward going friend to give you a lead? Might make him a bit more forward and allow you to sit more quietly. I did the same jumping friends horse, 2 strides out I felt like we are going so slowly would never make it over the fence and started flapping which just killed the canter even more. Perfectly natural response so don't beat yourself up, need to look at ways to get hm more forward so your self preservation instinct isn't forced to kick in.

Interesting thoughts about the self preservation causing me to chase him at the last moment, we have done xc schooling, and a hunter trial when he was 4. He tends to be a little looky so pops in little ones and balloons over, we do need to do some more.

Thank you, I am starting to think it is both our confidences!!

I am not really qualified to comment on the jumping, but could you jump with a place pole for now to give you something to aim for? Then you just have to get him nicely to the pole and job done

Re the impulsion, lots and lots of transitions, don't be too lenient on him. If he doesn't go off a leg aid then a big kick and a smack. If he shoots forward great, don't pull him up, pat him then let him drop back into whatever pace you started in, then repeat. Start basic so just halt to walk or walk to trot.
Then within the pace too, so trot down the long side, come back slow for the short side then ask forward for the long side. If he doesn't go straight off your leg then big kick and drive him forward, then let him gently return back to his rhythm.
Also, when a the above are ok things like trot halt trot will be great, again expecting a response off a small leg aid.

Once he is quick off your leg you should have more energy that you can direct into impulsion

Thank you! I am a ****** for working too hard and letting him get away with acting like the cob he is I am going to try more transitions, with my instructor we have taken out the kick all together as I tend to pony club kick then, so we go squeeze, then if no response schooling whip. Which he starting to respond to slowly!!!

If I was working with you I would be using ground poles to stop you telling him when to take off, doing gridwork to help gain impulsion and confidence so you can leave him alone to learn how to think for himself.
Once he finds a good base canter stride with the use of poles he should start to take you more into the fences then you can begin to jump individual ones on related distances to continue the progress before moving onto unrelated fences.

Thanks BP, we have done alot with poles and it is since they have been taken away again i'm having problems, maybe it was a little premature?
Straightness can be an issue as he drifts, we has a great session last week using guide poles to keep him straight and we were pinging.
I just feel a bit of a numpty, its like having to have stabalisers on your bike!

Thank you for replies x

 

[slumdog]

Sorry double post

 

[slumdog]

I have this exact issue so I know exactly what you mean! I also have a jumping position that wouldn't look out of place in a puissance- unfortunately it's over anything bigger than 2ft!

Striding poles have been the answer for me, lots and lots of them and grid work. I've also been working to establish a better canter, once a good canter is there the strides kind of find themselves (although I do still look for them sometimes but I try not to!)

Keep going, this time last year we flattened nearly ever fence in a 2ft class, last Sunday we did our first British Novice and although we had 3 down we're getting there

 

[Piaffe19]

Lots of transitions especially walk to canters. As long as you get a reaction then it doesn't matter what it looks like, he just has to go forwards the moment you ask for the transition.

 

[Buds_mum]

I have this exact issue so I know exactly what you mean! I also have a jumping position that wouldn't look out of place in a puissance- unfortunately it's over anything bigger than 2ft!

Striding poles have been the answer for me, lots and lots of them and grid work. I've also been working to establish a better canter, once a good canter is there the strides kind of find themselves (although I do still look for them sometimes but I try not to!)

Keep going, this time last year we flattened nearly ever fence in a 2ft class, last Sunday we did our first British Novice and although we had 3 down we're getting there

Well done you!! Thats such a morale boosting post I need to educate myself on grids, I dont jump unless its with my instructor, whereas I think more is better and little grids are quite safe really.

Lots of transitions especially walk to canters. As long as you get a reaction then it doesn't matter what it looks like, he just has to go forwards the moment you ask for the transition.

Something to work on thanks, havent tried this at all!

Out of interest do people advocate jumping out of trot or canter?
I only jump out of canter, but wondering if trot will just help us both gain some confidence...?

 

[be positive]

Out of interest do people advocate jumping out of trot or canter?
I only jump out of canter, but wondering if trot will just help us both gain some confidence...?[/QUOTE]

Both, trotting into grids can really help with confidence, the fences help create impulsion and you know the striding is correct so can sit quietly and ride forward through them, I often use a grid, trotting in, then go onto another fence once the canter is established through the grid, it helps the rider get the feel of how it should be.
Otherwise a line of canter poles into a grid or after can be useful for getting the canter going, related distances on turns 4 or 5 strides apart so you know how many he should be doing and encourage you to wait, or ride forward, knowing what to expect.

 

[Buds_mum]

Both, trotting into grids can really help with confidence, the fences help create impulsion and you know the striding is correct so can sit quietly and ride forward through them, I often use a grid, trotting in, then go onto another fence once the canter is established through the grid, it helps the rider get the feel of how it should be.
Otherwise a line of canter poles into a grid or after can be useful for getting the canter going, related distances on turns 4 or 5 strides apart so you know how many he should be doing and encourage you to wait, or ride forward, knowing what to expect.

Thank you!!

looks like grid work is going to be on agenda, had a inkling it would be the answer. Very helpful BP thanks so much