Pony's a bit too keen to his fences - schooling ideas?

[MissSBird]

Hi guys

Little bit about B. He is a lazy bum on the flat, but always perks up when he's about fences. We don't jump big. I've had quite a few scares with previous horses (dirty stops mainly) so when I first got him I refused to jump. He's gradually brought my confidence back and I do enjoy jumping him. We never really go above 80cm, and are comfortable around 60/70cm. A huge improvement than what it once was though.

Since he figured jumping out as a 4 year old he's always been keen and eager to his fences (at home, competitions where the fences are new is different but we're working on that). But, over the last few months I feel like he is getting a bit too eager to his fences, to the point he's not really listening to me and dictating his own speed into them. Best way I can describe it is a bit cocky. He's honest and always jumps, but is a bit gung-ho into them. He's now 6 years old.

I've really been trying to focus on getting the canter right, and doing collections/extensions (as best we can manage) on the flat so that I control the tempo, but however good this gets, as soon as a fence is presented it feels like the control I had just disappears.

Does anyone have any good ideas for schooling exercises to help remind him that I dictate the speed of the approach? This is a problem completely new to me.

I'm also wondering if a change in noseband/bitting might be a good idea for the meantime. I'm not a fan of using gadgets to solve problems, but I'm having to take a very firm hold into fences to try and get control of the speed, and I wonder if something stronger might be a good temporary solution in addition to schooling exercises. He's currently ridden in a NS team up loose ring snaffle, a cavesson noseband and wears a running martingale.

Any helps/tips/advise appreciated!

 

[kc100]

My instructor has me keeping my strong beast of a horse in trot as we approach the fence, and then canter at the very last minute. I know that's not ideal for competitions, but for schooling it may be a good idea as it will help you teach your pony that you control the tempo not him, and he can only go when you tell him to.

Also - canter poles. These work wonders for horses that like to rush, it teaches them to keep balanced, at a steady pace. Placing canter poles before the fence will help with the jumping as it means he has to stay steady. Gridwork as well helps, pony will soon realise he cant rush too much as there is a second fence to clear straight after the first one!

Do you have an instructor who could help you? I find for jumping an instructor is invaluable, when you are jumping you are so focused on getting over the fence you miss a lot of what the horse is doing, so having someone on the ground telling you what you and pony are doing wrong is a huge help!

 

[ajf]

My boy hated this when I started but it worked!

On a 20 m circle add four poles at 12, 3, 6 and 9 (as in a clock) position. Canter over these, and keep going! When he begins to relax canter large and change direction. You'll find where on the circle you get good strides but try not to fiddle too much.

The poles can then be raised to say 1ft and repeated and again raised but still small enough to canter over and not jump.

It took my boy several sessions but he began to find it not so exiciting!

Also with mine leaving random poles everywhere and working over these when flatwork schooling also helped

Good luck and just try to stay relaxed and calm!

 

[MissSBird]

I do have an instructor but currently finding it very difficut to get a lesson sorted - my circumstances arn't easy at the moment.

Thanks for the ideas, I'll keep them in mind!!

 

[milo'n'molly]

Firstly, well done on getting your confidence back to jump again.
Given your history the first thing I would question is your approach to the fence, as you have had a bad experience with previous pony putting in bad stops I would check that you aren't and haven't in the past "fired" the pony at the fence.
Its easy to do subconsciously if you're Nervous.
As for schooling the pony agree with above, make the fences very small to start with and trot over them. On the approach do lots of transitions between walk, trot and halt to keep him listening. You can even halt a few strides away then pick up the trot and pop over.
Another thing to try, again keeping things very small is to place a canter pole on the landing side to give him something to think about and stop him rushing.
Best of luck

 

[Bernster]

Firstly, well done on getting your confidence back to jump again.
Given your history the first thing I would question is your approach to the fence, as you have had a bad experience with previous pony putting in bad stops I would check that you aren't and haven't in the past "fired" the pony at the fence.
Its easy to do subconsciously if you're Nervous.
As for schooling the pony agree with above, make the fences very small to start with and trot over them. On the approach do lots of transitions between walk, trot and halt to keep him listening. You can even halt a few strides away then pick up the trot and pop over.
Another thing to try, again keeping things very small is to place a canter pole on the landing side to give him something to think about and stop him rushing.
Best of luck

Def agree with the inadvertent 'firing' at fences - terrible habit of mine from the days when my slightly backward fella would put in the odd stop so I tended to pony club kick on the approach which pushes them out of their stride and can give you a bad jump or make them rush.

With a newer speedier pony, which sounds a bit like yours, I was told that I was hanging on too much and should just let the horse go, not apply the brakes so hard/long. Quick check, then give. Horse was running through the contact and that was causing her to rush. She'd settle better and moderate her speed if I let go. Bit scary to put into practice and actually very very hard to do, I ended up having to to do an exaggerated give and take of each rein to stop myself. That was Harry Meade's advice, so I reckon he knows a thing or two

 

[MissSBird]

I don't think I am subconciously pushing on too much into the fence. The previous bad jumpers (both of whom I stopped jumping pretty damn quickly cause I got the message) used to rush (the other kind of rush when they're just charging in a sort of flight mode to get it over with) then stop at the last second so I used to be too afraid to put my leg on, which in hindsight is probably why they then refused. I'll keep it mind though.

The breaking too much idea does sound more like it could be part of the problem, particularly given what I've just said above about previous experiences. Perhaps the fear of approaching quickly (and the subconcious expectation of a refusal following this) is causing me to hang onto his mouth.

Sounds scary and exactly the opposite of what I want to do but, I think under controlled circumstances with someone on the ground it might be good to try out not holding so much and trying to just go with it a little bit more.

Thanks guys!

 

[Luci07]

or try cantering in front of the fence in a large circle. Don't allow your horse to jump until he has relaxed into his canter. May take a few circles but that often helps. Another one I have seen is to have someone walking in front of the fence as you are coming down!

 

[Polotash]

This is a common problem, so don't feel alone!

The clock exercise is a good one. I would also use placing poles in front and after the jump, this will encourage him to stick to a good stride. He'll soon find he gets into a muddle with the poles if he rushes.

Lastly, come forward to halt after each jump. So, say your jump is at X and you have jumped up the centre line from A. By the time you get to C you want to stop, if it has to be with his nose touching the fence this is fine, but keep him straight and insist he stops. Then allow him to re establish canter and do a circle or two, then jump, then halt. He'll soon find this makes jumping more boring. The only time this doesn't work is if they are very very fizzy and then it's best to keep them moving, but sounds like yours just needs to recall that you know best!

Re bit, yes, i would always rather have more brakes and use less hand. If you are in a jointed snaffle the first thing i'd try would be a dutch gag with the same mouth piece. The next step after a snaffle is putting the cheekpiece on the upper ring, if still not enough, drop the rein down one ring, if still not enough drop onto bottom ring, but doesn't sound to me like you'll need the bottom ring.

 

[PolarSkye]

Hi guys

Little bit about B. He is a lazy bum on the flat, but always perks up when he's about fences. We don't jump big. I've had quite a few scares with previous horses (dirty stops mainly) so when I first got him I refused to jump. He's gradually brought my confidence back and I do enjoy jumping him. We never really go above 80cm, and are comfortable around 60/70cm. A huge improvement than what it once was though.

Since he figured jumping out as a 4 year old he's always been keen and eager to his fences (at home, competitions where the fences are new is different but we're working on that). But, over the last few months I feel like he is getting a bit too eager to his fences, to the point he's not really listening to me and dictating his own speed into them. Best way I can describe it is a bit cocky. He's honest and always jumps, but is a bit gung-ho into them. He's now 6 years old.

I've really been trying to focus on getting the canter right, and doing collections/extensions (as best we can manage) on the flat so that I control the tempo, but however good this gets, as soon as a fence is presented it feels like the control I had just disappears.

Does anyone have any good ideas for schooling exercises to help remind him that I dictate the speed of the approach? This is a problem completely new to me.

I'm also wondering if a change in noseband/bitting might be a good idea for the meantime. I'm not a fan of using gadgets to solve problems, but I'm having to take a very firm hold into fences to try and get control of the speed, and I wonder if something stronger might be a good temporary solution in addition to schooling exercises. He's currently ridden in a NS team up loose ring snaffle, a cavesson noseband and wears a running martingale.

Any helps/tips/advise appreciated!

GreyDonkey was just the same when we bought him so we used his enthusiasm for jumping as a reward for being calm in front of a fence. We spent a lot of time schooling him in the jumping field . . . flatwork . . . and when he was calm and relaxed and working within himself just popped the nearest fence. In the school we set up a couple of jumps and spent aaaaaaaaaages circling in front of the fence and around it until he was calm and submissive and then jumped it . . . then circled for ages again until he was calm and jumped the next one. He soon worked out that when he was calm, he got to jump . . . and when he was excited and tanking off he didn't . . . until he was calm again.

It worked.

P

 

[MissSBird]

This is a common problem, so don't feel alone!

The clock exercise is a good one. I would also use placing poles in front and after the jump, this will encourage him to stick to a good stride. He'll soon find he gets into a muddle with the poles if he rushes.

Lastly, come forward to halt after each jump. So, say your jump is at X and you have jumped up the centre line from A. By the time you get to C you want to stop, if it has to be with his nose touching the fence this is fine, but keep him straight and insist he stops. Then allow him to re establish canter and do a circle or two, then jump, then halt. He'll soon find this makes jumping more boring. The only time this doesn't work is if they are very very fizzy and then it's best to keep them moving, but sounds like yours just needs to recall that you know best!

Re bit, yes, i would always rather have more brakes and use less hand. If you are in a jointed snaffle the first thing i'd try would be a dutch gag with the same mouth piece. The next step after a snaffle is putting the cheekpiece on the upper ring, if still not enough, drop the rein down one ring, if still not enough drop onto bottom ring, but doesn't sound to me like you'll need the bottom ring.

Think I have a gag somewhere in the loft...

Oddly enough I do the halting exercise already and have found his lazy personality tends to kick in and he starts auto-stopping so I don't think this particular exercise suits him. I do it very occasionally, but don't want to encourage him to think that's what he's to do after a fence.

I generally find that after a fence is never a problem, and between them is usually ok too. The problem only ever appears when he is physically presented to a fence.

Will try canter circles too!

Thanks for all these ideas. I'm feeling like I've got a game plan now!