School Help Please.

TheresaW

TheresaW

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I have owned my mare for about 5 years now. The yard we were on previously had very little facilities, which didn't bother me that much as I was happy just hacking about the forest, and had somewhere I could hack to for the odd lesson.

Last year we moved yards. New yard has an outdoor school and plenty of turnout. Now that we have facilities, am starting to get a little more adventurous and did a walk and trot dressage test towards the end of last year, and am now really keen to learn to jump. I am also hoping to do a bit more dressage in the summer. My problem is though, that Dolly gets so strong in the school. She is fine in walk and trot, but as soon as I ask for canter, she is flat out and motor bikes around the corners. How can I get more control?

Jumping is another problem. She loves jumping, which is good, but she is not doing my confidence much good. I had a lesson a while ago, and trotting poles were put down. She jumped over them! I have worked on that and we are getting better, but now I am starting to do little jumps, and she gets soo excited and goes in really fast and jumps really big. I need more control. She is ridden in french link snaffle at the moment, and out hacking it is fine. I also did quite a few fun rides last year, and although she was really excited, I always felt totally in control. Am guessing that a lot of the problem is coming from me, but what can I do?
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Don't worry, a lot of what you're describing will be down to just a lack of confidence on both your parts!

How old is your mare and how much did she do before you got her? I know a lot of the time they take off and motorbike in canter its mainly down to a lack of experience or balance. I often find it with the young horses I bring on and often they just run for it because they don't really know what else to do with their legs! Try doing a lot of circle work in walk and trot and get her bending really well because this will help her find her balance properly and will help a lot when you move up to canter.

Again with the jumping, if you find she is getting a bit strong try circling before the jump and keep circling until she slows right down and starts to focus on you again. Only when she is totally concentrating should she be taken in to the jump, quite close if you have to so she doesn't have a big run up to gather speed.

Don't be scared to keep up the lessons as well - even every fortnight will do wonders for your confidence. I know exactly how you feel, I used to be a nervous wreck until I found the right instructor and I soon found myself in all sorts of situations I would otherwise have been worried stupid about but she really did give me all the help I needed.

Good luck!!
 
I would take it very slowly with the jumping - why not have a jumping lesson with an instructor - although it sounds scary most dont actually progress further than a few trotting poles on the first lesson, that way it will build up both your confidence and make her slow down. They will probably start with one and then build up so she learns to walk over them. A friend also lunges her chap over poles and jumps before she gets on as it gives her confidence seeing him jump.An instructor will also work out striding for you so you can practice with no on watching! Good luck sounds like you are having tons of fun!
 
Thankyou. Instructor has mentioned that Dolly is lacking in confidence, and I know I am, so you are spot on there. She is about 13/14, and when I bought her, she was being used on a school for hacking out, so hasn't done heaps for her age.

Will take on board what you have both said, and will do lots of circle work to slow her down a bit. I have been pretty on and off with lessons, but am now hoping to start having them pretty regular so that we can progress.
 
Id definately reccomend having regular lessons. Star and I both hadn't jumped up until last year, and with weekly lessons we've both come on in leaps and bounds (literally
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) and Im hoping to start competing properly this year
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my mare was exactly the same - motorbiking round with no impulsion whatsoever, just flat and fast in canter!! I think it was just time and repetitive schooling exercises the did it for us. She is far more balanced now. I still do start off cantering in a circle, and only when I feel she is listening a bit more and has balance and a weensy bit of impulsion do we do a full circuit.
This might not work for you, but a couple of times I had to be quite tough, and when she was cantering down the long side I would use her otuside shoulder to block all the speediness, if that makes any sense? She soon sussed it though and simply did a scrambled flying change so she could get back to 100mph again....
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Good luck, I think persistance is the key.
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eta - Won't say anything about the jumping, because we still have the same speedy issues a year later!
 
Are you sure us and our horses weren't separated at birth? lol!

Major was also an ex riding school horse and he used to have the same problem, along with a good bucking habit to add to it! Luckily when I got him I was confident and experienced in how to fix it after my last horse - a thoroughbred x connemara - who was famous for charging at fences and leaping massively too high over them. My riding instructor taught us to circle and cirlce and cirlce until he forgot about the jump, then pop him over when he was calm. Worked a treat! Although there were a few days when she tried more unconventional methods - including standing right in front of the jump until about 2 strides away to confuse him. Sure taught him to think before jumping anyway!
 
perhaps a change of bit might be needed?

also either circling infront of the jumps or doing lots of small grids to make her slow down and sort out her own striding, its worked on both my loan horses and many others at my yard.

and as for the cantering, perhaps try cantering a 20 metre circle? and ride her off of a half-halt (if you dont already) it will get her attention onto you.

Lucy x
 
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