Rushing fences

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geronimostilton

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A long story cut short, SIL had her horse out on loan but has taken him back because it turned out that all and sundry were being allowed to ride him.

He used to be a very nice steady jumper but has come back rushing his fences like a lunatic. Saddle has been checked and reflocked and back has been seen to (a few minor tweaks but nothing bad) so now it is probably a long process of re-schooling. Looking for any tips or exercises to slow him down again, and any idea how long it will take?
 
try enforcing stopping after the fence by 6/7 foot, so pop the fence and take a stride, then stop. Concentrates you on the other side of the fence and not on the actual fence. take as much of a pull as it takes to stop, but as soon as the horse does stop, reward by releasing the reins straightaway, stand, then carry on again. it slows the horse up in front of the fence. Be firm but be fair - reward when necessary.
I did a clinic with Andrew McClean & very rushy horse, worked really well
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I'd use grids to get him to wait for the fences...we also used to ride circles to get a steady pace then quietly ride for the fence (for example the circle was ridden at B with the fence at E) no idea on how long it would take sorry
 
put four or five raised trotting poles in front of a bigger fence, the horse will be forced to think about its striding and cant afford to be too flat or else it will get in a knot.

Either that or ride towards a jump, and circle three strides out, either way, so the horse doesnt anticipate when you are jumping - the rider regains conrtol and can point at a fence when he/she is ready.
 
lots of canter poles to get the correct rhythm back again. It sounds like he has been chased/pushed into the fences which is why he is now rushing.

another good one I used to do with my mare is to set up a related line about 5 strides apart and after doing the first fence do a circle then take the second element - I found it took mine off 'autopilot' and got her thinking about what was coming next rather than just locking on to the fence and going for it
 
Make sure you are in a very collected, steady canter before even thinking of approaching the fence. When you do come in, make sure you are straight and keep leg on to maintain collection.
Try a combination of small upright, canter stride, pole, canter stride, small spread - slows my boy right up.
Sounds like he's just been hammered into fences with no thought for technique.
Also, may be worth going back to basics and getting a couple of really good flatwork lessons to remind him.
 
Sounds like he's lost his confidence so it's a case of making it fun for him again. Maybe try lungeing or free schooling him over some fences so he has to think for himself and hence doesn't have the issue of the rider on him. You may find that helps him.

When riding, make sure you hold, hold and hold basically so as to help give him back his confidence again.

As flicker said though also consider basic flatwork schooling techniques to get him to listen again.
 
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Either that or ride towards a jump, and circle three strides out, either way, so the horse doesnt anticipate when you are jumping - the rider regains conrtol and can point at a fence when he/she is ready.

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not sure I would do this ^^^ its what I use to wind mine up on a lazy day... each time round he gets more excited and annoyed at not being allowed to jump.

He is also less than great with grids or single fences as he 'knows' where the jump is and winds himself up on the corner.

much better with courses when he doesnt know where he is going. Another exercise is to have one or 2 jumps on a circle and keep going but again this tends to either make them worse or better!

Mine had 2 months in a home resulting in him rushing and worrying and stopping.... loss of confidence as ladyt said. but I dont lunge mine over jumps as he gets too fast and silly and I cant keep up which ends up in skids round corners! I think it was just consistancy and flatwork really that got him back to how he had been with previous owner. If he got too strong/silly/not listening I would apply the brakes hard after the jump as in the exercise mentioned above..... only had to do it once and was better.
 
My instructor put trotting poles 2 or 3 strides after jump made huge difference to mare that rushes after jumping.Only needed few jumps like this and it taught us both how to come back to each other.
 
It will depend entirely on the horses's temperament too - my 14.2hh pony rushed fences - he would either jump at 100mph or not at all! Putting poles on the floor with him would have made him worse as they panicked him more and having poles after a fence would have really thrown him.

I guess it depends on the extent of his confidence level - you don't want to make him worry more.

My sister and I free schooled ours the other week in a smallish indoor school - just the right size really. It was very good actually. There was obviously no danger of them jumping out and actually watching them work it all out themselves was quite nice to see. We started with just a pole on the floor and built it up to just an upright eventually. Only one fence but they both went really nicely. I have never free schooled mine and have had him 15 years now but he sure as hell seemed like he'd done it before!!!
 
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